Influencing the industry
We believe that anyone who comes into contact with our operations should be given the same degree of protection from harm as we provide to our own staff.
With a substantial holding and use of our own plant and transport, improving the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users is paramount and an area where we really can drive cultural and behavioural change, as well as have a big influence on the way the rest of the industry operates.
Fleet best practices and innovations saw Murphy achieve a prestigious FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme) Gold Accreditation in 2013, demonstrating our commitment to continuously improving our practices in order to sustain the highest standards of freight operations. FORS is an industry-led voluntary scheme for fleet operators whose purpose is to raise the level of quality and performance within fleet operations.
We now have 7 FORS practitioners ranging from Plant and Transport administrators and department managers to our Plant and Transport Regional Manager. As FORS is now expanding from London to the rest of the country, we are also looking to roll out the standards from London to the rest of our depots in 2015.
In 2014, Murphy signed up to become a Construction Logistics and Cyclist Safety (CLOCS) Champion, committing to and promoting safety nationally across all our operations and the wider industry. Over the past year, CLOCS has contributed to the roll-out and widespread take-up of the CLOCS Manager system – a collision reporting and management tool for drivers and operators – and the successful implementation of the CLOCS Standard within construction sector supply chains across the UK, with 23 major clients and projects specifying it in contracts.
A decrease of over 50% in total insurance costs suggests that our improved safety standards are having a positive impact.
Cyclist Safety
In 2013, there were 14 cycling fatalities in London, nine of which involved heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). To address this, we worked with two of our key London clients – Crossrail and Transport for London – both of whom rely on site deliveries by our HGVs, to develop a solution to reduce risks to cyclists and pedestrians from HGVs in built-up areas.
Our innovative Cyclist Safety System alerts cyclists or pedestrians when the nearside indicator is activated and the vehicle is preparing to make a left hand turn. A display in the cab also signals the driver to warn them that a cyclist or pedestrian is within 1.5m of their near left side.
We also fit side guardrails to our HGVs, providing further protection to cyclists, as well as introducing a Safe Urban Driving course for all our drivers, to provide practical on-road cycle training.
Our 120 HGVs have now all been fitted with the Cyclist Safety System and guardrails, at a cost of £1000 per vehicle. Murphy drivers have responded positively, with feedback showing they feel much safer and better equipped than they used to be. It also means our HGV operations typically exceed the safety standards expected or required by clients.
