A requirement of the CLOCS Standard is to ensure effective and efficient gate teams to enable the safest fleet operations – but a recent CLOCS survey suggests that many of the UK’s 10,000 construction sites have less than competent traffic marshals. To ensure maximum productivity and especially safety, CLOCS is now calling for training providers to get accredited to the CLOCS Site Access Traffic Marshal competency framework and be identified on the CLOCS website as an approved training provider.

The CLOCS Site Access Traffic Marshal competency framework, published on the CLOCS website, was developed by a working group of CLOCS Champions from informed regulators, clients, contractors and fleet operators. One training provider reports training nearly 600 traffic marshals this year alone demonstrating market demand by companies that recognise the value of good traffic marshals.

Training providers, whether in-house to a contractor/specialist or an independent training company, are urged to contact CLOCS to express interest in getting their existing or proposed training course formally assessed by CLOCS against that competency framework. The processes of accreditation and annual re-approval by CLOCS are kept to minimum but sufficiently robust to ensure all CLOCS-approved training continues to meet the required standard. The market will engage in confidence with a CLOCS-approved provider. Gate teams trained by CLOCS-approved providers will receive a CLOCS SATM training certificate to demonstrate their ability to meet the CLOCS Standard.

The CLOCS Standard – specifically clause 5.8 requires: Principal contractors shall appoint competent site access traffic marshal(s) to:

• manage site traffic in the context of the delivery management system

• check through general observation and sufficiently frequent spot checks