Young People Encouraged To 'Stay Safe'

The contractor for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty project (AWPR/B-T), Aberdeen Roads Limited, is reminding young people across the north east to ‘Stay Safe’ during the summer holidays and to avoid construction works.
 
Construction machinery, incomplete structures, unstable land, heavy goods vehicles in transit and open excavations are just some of the hazards that young people could encounter on the AWPR/B-T construction site.
 
The contractor is therefore making a ‘Stay Safe’ leaflet available to parents, carers and teachers through its community liaison team which can be contacted on 0800 058 8350 or by email on enquiries@aberdeenroads.com. It can also be downloaded from the AWPR/B-T project website.

Malcolm Findlay, General Manager for Aberdeen Roads Limited, said:

“The safety of the local community, road users and our workers is of the utmost importance to us. As such, we don’t even allow our own workers onto the AWPR/B-T site unless they hold a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card, undertake on-going training and attend daily task briefings, toolbox talks and Safety Stand-down days. Visitors are also asked to take part in a safety briefing before being escorted on site.

“It is a huge responsibility for each and every one of us to understand the health and safety risks out on the site so it should be entirely understandable why we want to stop young people from entering the site who have no knowledge of the safe areas or unsafe areas.

“However, we are aware that the site could be seen as an attractive place for young people to explore, especially during the summer holidays when the weather has improved and playing or being outdoors is actively encouraged.
 
“We proactively engage with young people to dissuade them from entering the site throughout the construction phase, and we’ve spoken to more than 9,000 pupils from across the north east about safety since we started construction. However, we would like to ask parents, carers and teachers to have a conversation with young people in their care before the summer holidays get underway and remind them that construction sites can be very dangerous and the best way to stay safe is to stay away. A ‘'Stay Safe’ leaflet is available and we would like to ask parents and guardians to read this and share it as appropriate.
 
“We secure our site using a variety of methods, including on site security and fencing, but very often all it takes is just a few words of wisdom to prevent young people from making a mistake they may live to regret.”