Freelance

Author Bio ▼

Jamie Hailstone is a freelance journalist and author, who has also contributed to numerous national business titles including Utility Week, the Municipal Journal, Environment Journal and consumer titles such as Classic Rock.
February 28, 2019

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Road Safety

Motorway workers celebrate safety milestone

Motorway workers in the South East of England are celebrating the landmark of working more than 2 million hours without an accident.

RoadworksStaff at A-One+, which is Highways England’s maintenance supplier in Kent and Sussex have not had a single work-related injury since July 2017, when the last reportable incident occurred.

Since then, the A-one+ team have continued to work hard to improve safety awareness and preventing harm.

It has increased daily engagement between management and key staff members to address the challenges faced by the teams out on the roads.

Near misses and improvement ideas are discussed and actioned on a weekly call attended by around 60 people including supply chain.

The maintenance company has also launched a bespoke safety-observation app to prevent harm.

The app also has a mental health section providing 24-hour access to resources and support and a traffic management incursion section allowing safety trends to be analysed.

A-One+ General Manager Chris Sheppard said it was a “remarkable achievement”. “Every morning when our people go to work, they’re armed with the best safety equipment, training, processes, and support in the business,” said Mr Sheppard.

“Each year we look back at our performance, and we don’t just show a video or open a book. From the office to the field employees, the importance of safety and wellbeing is continually emphasised.

“The introduction of staff champions, has also reinforced a zero tolerance of workplace dangers and this focussed time and attention has helped reinforce our commitment to safety with every employee.”

Earlier this month, a survey commissioned highways maintenance company Amey found 59% of road users acknowledged that they are not as safety-conscious as they should be when negotiating roadworks, while almost three quarters (74%) admitted to exceeding speed limits set to protect those working at these sites.

“This research illustrates that road users need to reflect on their behaviour when driving through roadworks to consider the impact on road workers across the UK,” said Amey’s Managing Director for Highways, James Haluch.


Learn more about road safety in the Operational Excellence Theatre at Safety & Health Expo 2019.

Registration is now open for the show, which takes place from 18-20 June at Excel, London.

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