As construction projects continue to pop up across the West Midlands, from busy city centres like Birmingham and Coventry to fast-growing areas such as Wolverhampton and Dudley, effective traffic marshalling has never been more important. Not only are traffic marshals a legal health and safety requirement, but they also play a key part in the operational efficiency of your site.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the key basics of traffic marshalling for construction sites in West Midlands, as well as important points to consider before you hire a qualified traffic marshal.

What is Traffic Marshalling?

Traffic marshalling involves managing and directing the movement of both vehicles and pedestrians on a construction site to help prevent accidents and keep everyone safe. Traffic marshals, commonly known as banksmen, play a key role in supporting site operations and following health and safety regulations, ensuring work can continue smoothly.

It’s worth noting that in many cases, having a traffic marshal is a legal requirement, particularly in cases where reversing vehicles are involved. This is because nearly 25% of all workplace transport injuries are caused by reversing vehicles.

The role is essential for construction sites that prioritise health and safety, and want to maintain an efficient workflow. This is especially true for busy sites in areas like Wolverhampton, Solihull, or Sandwell, where heavy traffic and limited space are common challenges.

What Do Traffic Marshals Do?

When it comes to duties, banksmen are typically responsible for:

• Traffic Management Planning: Planning the movement of vehicles within the site
• Directing Vehicles: Safely directing vehicles around the site
• Preventing Accidents: Supporting reversing and parking vehicles
• Access Control: Monitoring access points, ensuring only authorised vehicles get in, and overseeing deliveries
• Ensuring Pedestrian Safety: Keeping pedestrians away from hazardous areas
• Enforcing Site Rules: Making sure site rules and regulations are followed
• Documenting and Reporting: Taking note of any traffic management plans, enforced actions, and incidents that occur on site

Why Do You Need a Traffic Marshal on Your Construction Site?

Construction sites are high-risk environments, often equipped with a lot of heavy machinery and moving vehicles. In fact, they’re so dangerous that The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports roughly 7 fatalities from site transport accidents in construction each year. Traffic marshals help to significantly reduce this risk as they perform their duties.

However, this isn’t all they can help with. Banksmen are also incredibly helpful when it comes to helping your site operate more efficiently. They help to avoid preventable traffic blockages and build up by managing vehicle flow and ensuring smooth site access for any vehicles looking to get on or off of site.

By managing these aspects of the site, they also help to reduce additional risks, like unauthorised entry and workplace transport accidents.

Legal Requirements for Traffic Marshalling in the UK

Hiring traffic management workers is crucial for construction sites in the West Midlands and UK to pass multiple compliance checks, which include:

• The Construction (Design and Management) 2015 Regulations: Employers must plan and manage site transport effectively
• CSCS or NPORS Certification: Essential proof for qualified traffic marshals depending on the type of site they’re working on
• Local Council Permits: A requirement for any traffic adjustments that need to be made in public access areas
• Insurance and Liability: A basic necessity for any construction site, ensuring they’re fully insured for all site activities

It’s important to keep in mind that failure to meet these requirements can lead legal penalties and an increased accident risk on sites.

What Makes a Good Banksman?

When you’re looking for a potential candidate for banksman services in West Midlands, you should consider the following questions:

• Do they have correct and valid certifications (CSCS, NPORS, or CPCS)?
• Have they got previous experience from similar roles?
• Do they have strong communication and signalling skills?
• Are they familiar with plant movement and reversing operations?
• Are they familiar with the correct PPE equipment for site?
• Can they work well regardless of weather conditions?

Where possible, you should also see if they can provide any references or reviews from their previous employers to help with rapport building.

You should also consider whether they’re trained in emergency response, and if they can understand the risks that may be unique to your site. These are required skills for them to be able to effectively perform their job, and is what allows them to significantly contribute to the continued safety of your site.

Additional Considerations When Hiring Traffic Marshals

Before hiring traffic marshals, it’s important to assess the specific needs of your site. Costs can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the experience of the banksmen, your site’s location, its size, and the responsibilities the marshals will be expected to take on.

Different security companies will have different pricing structures. Some may charge a daily rate, while others work on an hourly basis. It’s essential to review these options carefully to figure out which provider offers the best value for your budget.

You should also be mindful of any potential additional or premium charges. Longer shifts, especially those scheduled over weekends, can increase the overall cost due to the extra labour required to maintain site safety over extended periods.

You may also need to account for the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) or site signage. However, some marshals may supply their own, so it’s worth confirming this in advance.

Finally, consider whether to hire directly or go through an agency. While agencies often provide guaranteed, licensed cover, this can come at a higher cost compared to independent hires.

Final Tips for Hiring Traffic Marshalling for Construction Sites in West Midlands

When hiring banksman services in West Midlands, it’s better to go through local firms with a solid understanding of West Midlands council policies. Their knowledge of these regulations ensures that your project stays compliant, which reduces the risk of any unnecessary delays. It’s equally important to choose candidates that have up-to-date certifications and a positive track record of professional development in their role. This reflects a serious commitment to safety and industry standards on their part.

Additionally, if you’re looking for indicators of a provider’s reliability, keep an eye out for a Constructionline accreditation, read online reviews, and take a look at any case studies for past projects, if possible. If you ever feel unsure about a candidate for the role, you should consider trialling them or organising a site visit to get a better understanding of how they work, and their potential within your site.

Conclusion

Traffic marshalling plays a critical role in keeping construction sites across the West Midlands safe and legally compliant. From reducing the risk of serious accidents to improving traffic flow across the site, qualified banksmen are crucial for keeping sites smoothly operating.

By understanding what you need to look out for when looking at potential traffic marshalling services, you can guarantee that your site’s security will be left in safe hands. Regardless of whether you’re managing a project in Birmingham, Coventry, or another area within the West Midlands, investing in the right traffic marshalling support is necessary.

At Region Security Guarding, we supply fully certified and experienced traffic marshals and SIA-licensed professionals across the West Midlands and the whole of the UK. And, as a Constructionline Silver member, we’re committed to upholding the highest construction site safety standards.

Let us help you create a safer, more efficient construction site from the ground up. Trusted by countless other businesses in the construction industry, you can rest assured that your site security is safe in our hands. Don’t hesitate to get in touch today for your no-obligation, free quote.

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