Managing construction traffic
According to the Health and Safety Executive, 7 workers die annually as a result of fatal accidents on construction sites. Around 93 people per year are 
additionally seriously injured in some way in accidents that could have been prevented had the correct measures been taken.
It’s not just workers who can be at risk – visitors and members of the public can also fall victim to injury if the correct precautions are not taken and careful planning initiated.
When you apply for planning permission for a construction site, especially in locations where the site is situated in a ‘constrained section’ (on more minor roads and highways), your Local Planning Authority will require a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) that indicates how you will keep traffic flowing safely in and out of the site. A construction traffic management plan informs your local council and highways authority of details of vehicles being used on site, safety regulations on site regarding traffic, and how surrounding roads will be kept safe from construction traffic.
An effective traffic management plan should avoid vehicular reversing as much as possible. On occasion, this might be unavoidable, but as much as possible, a one-way system is preferred to prevent any accidents that may occur. If the plans have to use reversing, vehicle movements must be scheduled to control when reversing occurs.
Construction Health & Safety Ltd. can construct effective traffic management plans for your site, taking into consideration:
- When the route will be used by vehicles
- Strategies to relieve overcrowding
- Details of activities taking place on site, such as loading, unloading, tipping, trimming, sheeting
- Management of demountable containers, including reversing visibility, overhead space and site requirements (hook/chain-lift demountables)
- The impact on surrounding highways and roads, including potential closures
- Diversion routes for pedestrians and surrounding road traffic
- Loading restrictions
- Parking facilities
- Access for service and emergency vehicles
- Impact on public transport routes
Most importantly, UK legislation states that vehicles and pedestrians must be kept separate so that they can move around a construction site safely. Suitable routes must be designated for vehicular and foot traffic. The majority of accidents happen because vehicles and pedestrians were not kept apart. Our traffic management plans ensure the following:
- Vehicles and pedestrians are kept apart at all times
- Separate entrances and exits are provided for vehicles and pedestrians
- Walkways for pedestrians are appropriate, on firm ground and are well-drained
- Crossings and entrances for pedestrians are easily visible to vehicular traffic, and well lit
- Barriers are clear to divide roadways and walkways
An important part of traffic management is to ensure that all workers operating machinery are well trained and very familiar with the equipment they are using. Employers and companies should take steps to ensure that drivers are fit, healthy and properly trained. Inexperienced drivers should not be operating machinery, and access to vehicles should be managed at all times, with an efficient reporting process.
Get in touch with us today to discuss your traffic management plan requirements. Our team have years of experience in preparing plans that are approved by local authorities, and can carry out route assessments, traffic forecasts and site condition surveys to ensure that your site is safe for all who use it.