An exceptional example of safety achievement ‘against all odds’

The two-year upgrade of the Bayhead Road, adjacent to the Port of Durban, was completed with zero lost time injuries and over 1 million lost time injury free man hours.

Graham Landon, Transnet Capital Projects’ (TCP)project manager, says: “The Bayhead Road is a key feeder route for the Port of Durban and  apart from being one of the highest volume heavy vehicle traffic routes in the world, is also the most heavily trafficked road in the southern hemisphere.

“Any construction on this route is fraught with road safety challenges, a situation which is compounded by the close proximity of railway lines, with associated overhead high voltage traction equipment, and active fuel gas pipelines. Despite these obstacles, TCP managed the two-year project with no lost man-hours.”

The upgrade of the road was done to relieve growing congestion levels and support a commercial ports system that is globally competitive, safe and secure.

This involved the construction of over 2.1 kilometres of dual carriageway road, with a new central median and sidewalks, as well as associated storm water and street lighting, realigning key intersections, constructing two formal truck staging areas with approximately 140 bays, a new road over rail bridge and the refurbishment of the existing bridge, and the relocation of a pollution control building all against a backdrop of maintaining full public and stakeholder access through the site at all times.

The R270 million upgrade commenced in September 2010 and was completed during September 2012.

This project also won the 2012 TCP Group Executive Award for Safety, on top of being named the runner up for ‘Project of the Year’.