🚧 Safety at Street and Road Works Training: Keeping Workers & Road Users Safe

🚧 Safety at Street and Road Works Training (RASWA / Chapter 8): Keeping Workers & Road Users Safe

Working on or near the road brings a completely unique set of risks. Live traffic, tight working areas, changing weather conditions, and public access all mean that street and road works must be planned and carried out with absolute care.

That’s where Safety at Street and Road Works Training (often called RASWAtraining) comes in. It ensures workers know how to set up, maintain, and remove safe working areas on highways — protecting both the workforce and the public.

Why Street and Road Works Training Matters

1. High-Risk Environment

Street works are one of the most hazardous types of work. Operators are often working close to moving traffic, pedestrians, utilities, and heavy plant.

Training teaches workers how to:

• Assess risks on public highways

• Set up safe working zones

• Use signage and barriers to guide traffic safely

• Keep pedestrians, cyclists, and road users protected

A well-trained team massively reduces the chance of accident or injury.

2. Legal Requirements

The training is based on the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA) and Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual. These set out the legal requirements for safe road works.

By completing recognised training, employers and workers can demonstrate compliance with:

• Highway authority regulations

• NRSWA legislation

• HSE expectations

• Local authority permit conditions

Failing to meet these requirements can lead to enforcement action, legal penalties, or shutdown of works.

3. Protecting Workers & the Public

Road users rely on clear information to navigate safely around works. Improper signage, poor visibility, or poorly maintained work zones can confuse drivers, cause traffic collisions, or lead to injury.

Training ensures workers understand how to maintain safety for:

• Drivers

• Cyclists

• Pedestrians

• Vulnerable road users

• Their own team members

It’s all about protecting everyone who comes into contact with the work area.

4. Efficient Worksites

When a site is properly laid out and controlled, work flows smoothly. Workers spend less time adjusting barriers or correcting unsafe layouts and more time completing the job.

Training helps teams:

• Work faster without compromising safety

• Set up sites correctly the first time

• Communicate clearly with the public and colleagues

• Reduce costly delays and rework

What the Training Covers

At Kentra Training, our Safety at Street and Road Works (RASWA / Chapter 8) courses blend theoretical learning with practical demonstrations. A typical course includes:

• Understanding NRSWA and Chapter 8 legislation

• Site risk assessments and safe systems of work

• Selecting and positioning barriers, cones, and signage

• Traffic flow management and pedestrian routes

• Portable traffic signals and stop/go systems

• Maintaining safe visibility, lighting and working space

• Emergency procedures and incident response

• Setting up, checking, and dismantling work zones

Training content is tailored to the worker’s role — from operatives to supervisors.

Who Should Attend?

This training is ideal for anyone working in or around live traffic, including:

• Utility workers

• Highway maintenance teams

• Civil engineering contractors

• Street lighting and signage operatives

• Groundworkers and reinstatement crews

• Supervisors responsible for compliance

Whether you’re new to street works or need a refresher, this course ensures you remain competent and compliant.

Why Choose Kentra Training?

With over 25 years of training expertise, Kentra Training has delivered plant, equipment, and safety training across multiple sectors. Our instructors bring real-world industry knowledge, ensuring your team not only learns the rules but understands how to apply them in real site conditions.

We offer on-site training across the UK and can work around your operational needs to minimise disruption.

Conclusion

Street and road works bring high risks, but with the right training, those risks can be managed effectively. RASWA / Chapter 8 Safety at Street and Road Works Training gives workers the knowledge and skills to create safe, legally compliant work sites that protect both the public and the workforce.

At Kentra Training, we deliver accredited, hands-on courses backed by over 25 years of experience. We ensure your team is confident, competent, and ready to carry out street works safely.

👉 Safe roads, safe workers — invest in training that protects everyone.