Driving down risks in roadworks
Graham Barrow, Head of Profession, Local Government
| WSP
With highway infrastructure projects expanding to meet the needs of our communities, safety at local highway work sites has become increasingly important.
Recent trends point to a marked increase in traffic management incursions on both low- and high-speed local roads. While there is no consolidated data for local roads in England, figures from National Highways highlight that between January and June this year, an average of 225 incursions were reported on trunk roads and motorways, highlighting a growing concern across various road types.
WSP’s own incident management systems (iSMS) indicate a notable rise in unauthorised incursions, creating heightened risks for workers and the public.
Discussions with local authority clients and contractors underscore a growing concern, revealing more frequent instances of aggressive behaviour directed at site staff. These developments highlight the importance of fostering safer, more respectful environments on our highways, where essential work is undertaken to support public infrastructure.
Beyond the immediate risks to workers, incursions delay project timelines, adding economic costs to local authorities and the community alike. Each accident or delay not only stretches project budgets but also places additional strain on government resources and emergency services.
A proactive approach to safety
However, we are taking a step back to thoroughly review our current practices and identify effective actions to mitigate risks associated with traffic management incursions. While we do not design temporary traffic management systems, our work influences decisions contractors make in this area and our review acknowledges several key factors.
Early collaboration among all stakeholders is essential for achieving effective safety outcomes. When contractors, clients, and designers engage from the planning stages, they can implement measures that proactively identify and mitigate risks, fostering a safer environment. Similarly, it is crucial to consider the impact of our design and any temporary measures on the local community. Through early engagement and consistent communication with local communities, we have witnessed significant benefits in reducing tensions, particularly around traffic management.
Ensuring safety in design requires a comprehensive approach, addressing all aspects of worksite risk, from traffic management to working at height and material placement. Equally important is collaborating with clients ahead of physical works to manage public expectations and raise awareness of necessary traffic management measures.
Ultimately, safety on the roads goes beyond site workers—it is about reducing disruptions to the public, supporting safe travel for the community, and fostering respect for traffic management setups that protect everyone involved.
Empowering our staff
Working on or near highways or within traffic management represents some of the greatest health and safety risks our staff face. To this end, we are strengthening awareness and preparedness within our workforce.
We have redesigned and extended our training package focusing on this. As well as ensuring our staff are prepared for and equipped to mitigate the specific risks and challenges associated with working on or near highways, we have also developed a specific module focused on working within traffic management. The traffic management module is focused on eight simple practices when planning to work and working with Traffic Management’. This will raise awareness of good practice when working in temporary traffic management giving our teams vital practical guidelines.
We are also improving our risk assessment for site-based activities, strengthening the focus on working within traffic management. Additionally, our teams are advancing their understanding of traffic management best practices, empowering them to oversee and support these measures on projects where traffic management is provided for WSP.
A collective responsibility
The increasing frequency of incursions and confrontations on sites signals an urgent need for collaborative, cross-industry solutions that includes local roads as well as trunk roads and motorways. This is not just a challenge for individual companies; it is an industry-wide issue requiring proactive changes and a shared commitment from contractors, designers, and government bodies alike.
Road worksite safety warrants greater attention and collective action. Through open dialogue with policymakers, contractors, and local authorities, we can foster a safer, more respectful environment on our roadways. While we remain dedicated to prioritising safety within our practices, we recognise that broader industry collaboration has the potential to drive meaningful improvements.
By combining our efforts, we can advance best practices and build a stronger culture of safety on the roads, protecting those who work to enhance our shared infrastructure. These collective actions will not only prevent incidents, risks to road workers and costly delays but also ensure that vital infrastructure projects proceed smoothly, benefiting the entire community.
Together, we can make significant strides toward safer roadworks and foster an environment that respects both workers and the travelling public.
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