Safer Highways has announced that Dorset Council have agreed to become the latest Local Authority member of the industry led organisation which champions effective management of health, safety and wellbeing and drives effective social value across the supply chain.

Dorset County Council’s highways service is responsible for the maintenance of the county’s network of roads, cycle ways, bridleways and bridges, in partnership with Hanson, also a member of Safer Highways, as HTSC. This 12 year partnership has fully embraced the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) in its highway maintenance operations.

Speaking about the decision from Dorset Council to join the swelling number of local authorities chasing to engage in a proactive manner with Safer Highways, the organisation’s Chief Executive, Kevin Robinson said,

“I am proud to welcome yet another proactive local authority in Dorset Council into the Safer Highways membership.

“Their front foot approach, particularly around the subject of roadworker abuse is something which serves as an example to others.”

Despite initial interest in becoming a member of Safer Highways being [promoted by a spike in roadworker abuse across the county, the team at the authority quickly realised that membership could offer substantially farther reaching benefits, as Andy Cleere, H&S Advisor at the authority explained, he said, “‘Over recent years it is clear that the increase in incidents relating to the abuse of our roadworker workforce is concerning in itself.

“However, there is now a trend of physical assault of our staff and sub-contractors. By joining Safer Highways and in particular the Stamp It Out campaign we will have a stronger partnership to protect our workforce and implement a zero tolerance policy against any perpetrators.

” We have the full support of Dorset Police and we are working together to deploy both deterrents and follow up investigations of abuse and unacceptable behaviour towards our workforce.”