This is Lincolnshire Bricklayer’s death showed safety flaws on Lincolnshire construction site This is Lincolnshire A CONSTRUCTION company and its site manager have each been ordered to pay £77,500 court costs after admitting to health and safety…

 

Stocksigns Group‘s insight:

 

 ‘A sad but cautionary tale’ Sandy Barnes from First Call Signs

The Department of Transport has updated its code of practice on work safety at street works and road works sites, with more emphasis on risk assessment, site-specific design and the needs of the pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
Street works are, of course, essential for a range of reasons. But unfortunately, they
can cause considerable local disruption, increasing congestion and journey times.
This increases frustration and can result in drivers and riders taking increased risks
and endangering their own and others safety.

Pedestrian traffic can also be disrupted by road works and improperly reinstated
pavements can cause injury through trips and falls. Such injuries can be particularly
serious in the case of older pedestrians.

The statutory Code of practice 2013 revises and updates the exisiting Code of practice 2001, which is known informally as the ‘safety code’ or the ‘red book’.

The Department for Transport says the new guidnace is simpler to follow and the site layout diagrams have been redrawn to make them easier to understand. The advie on high visibility clothing and visibility requirements for works vehicles has also been updated.

Additional guidance has been included on mobile and short duration works and working near tramways and railways. The Code of practice comes into force on 1 October 2014. It applies to signing, lighting and guarding of street works and road works on all highways and roads, except motorways and dual carriageways witht he speed limit of 50mph or more.

In response to a previous consultaion paper from the Department of Transport, RoSPA commented

“RoSPA welcomes the work being undertaken by all the parties involved in street
works to ensure that necessary street works can carried out with the minimum
amount of disruption. It is beneficial that this Code of Practice continues to develop
to meet changing circumstances and RoSPA hopes that this will continue.”

For more information visit the Department of Transport and RoSPA. Stocksign can supply  a range of products for safe working practice for street works, including cones, stackable and chapter 8 barriers, temporary road works signs, hi-vis clothing and other PPE equipment, order our catalogue for more details.