CIRAS on tour at Lothian Buses

04 November 2021

Stakeholder manager Sue Gray was out on the road recently speaking to frontline staff at Lothian Buses.

CIRAS' Sue Gray with Lothian Buses health safety and procurement manager Stuart Rollo

Above: Lothian Buses health, safety and procurement manager Stuart Rollo with CIRAS' Sue Gray

Sue travelled across Edinburgh and the Lothians between Wednesday 6 and Thursday 14 October. She set up a drop-in corner in the canteen at three Lothian depots in Edinburgh, plus Lothian Country in Livingston and East Coast Buses in Musselburgh, where she spent several hours chatting to drivers and union reps.

Sue explained what CIRAS is and how it works alongside Lothian’s other health and safety reporting channels. Drivers were interested in knowing more about what they could report, and what sorts of reports come to CIRAS – issues like fatigue, equipment and procedures are all common themes reported to CIRAS that can affect bus drivers.

To union reps, Sue talked about getting the message out across all staff, using local briefings, posters and leaflets.

Feedback was positive, and overall, drivers really appreciated having a confidential route to use if they need it – just knowing that it’s there is reassuring.

‘I love meeting workers on the front line and hearing from them first-hand how CIRAS can help them speak up,’ said Sue. ‘They really are the eyes and ears of their business, and their insights are critical in making workplaces safer. It’s great that Lothian have embraced CIRAS and recognise the role we can play in ensuring they know what’s going on in their business.’

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