The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Bypass safety fear as vehicles topple
Roads: Average of one worker a week injured since construction started
FRESH safety fears have been raised at the site of the north-east’s long-awaited bypass after it emerged two construction vehicles toppled over during separate incidents in 48 hours. It comes after an anonymous whistleblower, who works on the project, sent the Press and Journal an image of one of the accidents at Kirkhill, Dyce.
It shows a large rear-tipping dump truck, weighing several tonnes, on its side.
It is understood the incident happened last Friday morning shortly after 9am on the site of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR).
And just a day later a 35-year-old had to be taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after an excavator tipped over near Craibstone.
Transport Scotland has insisted the
worker was taken to hospital as a precaution, but the latest incidents have sparked fresh concerns about health and safety at the development.
In April the P&J revealed more than 100 workers had been injured at the £745million bypass, amounting to an average of one person a week since construction started.
And in another shocking incident that same month, frightening footage was posted online showing teenagers dangling more than 100ft above the ground from a crane being used on the Milltimber side of the project.
Last night, Ross Thomson, MP for Aberdeen South, said there continued to be “serious questions” about the conditions at
“All of this raises serious questions about conditions for workers”
the site. He said: “It seems barely a week goes by without another incident reported on the AWPR site.
“We have seen vehicle accidents, thefts and even some shocking images of young people dangling from cranes.
“All of this raises serious questions about health and safety practices and conditions for workers.
“The very fact that staff are blowing the whistle on these incidents would suggest that problems are not being sufficiently addressed through normal channels.
“I will be contacting Aberdeen Roads Limited to discuss this latest incident and ensure that robust arrangements are in place.”
The ambulance service has confirmed it was called to the site, near Craibstone, on Thursday.
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We received a call at 1.10pm on Thursday, June 22, to attend an incident near Craibstone.
“We dispatched one ambulance and our special operations response team to the scene.
“One male patient in his 30s was taken to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.”
Transport Scotland said it has launched an investigation into both incidents.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We and our contractors regard safety as paramount. The contractor for the AWPR/ B-T scheme, ARL, is aware of two recent incidents which occurred on site – we understand there were no injuries.
“As with all reported incidents, investigations are under way and the contractor will ensure any lessons are learned and appropriate action taken.
“Due to the scale and complexities of a project of this type, working hours regularly fluctuate. In keeping with standard industry regulations for a multidisciplined civil engineering project of this nature, ARL is making best use of the extra hours of daylight available through the summer months to deliver as many early benefits as possible for local communities.”
A report has not been submitted to the Health and Safety Executive for either incident.
To some concerned observers, the scale and deployment of heavy machinery and vehicles around the Aberdeen bypass building site is an accident waiting to happen.
In fact, accidents have been happening – the P&J reported recently that more than 100 workers had been injured, with an average of one a week since construction started.
Now it has been revealed that two more worrying incidents have occurred within 48 hours as two heavy vehicles overturned a few miles apart. We all appreciate that such heavy roads construction is inherently dangerous, but this is why we must also support Transport Scotland’s investigation to ensure corners are not being cut on safety standards.