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Business

Leeds Beckett experts and Aggregate Industries reducing injury risk in the construction materials industry

01 October 2024

A groundbreaking project completed by Leeds Beckett University and Aggregate Industries UK (AIUK) is reducing the risk of injuries and increasing productivity and profitability for AIUK - as well as informing best practice around safety in the UK construction materials industry.

Laura Jackson, KTP Associate, with an Aggregate Heavy Mobile Plant Driver who operates a loading shovel, taking part in the eye tracking study.

The Safety Voice project was a two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project, part-funded by the Government through Innovate UK. The project aimed to reduce transport-related risk across AIUK's sites, using an innovative, proactive approach. The team - including Leeds Beckett psychology experts and a full-time KTP Associate - have created a dynamic toolkit to reduce future incidents and fatalities. This is now being rolled out across the organisation worldwide and creating a safer and healthier place for employees.

AIUK has more than 200 sites and around 3,700 employees across the UK. They are part of the Holcim Group, a global leader in building materials and solutions, operating across 70 countries worldwide.

The project was led by Dr Jim Morgan, Principal Lecturer and Leader of the Psychology Applied to Safety and Health (PASH) research group at Leeds Beckett. Dr Morgan explained: "We have designed and implemented a toolkit, using academic theory and models, which proactively identifies safe and unsafe behaviours within the business. This includes a step-by-step process for developing work system redesign - the way work is planned and conducted - and behaviour change programmes. This means AIUK can fully understand the underlying factors that influence their workplace safety and are putting in place strategies to prevent fatalities and reduce future incidents."

AIUK estimate that - as a direct result of the KTP - they will increase their profits by £8million within the next three years. This is based on predicted cost savings from reduced fatalities and injuries, increased productivity due to work system redesign and reduced injury-related employee absence, and an increase in the number of bids won for new work.

The KTP has now been graded 'Outstanding' by independent assessors at Innovate UK - this is the highest possible rating awarded to projects.

A key element of the KTP's success was Laura Jackson - the full-time associate recruited to manage the project as a member of the AIUK team, with the support of the Leeds Beckett academic experts. Laura led four research studies, including questionnaires and interviews involving more than 280 drivers, and a highly innovative eye tracking and sleep study.

This heat map is a visual analysis tool which demonstratesthe areas in the user's field of vision which have the highest frequency andintensity of pupil gazes, as determined by the Tobii 2 Eye Tracking Glasses.

Laura Jackson with an AIUK Heavy Mobile Plant Driver, taking part in the eye tracking study.

AIUK colleagues working on a site.

This heat map is a visual analysis tool which demonstrates the areas in the user's field of vision which have the highest frequency and intensity of pupil gazes, as determined by the Tobii 2 Eye Tracking Glasses - showing a view from an AIUK vehicle whilst using the glasses. — 01

Colleagues at Aggregate industries at work on a site in high vis clothing and hard hats — 03

The Safety Voice Toolkit supports AIUK's long-term aim to be the safest company in the industry, and to achieve 'zero harm' in its workplaces. It will be shared across the UK construction materials industry to inform best practice.

Following the success of the KTP, Laura Jackson has secured a newly-created role at AIUK as Behavioural Safety Business Partner - leading AIUK in their journey to improve behavioural safety across the whole organisation. Laura is also continuing to study for her Masters by Research (MRes) degree at Leeds Beckett University.

Laura said: "To achieve AIUK's ambitions, they needed the psychological expertise relating to safety and health in the workplace at Leeds Beckett. The targeted and tailored safety behaviour change interventions that we have developed are not something that could be achieved by off-the-shelf consultancy services.

"The KTP has had a significant impact on safety culture at AIUK. I worked hard to gain trust with colleagues, and tactfully engaged stakeholders, to successfully instil core values, foster collaboration, and promote accountability. This has been a genuine 'bottom up' approach to zero harm strategy - and is the first step in a long-term shift in how we manage and prioritise safety in the workplace. I am now enhancing our strategic safety plan for 2024 onwards, which includes a structured approach to identifying, addressing and preventing unsafe behaviours and conditions."

Jo Griffiths, Head of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships at Leeds Beckett University, added: "To have achieved an Outstanding grading for the project is testament to the success of this collaboration between Laura, our academic team, and AIUK. We are thrilled with the impact this is creating across the international Holcim Group - and look forward to continuing to make lasting impact for the extensive range of businesses, public sector and third sector organisations we work with through our KTP programme."