Posted By RP
You should refer to the Approved Code of Practice, Safety at Streetworks and Roadworks. Available for free download from www.streetworks.fsnet.co.uk. In it you will see that it is forbiden to control traffic using hand signals. The only person able to do this is an uniformed police officer. On page 2 at the top it says you 'must' carry out an on-site risk assessment.

Also referring to Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual, any person working on the highway, in respect of signing, lighting and guarding, must be trained.

Qualifications exist if you need them.

Posted By RP
Traffic Wardens are only permitted to control traffic if accompanied by a uniformed police officer, and then only in an emergency and requested.

School Crossing Attendants are controlling traffic by using an authorised sign in which they may stop traffic legally for a period of up to 2 minutes, or longer for safety reasons.

The only way you may control traffic otherwise is to use signs, temporary traffic lights as prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002....or by lying very still in the road...

Posted By garyOrange

The Police Reform Act gave specific powers to both Traffic wardens(who had them anyway) and to Police Community Support officers to control traffic without the presence of a Police Constable in unfiform. It is a summary offence to ignore the directions of both normally punishable by a fine.

It i also a specific offence to ignore tempoary ATS lights where installed during rooadworks etc but not a specicif offence to ignore a workers hand signals where they need a lorry to back out of a space etc onto a highway.

Posted By Paul Bellis
Wasnt there a prosecution highlighted in SHP a few months back -where an unqualified person was acting as a banksman helping traffic to reverse and a fatality occured. HSE prosecuted because the banksman did not hold an appropriate qualification for directing traffic (even though he was experienced)there was not a suitable and sufficient risk assesmnent done which would have highlighted this. I will have to check my back issues -unless someone else can remember.

Paul

Posted By Paul Bellis
I was thinking of this one -in January 2005 issue

Worker managing site traffic hadn’t been trained

An employee of construction giant Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering was struck and killed by a lorry as he was directing traffic at a building site, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard on 18 November.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching s2(1) of HSWA 1974 in failing to ensure the safety of an employee. It was fined £60,000 plus partial HSE costs of £45,000.

Stephen Hayward had been employed as a ground worker during construction of the A5 Nesscliffe Bypass in Shropshire on 4 October 2002. As part of the project an anti-skid surface was being laid by sub-contractors on the approach to a new roundabout on the road.

Two of Balfour Beatty’s employees, including Mr Hayward, were told to manage traffic during the work by operating ‘stop-go’ boards, but they had not been trained to do so. While he was doing this, Mr Hayward was struck by a lorry and killed.

According to Katharine Walker, the HSE inspector who investigated the case, subsequent enquiries showed that there was a lack of training of those controlling the traffic flow; no specific risk assessment had been undertaken for the job; and the signs and cones did not conform with proper Highways Agency traffic management standards. Not all Mr Hayward’s supervisors had been trained and no traffic safety and control officer had been appointed to manage and inspect the roadworks.

The company said in mitigation that it had taken steps to remedy deficiencies in training its staff since the incident took place. It had not deliberately cut corners to save money.

Inspector Walker commented: "This incident is one that could have easily been avoided. It is a sobering reminder of the dangers that exist during roadworks. Employers must carry out risk assessments and take proper precautions to protect their workers from oncoming vehicles when involved in temporary traffic works."


Paul