This month’s Health & Safety theme is Working on Roads. Did you know over 4,000 people are injured a year working on roads, with the number rising every year? And the average fatality rate for those working on roads is one of the highest amongst all employment sectors in the UK? Below are some safety tips to help make your working environment safer for yourself and for pedestrians.
- A traffic management plan must be developed by a competent person and brought to the attention of all workers
- Suitable Signing, Lighting and Guarding (SLG) must be in place to safeguard workers and members of the public
- Overhead and underground services must be identified and safety arrangements must be put in place (e.g. isolation, diversion of services, no tip zones etc)
- All signing, lighting and guarding at roadworks must be put in place, altered or removed under the supervision of a person holding a valid CSCS card
- When the person holding CSCS Signing, Lighting and Guarding is not on site, someone holding CSCS Assisting in the Implementation of Health and Safety at Roadworks must be on site, and may only make minor alterations to the layout
- Signing, lighting and guarding must be checked regularly by the CSCS holder and must be cleaned, maintained or replaced as required
- Safe routes for pedestrians, vehicles and vulnerable road users must be provided around roadworks and the area(s) must be adequately lit
- Adequate work space must be provided for the safe operation of plant and equipment, the safe movement of workers and storage of materials
- Work area must be clearly marked and must be protected with buffer or safety zones
- Site traffic must have safe access
- If the works are not completed at the end of the work day then controls must be in place to make sure members of the public, in particular vulnerable road users, are not put at risk e.g. security of site, SLG
- Signing, lighting and guarding must be removed when work has been completed
- Personal Protective Equipment (e.g. high-visibility clothing, safety helmet, safety boots) must be provided and worn
