The M6 project has reached 500,000 hours without a single worker losing time through injury.
Since the scheme hit the ground in summer 2019, there have been no Lost Time Incidents – that’s more than 800 days of keeping workers safe on site.
Around 100 people are working on the £78 million transformation of the Walsall junction which will replace the 50-year-old bridges currently in place across the M6 and double the number of lanes around the junction from two to four.
Giant beams spanning the motorway were put in place for the two new bridges in the summer.
Since work began, the improvements scheme has also:
- poured over 3,050 cubic metres of concrete
- installed 117 pre-cast concrete panels
- fitted 1,682 tons of reinforced and structural steel
- laid 10,000 tons of road surfacing
Contractor John Sisk & Son is carrying out the work for National Highways and Walsall Council who, supported by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, have joined forces to fund the congestion-busting junction upgrade.
National Highways Project Manager, Annie Hyett, said: “”Safety is always the number one priority for National Highways, we think nobody should be harmed while travelling or working on our roads and do all we can to try to make that happen.
“For our contractors, Sisk, to record over half a million working hours without injury is a fantastic achievement. We are pleased that the stringent safety measures put in place on site are paying dividends and I’m confident that it will continue to do so.”
James Keogh, Senior Project Manager at John Sisk & Son said: “The health and safety of our people and supply chain is our number one priority, so to see this reflected in this project by achieving no Lost Time Incidents is something I am extremely proud of.
“Everyone deserves to go to work knowing they will return home safe, and this has been achievable in a true team environment with the whole project working together to achieve a brilliant culture. I am confident we can continue making progress safely on this project that will be highly beneficial to end users.”
Among measures taken by contractor Sisk to ensure safety include a robust Occupational Health and Safety Management system with the procedures strictly enforced on site. Allowing everyone on the project to have a voice meant issues and concerns could be dealt with quickly, and lessons learned for improvement.
