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Safer Highways reports on new approaches to roadworks health and safety

The latest quarterly publication by Safer Highways has now been published and is available to download free.

The current issue includes the cover story from James Haluch, Managing Director of Amey Highways, and highlights research his organisation commissioned which discovered that 57% of motorists admit to breaking the law and speeding whilst in roadworks. Also in the issue:

• Martin Worthington of Morgan Sindall explains how empowering the individual is key to the success of any cultural change programme;
• Safer Highways unveil Mental Health Summit Viewpoint: Tricia O’Neill at Skanska on effectively dealing with an ageing workforce; and
• Kier ‘Raises the Bar’ on safety by increasing awareness of poor Mental Health.

Safer Highways is a collaborative movement “leading in health, safety and well-being, and supported by some of the highways sector’s biggest contractors”.

Drivers ‘incursions’ prosecuted

The current magazine also features a story from Carnell Group on how evidence from their SafetyCam vehicles has now led to two criminal convictions for errant driver behaviour.

Police have confirmed that two drivers have recently been convicted of motoring offences and have received a fine and penalty points on their license following incursions into road works that were captured by SafetyCam.

Highways England’s East Midlands Asset Delivery team requested the deployment of SafetyCam on a scheme on the A5 after reports of drivers failing to adhere to signed diversions and trying to drive the wrong way through traffic management closures.

Incursions were subsequently recorded by SafetyCam, with evidence files fully submissible in a court of law, passed to the police to deal with in the appropriate manner. As well as the two convictions, two other drivers are due to appear in court in March, one other has completed a driver improvement course, and one received a fixed penalty notice.

Commenting on the use of SafetyCam on the A5, Highways England’s Regional Director Catherine Brookes said

“We were encouraged that the extensive trials of SafetyCam had shown a significant reduction in vehicle incursions and a noticeable increase in traffic compliance with road works speed limits. This gave us the confidence to adopt SafetyCam on this scheme, to give increased protection to road workers.”

Safety Cam utilises two camera systems – one to monitor and report on the speeds of passing site traffic and one to record beginning to end submissible evidence of unauthorised vehicle incursions into road works.”

The system is a proven solution to incursions and site vehicle speeding, due to its conspicuous appearance and ability to report poor driving through road works.

Vehicle doubles as site welfare

The vehicle also acts as a fully resourced and functional site welfare vehicle available for use by the site team thus also reducing congestion within the worksite.

On-board Wi-Fi capability is installed and the system is operated by a dedicated SafetyCam operative fully trained in using the equipment and responsible for capturing site speeding and unauthorised incursions, delivering daily reports to the client.

This article was posted on 16th April 2019