Leading construction materials suppliers Aggregate Industries and Tarmac recently gathered logistics professionals from across the industry to discuss best practice and take a look at two of the safest vehicles on the market.
Delegates from Tarmac, CEMEX and Hanson joined Aggregate Industries at its London Concrete site in Battersea, London, where they discussed the steps they were taking to make road logistics as safe as possible for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.
Two of the latest, five-star Direct Vision Standard (DVS) rated vehicles used by Tarmac and Aggregate Industries hauliers working in the capital were onsite to showcase some of the latest advances in construction fleet technology; the Scania L-Series “urban truck” and the Mercedes Econic “low entry crew cab truck” respectively.
The DVS standard is an essential requirement for HGVs operating in London. It measures how much an HGV driver can see directly through their cab windows. This indicates the level of risk to vulnerable road users, such as people walking and cycling, near the vehicle. The vehicles demonstrated achieve the maximum rating, thanks to their superior visibility around the vehicle through a combination of windows.
Commenting on the day, Ben Young, Head of Road Logistics at Aggregate Industries, said: “Health and safety on the roads is an absolute priority for every company that operates in a similar space to Aggregate Industries, which is why sharing best practice is crucial. We all agree that loss of life on the roads should never be seen as acceptable or inevitable.
“It was, therefore, brilliant to get our counterparts from across the industry together at our London Concrete site to share knowledge, experience, and ultimately encourage each other to further improve our ways of working to make the roads a safer place.”
Sean McGrae, Senior National Transport Manager at Tarmac, said: “As operators of one of the largest HGV fleets in the country we are committed to improving safety for all road users.
“Collaboration and best practice sharing play a key role in ensuring continuous improvement and so it was great to be able to discuss this critical topic with colleagues and the range of initiatives and ongoing efforts to drive safety performance.”
David Dench, Area Logistics Manager for CEMEX, commented: “This was an excellent opportunity to network with other people from the industry, and discuss their approach to the Direct Vision Standard and experiences with using the five-star rated vehicles. We acknowledged there was still some work to be done across the industry to make these trucks accessible for all operators; however they are impressive vehicles which reflect the latest advancements in safety features and will make the roads safer for vulnerable road users.
“It was particularly beneficial to talk to the drivers themselves, who were very positive about the trucks and the incredible visibility they offer. Health and safety is a priority for all of us, making the opportunity to share knowledge amongst our peers invaluable.”
