Safety at Work

The Trust is committed to assuring the safety and welfare of the public, its contractors and staff. The Trust will support actions and innovation to improve safety in construction and agriculture, take responsibility for its actions and seek to demonstrate leadership in this field.

A major refurbishment of the bridges was completed in December 2021. More than 90,000 hours were worked on site without a single lost-time accident or injury. This was achieved through the safety first culture of both the Trust and its main contractor, FM Conway, backed by leadership and commitment from senior management of both organisations. Support was given to the workforce and site team through a comprehensive training approach, carefully designed methods of working, ensuring enough time and space to complete tasks safely and investment in safe access and equipment.

For every “near-miss” and positive safety suggestion reported, both the Trust and FM Conway made a donation to the Lighthouse Club, a charity that provides financial and emotional support to the construction community and their families. This initiative encouraged the reporting of all safety concerns, and donations of more than £1,000 were made.

In 2018, Sue’s Safety Challenge was launched as a project to encourage the staff and suppliers of the Trust to suggest ways to improve the safety of working practices.   Various improvements have been implemented as a result of the challenge and further suggestions are sought.