BAA launches new RAPP programme

Association’s Concrete Division launches new Rollover Awareness and Prevention Programme

THE British Aggregates Association (BAA) Concrete Division, in conjunction with TVS Interfleet and McPhee Mixers, has launched an entry-level accredited Rollover Awareness and Prevention Programme (RAPP) as the first collaborative step in preventing truckmixer rollovers.

The course gives a greater understanding of rollovers and the preventative measures needed. The half-day course, which can be included in company inductions or refresher training for more experienced drivers, aims to help improve safety, raise awareness, reduce costs, and improve productivity.

The interactive and engaging course, developed by MinTrain with the support of McPhee Mixers, looks at root causes, allowing attendees to help influence change in reducing the number of truckmixer rollovers suffered by the industry.

Explaining the reasoning behind the course, Mark Cowan, the BAA’s director of transport, logistics and concrete, said: ‘Throughout the wider industry, rollovers involving truckmixers continues to be the one area of concern that’s never been tackled. With the current figures for this year continuing to rise, we wanted to support members in providing an accessible course they could deliver themselves.

‘Working with Lindsey at McPhee, we quickly realized that the course would benefit the broader industry as a minimum standard. We ran some early successful course pilots, and the feedback was excellent.’

Lindsey Rudd, group sales director at TVS Interfleet, said: ‘Truckmixer rollovers are very much a taboo subject in the concrete industry. They cause disruption, extensive damage, and even loss of life, yet they’ve come to be accepted by some, and we need to change that trend.

‘Rollovers are, unfortunately, on the rise, so as TVS Interfleet began to develop their McPhee Electric Mixer, we took the opportunity to highlight the simple root causes of these avoidable accidents through mechanical prevention and technology while working closely with MinTrain to better educate drivers.

‘If drivers are trained in preventing rollovers and the truckmixer by design is more difficult to roll over, then, ultimately, we can reduce these issues by tackling the cause at both driver and mixer levels.

‘If we can stop just one truckmixer rollover, then all the work done is a success, but through the collaboration of TVS Interfleet, the BAA and MinTrain, we have hopes of far higher results.

‘Above all else and putting the innovation to one side, it’s the right and moral thing to do.

‘We believe every driver, operator and truckmixer company should take this training and product development as a paramount consideration in our shared goal of making the industry safer.’

A transparent low-cost pricing structure allows companies and organizations to deliver the course by a RAPP-accredited facilitator/trainer, giving the programme greater accessibility to everyone. In-house trainers can be certified at a reduced cost making the in-house option more attractive and cost-effective for companies that want to deliver the training internally.

RAPP will also be offered free of charge to DVSA Earned Recognition operators who achieve the Concrete Operational Module.

‘Hopefully, we’ve demonstrated, by the pricing and delivery model to cover costs, that the course has been done for the right reason – making our industry safer. Having the first step in certificated specialist training for the industry at a minimal cost also shows the commitment from Lindsey and the team at TVS to achieving that goal,’ said Mr Cowan.

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