Since the spring of 2023, a landscape-led highways scheme has been underway with the aim of delivering a safe, resilient, and free-flowing road, at the same time as conserving and enhancing the Cotswolds National Landscape’s special character.
The project in question is National Highways’ A417 Missing Link scheme, which seeks to improve the connection between two dual carriageway sections of the A417 road at Brockworth and Cowley.
Although the project – which could ultimately cost as much as £500 million – is not expected to conclude until 2027, considerable progress has been made already. In fact, as recently revealed by the government-owned company, the scheme has now clocked up more than two million working hours without a serious safety incident.
The statistics tell their own story about this mammoth highway project
First designated more than a century ago, the A417 is, today, an important route between Gloucester and Swindon that helps connect the South of England to the Midlands and the North.
Approximately 500 people work on the transformative Missing Link scheme each day. Since the project’s commencement, more than 3,050 cubic metres of concrete have been poured, and 1.6 million cubic metres of earth moved.
The scheme has also seen the laying of 18 kilometres of drainage pipes, the fitting of 1,682 tons of reinforced and structural steel, and the laying of 10,000 tons of road surfacing, as well as progress with the construction of six new bridges.
A landmark achievement under the RIDDOR system
However, it is the project’s safety record so far that might be its most impressive aspect. The 2,000,000 hours of work undertaken with no RIDDOR reportable incidents is the equivalent of 8,300 days across which the on-site safety of workers has been preserved.
RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013; it is a law that obliges employers and those in control of work premises to report certain workplace incidents to the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Such reportable incidents encompass work-related deaths, injuries, specified occupational diseases, and dangerous occurrences (near misses).
“The stringent safety measures… are paying dividends”
Commenting directly on the landmark safety milestone, reached by contractor Kier, National Highways Senior Project Manager Celine Acard stated: “To record over two million working hours without a serious incident is a fantastic achievement.
“We are pleased that the stringent safety measures put in place on site are paying dividends, and I’m confident that it will continue to do so.”
Gavin Jones, Project Director for Kier, said he was “extremely proud” of the safety record the company had achieved on the scheme.
This accomplishment has been realised with the help of various measures implemented by the contractor. These have included such elements as a robust occupational health and safety management system, an open and honest working culture, and the introduction of numerous industry-leading, innovative, and award-winning processes, tools, and equipment.
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