Their Safety- Our Responsibility

Zebra Crossing Safety Activity LOT3 Proposal

What if we gave them a safe crossing?

Submitted to
UREAP -LOT3, Project Office
Larsen & Toubro Construction
Mount Poonamallee Road, Manapakkam.
P.B. No. 979, Chennai – 600089, India
Introduction

Larsen & Toubro ltd (L&T), a one stop center to safety, was a warded an Engineering Procurement and
Construction (EPC) works by Rural Electrification Agency (REA) on behalf of Government of Uganda (GoU)
to implement the Uganda Rural Electricity Access Project (UREAP)- LOT 3 – Alebtong, Amuria, Soroti,
Mbale, Manafwa, Serere, Ngora, and Bukedea District and surrounding environs, located in Central North,
Eastern and Northeastern service territories of electricity distribution service. The objective of the project is
for social economic transformation of rural communities located in the project area by utilizing the benefits
and services associated with electricity use and applications.
The proposed works under the Grid extension component include; network design, supply, erection
installation, testing and commissioning of the proposed grid extension works, including management and
compliance to environmental and social safeguards associated with project activities.
Benchmark on such activities in the project environment, L&T proactively has put in place measures for
achieving safe work last milestone connections, such as; a LOT3:- Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP);
Community Engagement Plan (CEP); Grievance Management Plan; Gender Management Plan;
Communication Management Plan; Occupation, Safety & Health Management Plan; Incident Investigation,
Reporting & Management Procedure; Emergency Response and Incident Management Plan; Traffic
Management Plan; Labour Management Plan; HIV/AIDs Prevention Plan; Waste Management Plan;
Environmental and Social Monitoring Tool; Chance Finds Procedures; and Chemicals and Oil Spillage
Contingency Plan.
In spite such measures, day to day works are conducted in a dynamic environment, diverse social setting
with sundry safety cultures in the project areas. Hardcore to L&T year program calendar, such have been
premeditated for, as here is the safety Month of January.

Safety Month of January

“Our Safety Our Responsibility” in the work place,

is L&T’s major focus for January 2020. The month
is envisioned with numerous safety activities
including; Safety posters and banners; Tool box
talk; Safety Flags; Pocket calendars/Pledge
cards; safety competitions; etc. Through these
L&T will be able, one step ahead to achieving its corporate EHS policy commitments “We remain
committed to safeguard the health and safety of our employees and other stakeholders and preserve the
environment.”
Both the SEP and CEP, define the districts local government and the community as major stakeholders that
compose project environment, to which we are responsible.
Our Community Responsibility

Back ground; Last year (2019), Soroti district, where UREAP- LOT 3 head office is station, Central Police
Station registered a total of 95 accidents (38 Fatal, 29 serious and 28 minor). From these, 3 minor cases
were recorded on Serere USMID road, Adam road (6 minor) and Soroti Avenue (2 serious and 2 minor) all
under Soroti Municipality Local government Jurisdiction (Soroti traffic police, 2020). From the sited 3 roads;
there was no person killed, 8 persons were seriously injured and 14 were slightly injured.
The cause; Traffic regulations Ignorance, incompetent drivers and ridders, shortage of road signage
including crossings, low traffic manpower, poorly maintained vehicles and boda bodas but a few.
Intermediate Solutions; Radio talk sensitisations approach about traffic regulations; continuous deployment
of traffic police on the roads for constant monitoring and inspection; Installation of road signage especially
at black spots in collaboration with patterners.
Output; Registered Traffic accidents reduced from 177 (2014) to 95 by end of 2019. The 46.3% traffic
accident reduction for the past 6 years is way below the traffic goals of 2020 of 56%.
Our responsibility; Their safety is our responsibility. With the increasing number of fleet L&T is deploying for
the project, we owe it to our community and included stakeholders (Traffic police and Soroti Municipal) to
bear safety Only. Reference to the attributing traffic accidents alleviation existing measures, LOT-3 EHS
conducted a stakeholder traffic consultative engagement (STCE) with the following objectives;
(i) Disclosure of UREAP- LOT 3;
(ii) Dissemination of L&T safety month massage and awareness;
(iii) Understanding community/ Stakeholders Safety needs and expectations;
(iv) Joint stakeholder safety recommendations
STCE; various meetings and site visits were held on 21 st and 22nd January, 2020 as cited below;
Meeting Date Stakeholder Designated Key Reason
Meeting 21/01/2020 Soroti Traffic Police Officer in Charge of Define traffic procedure
One Traffic Traffic baseline data collection
Meeting 21/01/2020 Uganda National Soroti Station Manager Define UNRA jurisdiction
Two Roads Authority Offer Zebra crossing works notice
(UNRA)
Meeting 21/01/2020 Soroti Municipality Town clerk Define SMLG jurisdiction
Three Local Government Offer Zebra crossing works notice
Meeting 21/01/2020 (SMLG) Municipal Engineers Guide on which roads to consider
Four
Meeting 21/01/2020 Soroti Traffic Police Assistant Officer in Feedback on stakeholder
Five Charge of Traffic engagements for the day
Meeting 22/01/2020 Soroti Traffic Police Officer in Charge of Zebra Crossing planning
Six Traffic
Meeting 22/01/2020 SMLG Municipal Engineers Visiting of specific sections that
Seven may be considered.
>>> Findings;
(i) The major safety issues faced in the community are road accidents
(ii) The key stakeholder recommendations were installation of Zebra Crossings, Road Signage and
Sensitization.
(iii) UNRA welcomed the idea of installation of Zebra crossings on the national roads at various sited
black spots as per traffic police data. However, all main roads under UNRA- Soroti have been
handed over to a contract for works (including zebra crossing furnishing as part of axillary works),
therefore UNRA will in breach of contract allowing L&T safety project. This will also result to
duplication of works.
(iv) Soroti Municipality Local Government, welcomed the idea, and suggested Six (6) roads. These
were all visited with the Municipal Engineers.

Suggested and Reason Considerations Status

Visited Road
Stabeck road High traffic turns over joining the Traffic Lights are planned to be No
main Soroti street installed
Adams road New constructed Soroti market Anticipated traffic, daily activities YES
access access to the market and access to
the Hindu worship Temple
Town Talk road Safe crossing of Parents Very low traffic No
Primary School students
Serere USMID Church access No safe crossing and signages for YES
road congregants
Soroti Avenue New constructed Soroti market Anticipated traffic and daily activities YES
access access to the market
Hospital road Hospital access Sited section for Zebra Crossing is on NO
the UNRA road

Proposed Intervention;
EHS- LOT3 proposes to install a Zebra crossing on roads;
<<<< Adams road (36 N 568803E 189506N), for
safe crossing to the new main Market

Soroti Avenue (36 N 568823E 189525N) >>>>

for safe crossing to the new main Market
 <<<< Serere USMID road (36 N 568103E 188625N)
for safe crossing of congregants.

On basis of;
(i) L&T Social Corporate Responsibility (SCR)
(ii) Safety theme of the month – January
(iii) National Regulation triggered; Road Act, Cap 358; Uganda National Roads Authority Act, 2006;
Local Governments Act, Cap 243 and Traffic and Road Safety Act, Cap 361, 1998
(iv) Traffic Signs Manual and Road geometric design manual – Ministry of works and Transport
Requirements; a request letter to the Municipal, Paint, Traffic police guides and traffic police reflectors

Budget; Below is the attached budget for the Zebra Crossing safety Project;
No Item Quantity Rate Amount
1 OC Traffic 1 50,000 50,000
2 Deployed Traffic Police 2 50,000 100,000
3 Branded reflectors for traffic police 6 13,000 78,000
4 Paint 2 tins 75,000 150,000
5 Painting Rollers 2 7,000 14,000
6 Masking tape 8 4,000 32,000
7 Alignment Ropes 1 5,000 5,000
8 Refreshment 2 boxes 15,000 30,000
9 Photograph (Drone) 1 100,000 100,000
10 Miscellaneous 1 61,000 61,000
Total Cost 620,000
A total cost of Six hundred twenty thousand Ugandan shillings
Activity plan
No Activity Time (30/01/2020)- Thursday
1 Safety Talk at Head office 8:30 am
2 Arrival at the proposed site 9:30 am
Activity grand open speech by Town clerk 9:45 am
3 Zebra crossing installation 10:00 am
4 Safety Video shoot 11:00 am
5 Closing speech by Officer in Charge of Traffic 11:30 am
Abel MUTYABA EHS -LOT 3