Editor: Re: Driver's near-miss prompts plea to slow dump tracks, letter to the editor, Feb. 26 Our company, Mainland Sand & Gravel Ltd., is the supplier of the aggregate and river sand for the Tsawwassen Mills project and as such also responsible for the hiring of the trucks carrying the products to the work site.
After 44 years in business, we are well aware how difficult it can be for local residents when a construction site is in full swing and truck transportation is being employed to move materials to the site. With a project of this magnitude, multiple stakeholders have to be taken into consideration when planning deliveries and at this early stage one of the most critical areas is the management of the trucking program.
Prior to this project starting our company and the project managers for the construction company discussed at length how we could ensure the maximum level of safe practices by truckers both on and to/from the site. Our first step was to hold a meeting with all truck owners/operators.
Along with the site construction project managers, we emphasised how important it was for trucks to obey the rules of the road and to follow the site-specific rules when entering, unloading and departing the site. To drive this point home, we circulated a onepage set of instructions that each truck driver/owner had to read and then sign/return.
On this sheet were the steps we would take if infringements occurred. We adopted a three-strike policy; after two written warnings if a third infraction occurred an individual would be permanently dismissed from the project.
The project went through a construction lull for a portion of last summer. Just prior to the restart date, we held a second meeting to reconfirm to all the safety rules had not changed. To date there have been approximately 53,000 truck trips to/from the site but Dahna Allison's letter clearly shows that for some of the truck operators the message is not clear.
We have scheduled a further meeting with all the truck owner/operators and Allison's letter will be the focus of the meeting.
Our work will continue for a good portion of this year and as with any other health and safety matter, the goal for trucks is zero incidents. It is the intent of this next meeting to firmly re-emphasis this point.
On behalf of our company and the construction company, I sincerely apologize to Allison for the scare she recently experienced as two of the trucks ran the red light. This type of action is simply not acceptable and will not be tolerated.
Our system to punish offenders is a three-step program, however, both ourselves and the construction company project managers have the right to move immediately to step three if the offence warrants such a move. We have employed this action in the past and will continue to do so when required.
What Allison experienced would lead to these two drivers being immediately removed from the project.
Ewan D. Moir
General Manager Mainland Sand & Gravel Ltd.
