Despite campaigns to promote health and safety, 72 construction workers were killed in 2004-05. Alison Luke joins the WWT Roadshow to find out how this initiative is spreading the message.

What is the Working Well Together Roadshow?

For five weeks during Autumn a 12 m, canary yellow trailer visits construction sites nationwide to take key health and safety messages directly to operatives. Projects with over 200 operatives are nominated for Roadshow visits and all workers on the sites chosen are required to participate. By the time the London leg of the 2005 tour began at 123 Bankside over 1300 operatives had taken part this year; a further 5700 were expected by the tour end.

The first step to a healthier future

On arrival, each person visiting the WWT Roadshow is given a health and safety quiz to complete. With prizes given as an incentive, this helps ensure that operatives read the message boards within the trailer to seek the answers they do not know, expanding their knowledge in the process.

Getting the message across

The van is kitted out internally with message boards that predominantly cover the HSE’s “High 5” target areas for improvement (see box, right). These warn of the specific dangers on construction sites associated with these key areas and advise on preventative measures.

The personal touch

A rolling video puts the human face to the warning posters at the Roadshow. Several former construction workers are shown explaining their experiences, which range from falls from height to asbestosis. The impact on their family’s life is stressed and a telephone helpline given (0845 272 7500).

Getting to grips with health and safety

  • Three of the HSE’s key target areas are emphasised by hands-on demonstration tools at the WWT Roadshow:
  • sample harnesses (below) are used to illustrate the need to thoroughly check safety equipment used when working at height. How many of you don’t check harnesses for faults before using them?
  • a hearing test demonstration (right) makes workers aware of the problems of accumulative damage caused by exposure to noise. The test prompted at least five people on the 2005 tour to make immediate doctor’s appointments;
  • the Bertie model (below right), on loan from St John’s Ambulance, gives a simple but effective visual guide to the effects of lifting on the spine.

What the workers think...

Robert – labourer

“I’ve been working on sites for eight years and have been to the WWT Roadshow before at the BBC [White City] site, but this is a bigger event. The video, hearing test etc have taught me something extra about health and safety – it makes you think more.”

Lee – electrician

“This is my first time at the Roadshow – it’s pretty good. I’ve been working on sites now for two and a half years and don’t know of any accidents. Safety has been pretty good on the sites I’ve worked on.”

Karl – supervisor technician

“Sites are getting better but there are a lot of accidents that are avoidable if people abide by the rules. There is quite a good video [at the WWT Roadshow] with normal guys telling their stories and describing the impact on family life. It’s not just what happens to you [physically] that’s the issue with accidents, and people don’t realise that.”

Taking the message home

All visitors are given an information pack as they leave the Roadshow. This contains useful items such as gloves and an insulated mug, but more important is the reference material to reinforce the health and safety message once they return to work and home.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor