CLOCS programme goes online
New Construction Logistics and Cyclist Safety website to improve safety of vulnerable road users
CONSTRUCTION Logistics and Cycle Safety (CLOCS) has now launched its new website which showcases the work being undertaken by a collaboration of key stakeholders in the construction logistics, developer and vehicle manufacturing sectors to improve road safety for vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists.
Work undertaken so far includes the production of the ‘Standard for construction logistics: Managing work-related road risk’. Developed by an industry working group, this draws together a number of industry safety guidelines and blends them into one clear standard for the construction industry.
Operators and contractors now have a single clear set of rules for work-related road safety – developed by the industry for the industry – making it easier to ensure that all companies comply.
The construction industry-led standard has been hailed as a ground-breaking move which will ensure that safety considerations no longer end at the construction site boundary, but extend to all parts of the construction process.
Along with a number of major UK developers, Transport for London (TfL), the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Crossrail, and their supply chains, have all signed up to the standard, and both the Mayor of London and TfL will be championing the standard as part of their wider work to improve road safety for all.
Nigel Jackson (pictured), chief executive of the Mineral Products Association, said: ‘CLOCS brings together more than 60 organizations from the construction logistics industry, developers, vehicle manufacturers and regulators to revolutionize the management of work-related road risk and embed a road-safety culture across the industry as the UK’s population and economy grows.
‘The new CLOCS website will play a vital role in giving the construction community access to essential information, guidance and support on the management of work-related road safety.’
CLOCS is the result of an independent review, commissioned by TfL in 2012, of the construction sector’s transport activities to understand the causes of collisions with cyclists and how they may be prevented.
The resulting ‘Construction Logistics and Cyclist Safety’ (CLOCS) report found that: blind spots on construction vehicles are larger than general haulage vehicles; road safety was not considered equal to health and safety on site; and there was no common standard for the industry to work to in order to manage work-related road safety.
In response, industry demonstrated its commitment to change and identified actions to improve road safety for vulnerable road users, which are being delivered through three work streams.
The CLOCS website features the work currently being undertaken by the programme and provides the CLOCS ‘community’ with regular progress updates, latest news and guidance.
Organizations are urged to join the programme and become CLOCS champions by implementing the requirements of the standard for construction logistics and signing the CLOCS Memorandum of Understanding.
