Training course launched to improve roadside safety

12.00 | 26 November 2015 |

A new training course to tackle poor roadside safety has been launched by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) and Colas*.

The course aims to help reduce the number of roadside injuries and fatalities by raising awareness of roadside working risks and arming workers with the knowledge they need to create and maintain a safer roadside working environment.

TRL points to statistics which show that since 2005, more than 1,000 people have been killed or injured each year in incidents on hard shoulders and lay-bys in the UK.

The one-day course is designed to provide attendees with everything they need to plan for, and work safely at, the roadside.

It aims to help participants understand how the choices and decisions they make can affect their safety and help prepare staff for contingencies and emergencies. The course will also cover the implications of driver distractions, such as mobile phone use, lone working and driver fatigue.

Malcolm Palmer, senior safety consultant at TRL, said: “While those such as recovery drivers or road workers receive training on roadside safety, there are many other professions where employees work at the roadside but don’t receive specific training, ultimately putting them at risk.

“The course aims to bridge this gap and deliver a safer worker environment for all, while also tackling other common driver safety issues.”

Ryan Wood, technical supervisor at Colas added: “The course is aimed at anyone who is required to stop at the side of the road as part of their work, whether that be on the motorway or local roads. This could be emergency workers, accident investigation teams, those responsible for conducting surveys into road conditions, noise levels or air quality or those undertaking construction tasks.

“By educating employees about the risks and dangers of working on the roadside, we hope we can start to lower the number of accidents in the UK.”

The course will be available at nine locations across Great Britain including: Birmingham, Exeter, Grantham, Gatwick, Leeds, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Warrington and the Isle of Man. It can also be delivered at employer’s offices upon request. Contact Ryan Wood for more information on the course, availability and booking details.

*Colas is an award-winning business specialising in delivering sustainable solutions for the design, building and maintenance of the UK’s transport infrastructure.

Photo: Highways England via Flickr.

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