Warning Issued about Safety of Roadworkers
People are returning to work after their summer holidays, which is leading to an increase in traffic on the highways. The UK’s Highways Agency has therefore appealed to drivers to exercise caution while using the roads. The drivers are requested to follow traffic rules in order to keep themselves and the thousands of road workers safe.
A study revealed that in England, between the year 2003 and 2008, 11 road workers were killed and 104 were seriously injured while working on either motorways or major ‘A’ roads. On an average, more than 4000 road workers put their trust in the hands of 18 million commuters everyday. It roughly calculates to one road worker for every mile of the Highways Agency’s network.
Derek Turner, Director for Network Operations in the Highways Agency, has urged drivers to obey speed limits and pay close attention to cones, barriers, and signs while driving through the roadworks. He has further stated that drivers need to consider the dangerous working conditions that roadworkers face, and respect them for their commitment towards work. He subtly put his point across by saying that driving half a mile at a speed of 70 mph instead of 50 mph saves a negligible ten seconds, and that risking human life for those ten seconds is inhuman.
Last year the Highways Agency created awareness by providing two mobile training vehicles that cost £80,000 each. They were utilized in spreading the latest health and safety requirements on roads and highways. For those responsible for health and safety in an organisation, click on NEBOSH General Certificate to learn about the importance of promoting a positive health and safety culture in the workplace environment and for information on courses with training and support for organisations in attaining their health and safety objectives. The Agency also launched a DVD named ‘Respect’ that helped in educating drivers to respect road workers and understand the repercussions of their actions.
