The latest Partners Forum, which is open to all employees of CIHT Partnerships Network organisations, was held on 13 July and focussed on safety and the role of collaboration in building a safety culture.

Safety has been a well-established priority for our sector for many years. Within the UK we have developed standards and produced guidance for road building and maintenance that have set a high benchmark for those working in the sector.  But it could be argued that because we are measured against these standards, that they create a ‘that will do’ attitude and we stop short of achieving all the potential positive outcomes that come from nurturing a safety culture for the sector, both for now and for future years? 

Examples of the different challenges and blockers for different stakeholders were shared by the panel as was the importance to understand and appreciate these differences in order to create an environment in which teams can collaborate successfully.

The group agreed that clear communications and identification of priorities to maximise efficiencies and manage budgets are key factors for good collaborative working.  The use of technology as an enabler was also discussed and technology’s role growing in importance for the future.

Taking part in the Forum were:

Joe Docherty – HSEQ Director, Amey, who facilitated the discussion. Pat Sheehan, Associate Director SHEQ, Colas. Carol Massey, Head of Construction, Access Group. Julia Procter, Senior Project Manager, Suffolk County Council. Graeme Lake – Highways Asset Manager, London Borough of Southwark.

Upcoming Partner Forum Dates 2021

December 14^th - Digital

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