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Skanska to introduce industry-first site safety standards

Press release 19/05/2015 14:00 CET

As part of its on-going drive to create an injury-free environment on its sites, Skanska is taking steps that will lead to the use of 360° all-round visibility cameras on a selection of mobile construction plant.

The new standard is being introduced to help reduce the risk of accidental contact between site operatives and plant – one of the top fatal risks on construction sites.*

The all-round visibility cameras will aid plant-operators to see workers and pedestrian movements within a five-metre radius and assist in overcoming blind spots.

From 30 July 2015 all new plant introduced to Skanska sites will need to comply and from 29 October 2015 all current plant will need to meet the standard.

Greg Craig, Executive Vice President Skanska UK, said:

“It takes considerable skill and permanent attentiveness to operate large mobile plant safely, particularly in compact site footprints. We are committed to doing all that we can to improve all-round visibility for the operator, to help them work safely and to protect any adjacent operatives.

“We have been working with our supply chain partners to help them to achieve the new standards, ready for when they come into operation later in the year.

“Like many innovations and improvements they take us a step closer to achieving zero accidents. This improvement is not in itself the answer to eliminating risk to people from plant. However, we are committed to making our sites as safe as possible and where people and plant have to work in close proximity we believe these devices will make sites safer.

“The introduction of this technology is part of our continuing commitment to developing new standards that help to make sites as safe as possible, across the industry.”

Skanska UK introduced the safer, fully automatic double locking (FADL) type of quick hitches to excavators in 2009 and personnel anti-entrapment devices on mobile elevated working platforms in 2012.

Among the mobile plant that will need to meet the new standard are:

  • Hydraulic excavators, tracked or wheeled >10te
  • Telescopic handlers where a side loading arm causes restriction in operator vision
  • Traced dozers and graders
  • Ride on compaction rollers that are fitted with enclosed cabs
  • Wheeled loading shovels
  • Piling rigs (not mini rigs)
  • Crawler cranes

A film that explains the new standards in more detail is available at: skanska.co.uk/360

*Source - Health and Safety Executive 2013/2014