The Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA) has published new guidance covering signing, lighting and the guarding of minor road marking sites.
Guidance for Temporary Traffic Management at Minor Static Road Marking Sites outlines effective temporary traffic management measures that protect the safety of the public and the workforce.
The new document is intended for use alongside the Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 8 2009, including the 2020 Update and is a ‘supplement to achieving the minimum requirements of the code of practice set out by those documents’ the RSMA says.
The trade association highlights that the document should help ensure:
- Clients can specify a clear expectation of safety level and method of work during procurement.
- Clients can identify contractors who are willing to cut corners, not comply with legislation and place their workforce and the public at risk.
- Designers can reference a clear standard when designing safe systems of traffic management.
- Contractors can clearly identify to clients the willingness to work safely to industry and regulatory expectations in tenders and method statements.
RSMA CEO Rob Shearing, told Highways: ‘With our guidance we aimed to provide safe systems of work that could minimise time on site so far as is reasonably practicable, which would reduce issues with vulnerable road users and accessibility.
'Our guide allows the flexibility for each site to be controlled in accordance with all road users’ needs. By creating a safe zone around the works, which allows for accessibility, it makes it better for vulnerable road users by increasing their awareness and providing specified alternative routes.’
The current mandatory code of practice Safety at Street Works and Road Works also known as the Red Book is under review as the industry generally feels it needs updating, particularly around accessibility for vulnerable road users.
Mr Shearing said that once the review is complete, ‘we will review our guidance.’
He added: ‘The biggest challenge is the inflexibility of the Red Book and the cost of traffic management to the client while maintaining operative safety and minimising disruption to all road users. With this guidance we tried to create best practice specific to road safety marking operations that could keep an operative safe, minimise disruption to road users, and provide a cost-effective solution.
‘We’ve campaigned for an approved code of practice (aCOP) that provides separate sections for road construction disciplines.
Discussing the core elements of a safe system in temporary traffic management (TTM) guidance, Mr Shearing said: ‘TTM needs legislation that will allow individual disciplines with their own nuances to adapt to different sites and tasks.
'Many road safety marking operations, especially refreshing existing markings, can take less than 20 minutes. To put out TTM to meet the requirements of the Red Book could dramatically extend the time on site.
'TTM aCOP and guidance for any road construction and maintenance discipline needs to consider:
I. A practicable approach to compliance with legislation.
II. Providing enhanced safety to road safety marking operatives, something often overlooked in the past.
III. Minimising disruption to all types of road user.
IV. Cost effective solutions.'
National Highways, the Department for Regional Development (Northern Ireland), Transport Scotland and the Welsh Assembly Government were consulted in the preparation of the new guide, and Quality Marking Services Ltd (QMS) undertook live trials to ensure that the guidance is fit for purpose.
QMS managing director, Greg Clark, told Highways: ‘The document appears to be very thorough and brings forward a welcome change for the benefit of the industry and our operatives who literally have their lives on the line every day.
‘We have adopted the temporary TM at junctions from the document and our crews have reported an immediate benefit for their safety. They have a safe, closed-off section of carriageway to perform their marking operations. The public has shown acceptance of the system which is clearly visible when watching them from afar. They slow down and are far more accepting of the temporary closure.
‘As important as the Red Book is, this guidance document from the RSMA covers a far more practical approach for the road marking industry which is where my personal focus is.’
