Balfour Beatty has secured widespread national media coverage, shining a light on the growing issue of abuse faced by roadworkers and the urgent need for change. The coverage forms part of the company’s roadworker safety campaign, which aims to raise awareness, drive public understanding and ultimately protect those working across the UK’s road network.
The reality faced by many workers has been illustrated through coverage in leading outlets including The Times, The Independent and reinforced across broadcast media with coverage spanning BBC Radio 4, Times Radio and BBC Radio 5 Live.
Speaking about what needs to happen, Matt Herbert, Balfour Beatty’s Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing told The Times: “What we need the members of the public to fully understand is that these people are there to make their journey better and not there to take abuse. We need a culture change.”
Speaking about the measures Balfour Beatty has in place to protect its frontline workers, Brenton told Radio 4: “As soon as somebody sees a body worn camera, they will calm down. Same with our conflict resolution training – it helps the guys on the road be able to talk to members of the public and explain what it is we’re doing while keeping the situation as calm as possible.”
This momentum builds on the recent launch of the roadworker abuse survey, which is being led by Balfour Beatty on behalf of the wider industry, and is aimed at getting a better understanding of the scale, frequency and impact of the issue on frontline colleagues.
ENDS
Image: Brenton McLean on site with a police officer
