A January 2020 survey conducted for Re-flow by YouGov found that only 17% of the public showed concern that enough is being done to keep roadworkers safe. This is in stark contrast to the rising number of incidents being reported by those working in the highways sector.
Do you think enough is being done to keep road workers safe? Tell us in our ’10 second survey’ https://www.re-flow.co.uk/roadworkersafety
While awareness is rising, many of these incidents are being reported too late for any reasonable action to be taken to improve the safety and working environment for highways operatives, leaving them exposed.
Re-flow software, which is primarily a mobile workforce job management system comes with a feature that enables the immediate recording and reporting of such incidents. This has aided existing users to give a highly accurate accounts, resulting in quick action being taken and being able to prove or rebuff insurance claims.
Mark Salmon, the Financial Director of Toppesfield, the UK’s largest independent surfacing contractor and an existing user of Re-flow said:
“Re-flow has had a big impact across the whole business already. We target our staff on reporting near hits, which means that we can learn from any potential risks that are onsite and mitigate them at the earliest possible opportunity. Since Re-flow has been implemented, our reporting of near hits have been at their highest level, which is great because it means that we can react to the risks out there.”
#RecordReportReduce to turn the corner on Road Worker Safety
The #RecordReportReduce mantra highlights three important steps for mobile workers to take for immediate action when their health and safety is compromised in any way:
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Many industry bodies, are implementing support networks for their members to raise awareness of the abuse road workers are facing. In 2016, just 10 members of the Highways Term Maintenance Association reported 347 incidents of road worker abuse, most shockingly assaults including shooting with guns and air rifles; throwing of items such as screwdrivers or fridges at workers; and kicking, punching or beating male and female operatives – in one case with baseball bats.
Scotland Transerve also released some worrying statistics in June 2018 as part of their #RoadWorkerAbuse campaign.
- 83% report that drivers ignore red lights and temporary traffic signals at road works
- 70% of roadworks report drivers entering coned-off works in the past year.
- 3 out of 4 roadworkers have experienced verbal abuse from passing motorists in the past year.
- 1 in 3 roadworkers have experienced missiles being thrown towards them in the past year by passing motorists – including bottles of juice, coffee cups, eggs, foam bullets, food wrappers and banana skins – as well as reports of bottles of urine and even a dirty nappy being thrown.
- A number of roadworkers on road closure points reported receiving threats.
Public education campaigns such as Safety Hub’s Respect Our Roadworkers and Scotland Transerve’s #RoadWorkerAbuse are an important part of the picture. Re-flow is approaching this problem from another perspective, which aims to give road workers the tools to take action if they are exposed to dangerous driving, abuse or other issues that compromise their safety.
Mike Saunders, Managing Director of Re-flow said:
“Hearing first-hand the treatment people working in the highways industry face, we need to do more to help road workers take a stand. We hope to support the coalition of awareness raising organisations by providing a fast and simple means of reporting incidents as the happen, within the Re-flow mobile workforce management system.”