Acrossthe UK we have hundreds of thousands of people working every day out on our public highways and their vital service should never be underestimated.
‘Stamp it Out’ is a national campaign which aims to improve the lives of frontline workers and believes any worker suffering physical or psychological abuse when undertaking this dangerous work is totally unacceptable. Therefore we must Stamp It Out!
One of the principal aims of the programme is an increase in the visibility of the seriousness of unacceptable behaviour towards those undertaking works on the public highway and continues to target the introduction of a number of initiatives, including: liaising with key stakeholders to raise awareness of the seriousness and scale of our concerns.
As a result we have developed an IT solution that will enable all workers on the public highway and members of the public to record any cases of physical or verbal abuse received or witnessed.
Our vision is a United Kingdom where all those working on the public highway are treated with the respect deserved of those operating in such challenging and dangerous conditions every day.
Kevin Robinson Project Director Stamp it OutWe are a trusted, forward-thinking and respected business of choice, through conscious delivery of long term social value initiatives. We are committed to:
Raising awareness of the career opportunities that exist in the highways industry, through regular school engagement
Building on existing and establishling new relationships with charities and the local community to make a difference
Always operating in a fair and ethical manner working alongside a network of likeminded supply chain partners business.development@volkerhighways.co.uk volkerhighways.co.uk
People - Planet - Purpose
Our Speakers
Our Speakers
Roadworker Abuse from Essex County Council’s Perspective
- Paul Crick
Abuse - A View from the Front Line
- Dave Harford, Traffic Officer, National Highways
Immersive Learning
- Morgan Wilson How Technology Can Predict Risk
- Duncan Davies, Chief Executive Officer, Notify Technology
Roadworker abuse is an abhorrent stigma upon UK society where, at the moment, it is considered socially acceptable to abuse those going about their daily works to maintain the public highway.
People who work on the public highway carry out a vital role in ensuring that the UK economy continues to flow - even in these unprecedented times.
Yet sadly, year on year, we see an increase in cases of abuse, both verbal and physical. That is only amongst those who report it, with many we put to work simply seeing it as ‘part of the job’.
This should not be the case.
In the last three months of 2022 alone, there were three incidences where loss of life could have so easily occurred due to the actions of members of the public towards our roadworkers.
The first of these in Sheffield occurred when a Tarmac operative suffered injuries due to being violently attacked with a machete by a motorist who had entered roadworks. Just a matter of days later, Tilbury Douglas operatives carrying out works in the North East were bombarded with rocks thrown from a tower block. The final of the three incidents tragically did result in permanent physical impairment when a Eurovia Ringway operative lost an eye.
Clearly, none of these actions are acceptable. The graphs across the page opposite merely act as a snapshot.
People who work on the public highway carry out a vital role in ensuring that the UK economy continues to flow - even in these unprecedented times.
Data on roadworker abuse per 100 employees from a small sample of six organisations...
Operatives shot at with firearm
Theft from works vehicle / Thefts of works vehicle / Carjacking / Attempted carjacking
Objects / Liquid thrown at operatives
Violance / Assualt
Threat of violence / Threatened with weapon
Data of abuse on one project over a 10 year period on a single contract per 100 employees...
2010
11 - Threat of violence / Threatened with weapon
12 - Violance / Assualt
13 - Objects / Liquid thrown at operatives
14 - Theft from works vehicle / Thefts of works vehicle / Carjacking / Attempted carjacking
15 - Operatives shot at with firearm
House of Lords
13th June 12.00pm
12.00pm ................ Arrival Coffee and Lunch
12.30pm ................ Welcome to the Stamp it Out Summit
- Phil Clifton, Managing Director, Balfour Beatty
12.40pm Why We Need to End Roadworker Abuse
- Kevin Robinson, Project Director, Stamp it Out
- Alistair Thompson, Managing Director, Volker Highways
1.00pm The Challenges – A Client Perspective
- Paul Crick, Director of Highways and Transportation, Essex CC
1.15pm The Issue is Real
- Dave Harford, National Highways Traffic Officer
1.30pm Comfort Break
1.40pm Real Time Reporting for the Whole Supply Chain
- Duncan Davies, MD Notify Technologies and Steve Helliwell, Managing Director, Balfour Beatty Living Places
2.00pm A Visual Deterrent, Signage to Send a Message to the Road User
- Paul Boss, Chief Executive RSTA and Matthew Etherington DfT
2.15pm A Safer Future Morgan Wilson, Juice Learning and Kevin Robinson
2.40pm Conference Ends
Dave Harford has been on the road for most of his life having started his career as a mechanic before joining the AA and then becoming a National Highways traffic officer in 2017.
Having amassed a large social media following, he actively promotes road safety campaigns run by both National Highways and stakeholder partners.
And he speaks with first-hand experience of the challenges faced by people working on our roads having been shouted at, had objects thrown at him from moving cars and drivers squaring up to him.
Duncan Davies – Chief Executive Officer, Notify TechnologyDuncan’s 25-year career has spanned large, global companies (PwC and Sage) to medium-sized and start-up organisations, all within the Technology Sector.
He qualified at PwC’s Newcastle office in 1998, and moved to Sage plc the following year, just as the business entered the FTSE-100. His roles involved M&A and commercial finance functions. In 2004 he moved into an IT Services buy-and-build business, and became Finance Director in 2006, having completed over 20 acquisitions.
He is now the co-founder and CEO of Notify Technology, an organisation that seeks to make workers safer, healthier and more productive, wherever they are in the world.
Morgan Wilson is the Director of the award winning training and film production company – Juice Learning. Specialising in Cultural and Behavioural Safety, Juice have worked extensively with some of the largest organisations in the U.K., creating highly effective bespoke learning solutions. Morgan creates work utilising immersive techniques such as theatre and film which truly engages with the audience; inspiring them to make the extra effort to deliver the goals and values of their organisation.
Paul BossChartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Highway Engineers, Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, Member of the Institute of Asset Management and Member of the Institute of Asphalt Technology. Member of the UKRLG / ADEPT Asset Management Board.
Paul is Chief Executive at the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) and prior to this had over 30 years’ managing local highways, both directly with local authorities and with Tier 1 provider Amey.
Steve Helliwell is the Managing Director for Balfour Beatty Living Places, part of the international construction and services Balfour Beatty Group, with over 35 years’ experience in construction and infrastructure maintenance to both the public and private sector.
Steve leads a multi-million pound business helping local authorities across the UK to shape their local infrastructure and develop thriving communities through creating great places for people to live, work, and play.
Paul Crick has worked in Place based services in Local Government for over 33 years, the last 17 being at Director level and is currently the Director for Highways and Transportation at Essex County Council.
Paul has particular and extensive experience in all aspects of highways & transportation, construction, major scheme and programme management, energy management, property and facilities management and environmental issues. He is an experienced GOLD emergency planning strategic co-ordinator and led Essex County Council’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic for his service.
Phil Clifton graduated in Civil and Structural Engineering from Nottingham Trent University. From there he joined Balfour Beatty and developed his managerial and then leadership skills.
He has led complex major civil engineering projects including the construction of the tunnels at Hindhead on the A3 and is now responsible for Balfour Beatty’s Highways business leading a workforce of over 2,000 people.
Phil is a collaborative and experienced leader with a sharp focus on providing customer service of the highest standard and delivering operational excellence in programme management.
He is also committed to safety, inclusion and diversity - his vision is to care for his people in a way that makes them feel included, whilst offering a sustainable future for them, and all the customers and the communities that are touched by the work of Balfour Beatty Highways.
Alistair joined Volker Highways in 2015, following more than 20 years leading major schemes and directing large multi-disciplinary teams with sister company, Volker Fitzpatrick. Alistair has over 30 years’ experience in the civil engineering industry and has extensive operational and commercial experience of the highways, airports and rail sectors. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, as well as a reviewer and a member of the CIHT and ICE.
Balfour Beatty is a leading international infrastructure group with over 25,000 employees driving the delivery of powerful new solutions, shaping thinking, creating skylines and inspiring a new generation of talent to be the change-makers of tomorrow.
We finance, develop, build, maintain and operate the increasingly complex and critical infrastructure that supports national economies and deliver projects at the heart of local communities.
Many of our staff and supply chain partners work every day out on our networks providing a vital service to allow us as public road users to move around freely and safely. Yet we continue to see increasing numbers of threats both verbally and physically against those that work on our highways across the United Kingdom.
Suffering physical or psychological abuse when undertaking this work is totally unacceptable and we aim to do everything we can to protect our staff and supply chain partners.
Health and Safety is at the heart of everything we do. We are focused on providing a safe and healthy environment for our employees while developing a culture where everyone is accountable for working safely, ultimately managing and controlling risks.
We utilise the following mitigation measures daily on our sites:
Many instances of abuse or threats are received from our operatives and supply chain while installing traffic management. So, the understanding of how this is carried out correctly is a good way of reducing risks to our employees, having robust systems in place to ensure our traffic management is planned, designed, managed, and installed correctly can reduce instances of abuse.
Traffic management is a type of temporary works to allow the creation of a safe work area for our staff by temporarily removing the travelling public in safe manner. Removing the public from the situation can be where conflict
arises, as it is a change from “the norm” and can lead to misunderstanding and frustration.
Thinking about the two sentences below for all road users can be a good simple guide to minimise conflict:
• “Will someone using the road or footway from any direction understand exactly what is happening and what is expected of them?
• “Have I made the site safe to work in and for the general public?”
The type of work carried out will put our workers in situations where there is interaction with the public. There are times where workers may be alone, whether staffing closure points, setting up Traffic Management or carrying out surveys and inspections. It’s during these times where workers are most likely to be the victim of such an event. Unfortunately, there will be situations where members of the public are upset, angry and want to vent their frustrations.
We continue to roll out Conflict Resolution training for both operational and office-based staff so that they are equipped to deal with members of the public should the situation arise.
Body Worn Cameras are used at all road closures and areas of known high risk. If works are not being carried out at such locations, body cameras are utilised for any other works.
Body Worn Cameras are there for the safety of our teams and can act as a deterrent to instances of aggression or verbal and physical abuse towards our staff or supply chain partners. They can also provide crucial evidence to support Police investigations with the aim of leading to prosecutions, so it is key that they are worn and used appropriately.
CCTV cameras are also used on projects across our business aligned with associated signage to ensure members of the public are aware of their presence.
We have developed Police Notification Cards to assist our staff and Supply Chain Partners if they face situations of serious abuse or assault. We also have developed a standard Police Reporting Form to ensure the police get the exact information they need to follow through with prosecutions. It’s important to build relationships locally with the Police so that they can assist should such instances occur.
Reporting incidents of abuse is important, as it allows for the organisation to record all incidents, along with being able to gather information around what has happened. Within Essex Highways, there is the REPORT IT! tool, which can be found on all computer desktops and on the app on smartphones.
Our aim is to gather as much information as possible for these incidents so that we can then identify high risk areas to help us to plan our works better in the future and to ensure we have sufficient information to pass onto the Police so they can take the matter further
Paul Crick Director for Highways & Transportation Essex County Council April2023
Whentraffic officer Dave Harford witnessed a driver speeding the wrong way down the hard shoulder of the M42 in torrential rain, past a queue of traffic sitting behind a major incident he instinctively shouted out ‘STOP’.
But the driver was so infuriated by this safety intervention that he jumped out of his vehicle and immediately squared up to National Highways officer Dave.
“He was shouting and swearing, I really thought I was about to be punched,” recalls Dave. “His pregnant wife was in the car and she started swearing at me too.”
In fact, there was a large HGV blaze on the road ahead which was why the motorway was at a standstill. Dave and his colleagues were methodically and safely releasing the trapped traffic when they saw the rogue driver.
“It wasn’t just that it wasn’t safe for him to do his own thing,” said Dave. “It also prompts others to follow suit and then we have chaos.”
The incident was made worse when Dave turned around to see a van driver clapping the aggressive motorist claiming the traffic officer was ‘just being a jobsworth.”
Sadly, scenes like this are not unusual for Dave and his colleagues. Abuse ranges from the beeping of the horn to verbal insults, rude hand gestures and even physical assaults. Not just from private vehicles but also professional drivers.
“People will actually slow down in a live lane to wind down the window and shout abuse at us for holding them up. Where is the sense in that?
“Some drivers, thankfully the minority, seem to have a sense of entitlement and think the rules don’t apply to them. Since lockdown I have noticed a deterioration in driving standards, but there would in fact be fewer incidents and delays if people observed the rules of the road.
“No-one wants to be delayed on their journey, I don’t like being delayed but it happens.
Nobody should go to work to face abuse when they are just trying to help people like we do.
“How would those drivers feel if they were being shouted at in their workplace, if our roles were swapped and I was shouting at them?
“Traffic officers are the face of National Highways, we are on the frontline the same as the police and fire service, and we are the target of drivers’ frustrations and anger. But we are human too and we are doing our job, which is to help people.
“Some people do apologise when they have calmed down, but not many.”
National Highways has protections in place to protect traffic officers. All carry radios with an emergency button on the top that, when activated, alerts their colleagues.
The patrol vehicles have cameras and control room teams have sight of their colleagues through CCTV cameras on much of the network. In addition, all traffic officers now have body worn cameras which Dave thinks are ‘worth their weight in gold’ and can quickly de-escalate a situation when an aggressor realises they are going to be filmed.
He explained: “The cameras work with members of the public who are upset about being delayed but then calm down. Unfortunately there are some people who will continue to be aggressive.
“The cameras are peace of mind when it comes to getting prosecutions. They show clear footage and audio and the police are very supportive and do prosecute.”
This wouldn’t be necessary though if such appalling abuse didn’t happen in the first place. Dave has his own thoughts on how to reduce the risk of abuse for road workers.
He would like stronger punishments to act as a deterrent and a ‘more straightforward’ process as he thinks the need for footage, paperwork and lengthy legal processes can put people off reporting incidents.
“I think traffic officers should be treated similarly to other emergency services staff and there should be a high penalty for abusing us. Why not give people 6 points on their licence for abusing a traffic officer – let them then explain to their insurers or employers why they have so many points.”
He also thinks getting out information to road users is key as people are less frustrated if they understand why a road is closed, roadworks are in place or what is happening with an incident ahead.
Getting more and better information to road users is a key theme in National Highways’ recently published Digital Roads vision.
Despite some of the abuse he encounters, Dave does love his job and after many years on the road both with National Highways and as an AA patrol man he is rarely surprised by the reactions of some road users. But that doesn’t mean it is acceptable.
That is why he is supporting the Stamp it Out campaign and the collaborative action being taken by the industry to help protect road workers.
We specialise in the self-delivery of highway maintenance and improvement solutions to the highest standards of safety.
Our regional teams will work collaboratively with you to deliver schemes encompassing drainage renewal & repair, earthworks and signage.
By taking an innovative approach to technical surveys and no-dig remediation, we help our clients effectively manage their drainage assets.
We provide installation and maintenance services on roadside lighting and communications assets, including fault finding and incident response.
SmartScan and our fleet of StoneMaster machines provide a sustainable, risk-based method to return roadside filter drains to their optimum condition.
We work in partnership with AmcoGiffen as AGC: a leading provider of vehicle restraint systems, bridge parapets, noise barriers and boundary fencing.
Their conspicuous presence and vehicle detection systems improve driver behaviour, protecting communities and road workers from unsafe drivers.
For more information please visit our new website: carnellgroup.co.uk
Immersive learning is a technique that involves creating a simulated environment that mimics the real world in order to engage learners and help them better understand and retain information.
This mode of learning has proven to be highly beneficial for workforce engagement, as it allows employees to focus on complex and challenging tasks in a safe, virtual environment. The benefits of immersive learning and workforce engagement include:
One of the primary benefits of immersive learning is that it encourages learners to think critically about real-world scenarios. Learning simulations typically involve complex and dynamic environments that challenge learners to make decisions, solve problems, and explore new ideas. This type of training is highly effective at improving critical thinking skills, as it requires learners to develop practical solutions, apply new skills, and make decisions in “reallife” scenarios.
Another key benefit of immersive learning is its ability to improve learners' retention of critical information. Research has shown that immersive learning is far more effective at improving retention than traditional classroom-based training methods. The reason for this is that immersive learning creates a highly engaging and memorable experience that makes it easier for learners to recall key concepts and information.
Immersive learning is also highly effective at promoting collaboration among team members. Team members must work together to refer to personal experiences, solve problems and achieve objectives. This requires learners to communicate effectively, share ideas, and coordinate their efforts. As a result, immersive learning can be highly effective at improving the collaboration skills of employees.
Immersive learning is also highly effective at reducing risk and improving safety in the workplace. By providing employees a safe opportunity to practice complex and potentially hazardous tasks, employers can greatly reduce the risk of accidents and improve workplace safety. This is especially important for industries that involve high-risk activities, such as the construction or manufacturing sectors.
Finally, immersive learning can also be highly effective at increasing employee job satisfaction and retention. This is because immersive learning allows employees to develop new skills and knowledge, which can help them advance their careers, develop personal coping strategies and achieve their professional goals. By investing in employee training and development, employers can create a more engaged and satisfied workforce, which can ultimately lead to higher retention rates and lower turnover.
In conclusion, immersive learning is becoming an increasingly popular form of education and training, and for good reason. The benefits of immersive learning for workforce engagement are numerous, including the ability to improve critical thinking skills, enhance collaboration skills, improve retention of information, reduce risk and improve safety, and increase job satisfaction and retention. As more and more employers recognize the benefits of immersive learning, it is likely that this technique will become even more prevalent in the years to come.
The Boundary team has extensive experience across the highways sector working with private sector, local authorities and transport authorities.
We help you communicate and engage using a variety of channels from PR to video, podcasts to exhibitions, and everything in between.
We can assist with one off projects, campaigns or become part of your team on a monthly retainer.
Get in touch for a chat if you think we can help: Helen 07896 560999 / Adrian 07866 422523 talktous@boundarymarketing.co.uk
www.boundarymarketing.co.uk
Duncan Davies Chief Executive Officer, Notify Technology
Imight just be the only person in technology - possibly the world, and maybe even the metaverse - not to have used ChatGPT to try and write an article this year!
This is all my own work. Or is it?
We are already living in a ‘post-truth’ world where we’ve become more sceptical of what we see, read and hear. We’re doing more factchecking than we’ve ever had to do before. But whilst we all grab hold of our ergonomically optimised office seats and ponder the potential loss of 300 million jobs to AI, I want to talk about a much simpler aspect of AI that will help hundreds of roadworkers return home safe and unscathed each working day.
Notify are proud to support the Stamp It Out campaign. We’ve developed the ‘Jarvis App’ that allows any roadworker to report instances of abuse and incursions in under 40 seconds. We know that many such instances go unreported, for various reasons. The most tragic we hear is “it just comes with the job”. We need to change attitudes in our workforce as well as the wider public.
By putting something as simple as an app in the hands of our roadworkers, we’re able to create an immediate connection and engagement. By giving up 40 seconds of their time, they can help protect themselves and their colleagues. What they collectively provide is good quality, real-time data. The Jarvis app enables workers to report on their exact location, the project, date, time, the incident type and other environmental inputs.
Their report is routed to the right person at the right time. Of course, at that point the abuse or road incursion has already happened. These reports and the associated actions that are taken will enable the Stamp It Out campaign to highlight the true scale of the issue, and we plan to use that evidence to help drive a change in public attitudes.
Our ultimate vision is more ambitious. It’s to get in front of the event happening in the first place. To do that we’ll be leaning on the same technology that powers the super brain of ChatGPT.
As roadworkers provide a growing amount of information on multiple incidents, we’re able to use AI to identify trends and patterns. We’ll build up a real-time, dynamic picture that helps identify where the risks might be greatest or increasing rapidly.
Our AI assistant is called Holly, and this predictive engine will be able to recognise early warning signs and give employers insights on where risk is increasing, and proactive action should be taken.
Applying the kind of AI that powers ChatGPT we’ll start to see managers and supervisors being able to intervene proactively as risk levels rise.
The goal is to stop incidents happening in the first place and to help put resources to work where they will have the biggest impact. A simple app, and some very clever technology give us a great to chance to Stamp Out roadworker abuse for good.
Notify is a smart, scalable, and secure SHEQ management system that enables you to digitalise incident reporting, audits, checklists and inspections and risk assessments.
Partner with Notify to:
• Capture and report accidents, injuries, close calls, unsafe events, road worker abuse or positive safety observations in real-time, from any location
• Obtain an accurate and consistent overview of incident reporting to track KPIs, prevent accidents and make more informed decisions faster, and with confidence
• Conduct audits and safety inspections on the go, increasing efficiency whilst saving you time
• Be confident that you have put the correct safety measures in place to identify risks and demonstrate compliance with regulators
• Promote a proactive and positive safety culture throughout your entire organisation, workforce and supply chain
Thinking differently, making better decisions, saving lives.
