Blog: SECBE Awards 2022 finalist - Occupational Road Risk (FM Conway)

11 April 2022

Health, Safety & Wellbeing sponsored by VolkerWessels UK

Occupational Road Risk (submitted by FM Conway)

Health, Safety & Wellbeing Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards 2022 finalist

FM Conway made a statement of intent that ‘through our actions and innovations, no road user will suffer life-changing harm involving our vehicles by 2030’.

One of the first businesses to have achieved ISO39001, FM Conway has a proven track record of road traffic safety. This is demonstrated further through its transformational approach, the Big Ten in 10, which challenges the fundamental principles of health and safety using innovative and sustainable safety critical controls.

FM Conway needed to target Occupational Road Risk at the source so began to identify improvements to safety critical controls across its fleet and training processes for its people:

Direct Vision Cabs
A large issue facing drivers is that they cannot see pedestrians due to the cab design. This led to the implementation of several controls combining together to improve vehicle safety across FM Conway’s fleet, alongside London’s Direct Vision Standard. These include:

• cameras covering blind spots linked to a video display in the cab
• an audible warning when turning left
• motion sensors covering the vehicle sides at low speeds
• a prominent warning on the back of the vehicle

SideScan®Predict
Working with partners FM Conway developed one of the most intuitive detection systems with their vehicles becoming the first in the world to be fitted with SideScan®Predict technology.

The AI predicts a potential cyclist collision, forewarning drivers, via clear visual and audible alerts, to take
evasive action earlier than previously capable with just driver observation alone. This makes the driver
aware of potential dangers using a three-step warning system.

The system comprises six sensors with a detection area of 2.5 metres, reducing the risk of fatalities by
84%. This technology also eliminates the false alarms that caused drivers distraction when alongside fixed
objects.

Viewmatics
FM Conway integrated vehicle hardware telematics with a smart camera system that identifies driving behaviour.

This is uploaded via 3G/4G connectivity using a package called Auto CMS where everything could be
accessed from one central platform. The footage was used to influence the drivers’ behaviour and driving
style. The implementation has brought about a 45% risk reduction of fatal or life-changing harm occurring.

Automated Braking Systems
FM Conway incorporated human recognition cameras that automatically stops its vehicles and plant. The detection of an object activates the brakes then automatically uploads this to a cloud-based system, allowing identification of high-risk hotspots.

Using Auto-Stop Radar on FM Conway’s fleet of sweepers alone has resulted in a 90% reduction on the 25,000 pedestrian interactions involving reversing sweeper movements.

Sharing Best Practice
FM Conway shared its strategy with competitors, supply chain and industry bodies, and presented the new technologies adopted to raise health and safety standards unilaterally, with the aim of eliminating Occupational Road Risk for all.

Key achievements:

• FM Conway has made a statement of intent that ‘through our actions and innovations, no road user will suffer life-changing harm involving our vehicles by 2030’.

• FM Conway has raised the bar by identifying improvements to its fleet’s safety critical controls, targeting risk at the source, as well as improving driver behaviour via the training process for its people.

• FM Conway Occupational Road Risk initiative has seen a significant 55% decrease in all road traffic accidents.

Find out who wins at the Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards 2022 Ceremony on Thurs 30th June 2022.

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About the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Award (sponsored by VolkerWessels UK): 

Health, Safety & Wellbeing is of paramount importance and a culture of ‘safety first’ is crucial to performance. Overarching health and safety risk management systems and effective health initiatives are fundamental to reducing or eliminating all types of incident and promoting health and well–being across the supply chain. More info

>> Find out more about the other Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards finalists here