The Traffic Marshals or Banksmen are the operatives that are trained to direct the movement of vehicles on and around the construction sites. They are allowed to direct reversing vehicles only if they are authorized and trained and only if other control measures cannot be taken.
The individuals who are taking this course must demonstrate they have the correct knowledge to direct a vehicle and they must understand the roles of both the driver and the banksman. They must learn the hand signals as they are recommended by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
There are about 50 people killed and more than 5000 people injured in accidents related to their workplace every year. Many of these accidents are caused by vehicles: workers are struck by moving vehicles, objects fall from vehicles or vehicles are overturning. In order to be safe, a banksman must be trained and competent to direct a moving vehicle. It is essential that he is provided with a protected position on site and with distinctive high-visibility clothing. They must agree with the driver on using standard signals and they must let the drivers know that if they can’t see the banksman, they must stop from operating the vehicles.
