The Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA) has written to Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, to urge that he mandate that all road marking companies applying markings to any part of the public road network must be National Highways Sector Scheme #7 certified by a UKAS accredited body.

Companies audited by UKAS accredited bodies and certified as operating to the NHSS #7 together with BS EN ISO 9001 prioritise the health and safety of their workforce, focus on quality, maintain a properly trained and competent workforce, meet the industry benchmark for standards and provide a basis for continuous improvement. All NHSS #7 accredited contractor employees have achieved or are undertaking the NVQ Level 2 in Pavement Marking, have demonstrated their competency and skill in the role, and undertake refresher training every four years.

Stu McInroy, RSMA CEO said: “It is anomalous that road marking contractors working on the Strategic Road Network and the majority of the TfL network must be NHSS #7 accredited, and thus able to demonstrate through audit the required standard of professionalism and safety, but no similar requirement exists across the Local Authority road network.”

Road marking operatives are often employed on live sites with moving traffic and work with 200C molten material and the Health and Safety of the workforce is a priority for the RSMA. “It is for this reason that the RSMA insists that its contracting members are certified to NHSS #7 and BS EN ISO 9001 by a UKAS accredited body,” he added.

“It is essential that road marking operatives are appropriately protected, trained and qualified, that works are completed properly and professionally, that the safety of the road user is maintained and the Health and Safety of the workforce employed on our roads remains paramount. It is for that reason that I have today written to the Secretary of State the urge him to mandate that NHSS #7 certification of road marking contractors becomes a requirement for all road marking activity undertaken on all public roads,” said Mr McInroy.