ESTA to pilot industry incident-sharing scheme in 2027
30 Second Takeaway
The European association ESTA plans to begin piloting an industry incident-sharing scheme in January 2027. It is intended to help companies learn from accidents, near misses and technical issues, identify shared risks and build a knowledge base of good practice. The association says information should be shared responsibly to improve safety, not assign blame. A February 2026 survey found that 90 percent of respondents considered ESTA a reliable and neutral party to collect and share safety data.
Pilot aims to turn incident reports into shared learning
ESTA’s planned scheme is designed to help companies share lessons from safety incidents across the crane and abnormal road transport sectors. By comparing experiences, participants could identify recurring risks and contribute to a broader knowledge base of safety practices.
The initiative is being developed for broad industry participation, including operating companies, clients and equipment manufacturers. ESTA says a central principle will be using shared information to improve safety rather than apportion blame. The association intends to act as an independent European body to support the exchange of lessons that might otherwise remain within individual businesses.
The scheme is due to enter its initial pilot phase in January 2027. Its operating framework is still in development.
ESTA survey found support for information sharing
The initiative follows an industry-wide safety survey published in February 2026. Ninety percent of respondents said they were confident ESTA could act as a reliable and neutral organisation to collect and share safety data. Nearly two-thirds said their organisations would be willing to share incident reports and details of technical issues.
The survey also highlighted human behaviour, leadership, communication and learning as important influences on safety performance. ESTA Section Transport President Iffet Türken said the proposal is intended to connect experience and learning already held within individual organisations, rather than introduce additional rules.
Türken said companies’ willingness to collaborate was accompanied by understandable sensitivity about the information they may be asked to share. ESTA’s task, she said, is to turn the industry’s support into a practical and trusted framework.
Initiative discussed at ESTA anniversary conference
The incident-sharing initiative was on the programme for ESTA’s 50th Anniversary Conference in Amsterdam on 23 October 2026. The session, titled “Safety=Sharing: ESTA’s incident sharing initiative and learnings from aviation and other industries,” examined approaches to reporting and learning from incidents.
The session’s responsible speakers included Iffet Türken, who is also chair of ESTA’s HSE Commission and an executive board member at trailer maker Kässbohrer; ESTA board member Blanca Claeyssens, managing director at ASA France; and Sebastian Steul, technical and innovation advisor at VDMA Power Systems in Germany.
ESTA pointed to aviation as an example of a sector where sharing information has helped identify risks and improve safety practices.
About ESTA
The European Association of Abnormal Road Transport and Mobile Cranes (ESTA) represents the interests of Europe’s heavy transport and mobile crane sectors. Founded in 1976, it brings together more than 100 member associations and companies from 27 countries, including crane hire and heavy transport businesses, equipment manufacturers and other suppliers.
ESTA works on industry representation, safety and training standards, and the harmonisation of relevant European regulations. It also serves as a knowledge hub connecting companies and other stakeholders across the lifting and abnormal transport industries. ESTA Europe
View website: https://estaeurope.eu/
Frequently Asked Questions
When will ESTA’s incident-sharing scheme begin?
The initial pilot phase is scheduled to begin in January 2027.
What information is the scheme intended to share?
It is intended to support the sharing of information about accidents, near misses and technical issues so that companies can identify common risks and learn from one another.
Who is expected to take part?
ESTA plans to make the scheme accessible to operating companies, clients and equipment manufacturers.
How will the shared information be used?
ESTA says the information should be used to improve safety and build shared knowledge, rather than to apportion blame.
What did the 2026 ESTA safety survey find?
Ninety percent of respondents said they considered ESTA a reliable and neutral party to collect and share safety data. Nearly two-thirds said their organisations would be willing to share incident reports and technical issue details.
