A FINE BALANCE! THE NEW SAFETY CODE OF PRACTICE (EVENTUALLY) Tom Lambert General Manager Streetworks Balfour Beatty Performance Director NJUG

2 The Journey

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4 It is a Dangerous Place! The highway is a dangerous place to be – it provides a home for the worlds deadliest killer – man and the motor vehicle!! Today’s roads are full to capacity with fast moving, heavy traffic. Drivers have to keep a constant look-out for innumerable numbers of hazards, changes in conditions – their next turning. Road users should not be put at risk by works in the highway, and should be informed well in advance about the size and nature of any obstruction. This applies to vulnerable users – including pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders – as well as drivers. You must also pay particular attention to the needs of blind and disabled people, children, elderly people and people with prams.

5 The Challenge…  To change the way in which Operatives perceive site safety  To widen their perspective of what ‘Good Looks Like’  To change their conditioned norms and traditional behaviours and attitudes  To change their priorities from the job to safety of themselves and others  To empower operatives to make key decisions about the safety requirements for their site and challenge poor or incorrect practices with impunity  To give operatives a document which gives clear direction and instruction but also indicates what to do if the situation is not clear.  To understand the needs of everyone.

6 Winning Hearts & Minds…  It’s not just about the job  It’s not just about training  It’s not just about Codes of Practice  It’s not just about the Law  It’s not just about doing the right thing  It’s not just about the equipment  It’s not just about the Highway Authority ‘IT IS ABOUT EVERYONE BEING SAFE FROM HARM AND IT IS ABOUT A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR’

7 But we still have some way to go yet!!

8 Why do we need to sign, light and guard our works? Sign – To warn and inform the road user about our works Light - To illuminate our works at night or in poor visibility Guard – To separate works from the road user. To provide a safe environment for us and the road user

9 Background Existing Code 9 years old Changing social priorities Missing provisions Confusion between COP and Chapter 8 Need to make a mandatory COP for Road Works

10 WHATS NEW? Code layout and status Mandatory for HA works under S174 Highways Act 1980 Includes provision for street works specific risk assessments. Includes highlighted Note, Caution and Warning boxes detailing specific points. New flowing layout 2D Layout diagrams in line with Chapter 8 Only applies to single carriageway roads and dual carriageways (up to 40mph)

11 WHATS NEW? Content Roles and Responsibilities Guidance on site preparation and assessment More detail around dealing with pedestrians Short duration footway closures for pedestrians Guidance for dealing with cyclists Trams and railways section expanded Improved layout drawings More detail about working at junctions and roundabouts Enhanced provisions for Traffic Control Short delays and temporary road closures Enhanced Mobile Works provisions

12 WHAT WAS NEW AND NOW ISN’T! Full sleeve Hi-vis jackets- recommended but not mandatory Site maintenance inspection every 24 hours – recommended but not not mandatory Minimum footway width increased to 1.2m – recommended but not mandatory minimum is likely to remain at current requirement of 1m Barriers to withstand a Class B (17.6m/s) wind on unattended sites – Lowered to Class C with use of additional ballast or other fixing aids. All works vehicles to have chevrons on rear (same as Chapter 8) – recommended but not mandatory

13 NUTS AND BOLTS Improved Flowing Layout APPLICATION - The Legal Bit PART 1 – Basic principles Using the Code Who does what Training and competence PART 2 – Operations Before going to site – Work instructions, PPE At the works site – Risk Assessment - Look at the –road, traffic, local area, pedestrians Fixed sites – Parking, signs, Coned areas Setting out the works Pedestrian routes Tramways & Railways – Level crossings, tramways Example layouts – Improved 2d drawings Traffic Control

14 NUTS AND BOLTS Improved Flowing Layout Continued :- PART 2 – Operations Site maintenance and removal Mobile works Short Duration Traffic Delays PART 3 – Equipment and Vehicles PPE Signs and Cones Lights Pedestrian barriers Attended and unattended sites Temporary covers Vehicles

15 NUTS AND BOLTS Highlighted Note, Caution and Warning boxes detailing specific points.

16 NUTS & BOLTS New Improved 2d Diagrams

17 NUTS & BOLTS New Bits Short duration footway closures No alternative footway is available or can be provided. The footway is not closed for longer than 15 minutes in every full hour. All footway users are directed past the works by a suitably competent person/s as necessary. All overhead operations are suspended when assisted pedestrians pass the works Pedestrians are made to wait no longer than 5 minutes for assistance. The Street Authority is notified in advance of the expected use of this measure. Temporary Footway Delays signs are placed a minimum of 20 meters in advance of the works. Short duration road closures No alternative method of operation is practical Other forms of temporary traffic management are not practical The Street Authority is notified in advance of the expected use of this measure Traffic is not delayed for longer than 15 minutes at any one time and there is at least one hour between such delays. The sign is placed at a suitable position to enable road users to find a alternative route The activities and the method of operation are such that operatives can reopen the road immediately for emergency purposes or on request from an appropriate authority

18 NUTS & BOLTS New Bits Mobile Works Short Duration works with intermittent stops of up to 15 minutes Stops for up to 60 minutes Risk Assessment Vehicle requirements Layouts Traffic Control New Hierarchy – From Give and Take on 30mph roads – Road closures Passive – Give and Take, Priority Positive – Stop/Go – Road closures Old road widths now replaced with three simple standards –Two working – Minimum width 6.75m –Shuttle working with Positive control – 3.25 – 3.5m –Shuttle working with convoy – 3.0 – 3.75m Now includes guidance on the use of multi way portable signals, one way traffic flows and road closures

19 NUTS & BOLTS New Bits Tramways & Railways Working near tramways Level Crossings Risk Assessment Encourages the thought process What to think about and include Junctions and Roundabouts More detailed guidance Better drawings

20 WHAT NEXT? WE WAIT FOR THE RED TAPE Expected publication of completed Code – Oct 2011 Implementation date – October 2012 Subject to various scrutiny committees we should be up and running by April 2012 – 4 years after we started this journey.

21 IT MAY NOT HAPPEN AT ALL!! IF THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT COMMITTEES DECIDE THAT THE COST TO INDUSTRY IS TOO GREAT MY QUESTION IS HOW MUCH DOES SAFETY HAVE TO COST ?. 374 MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES KIA IN AFGANISTAN – 697 PEOPLE KILLED IN THE UK ON CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES IN THE SAME PERIOD

22 EITHER WAY THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE Thank you