A COMPANY has clarified its safety policies after publicity said its staff were limited to driving 100 miles a day.

SMD Ltd of Poole said it was at the forefront of moves to make roads and transport safer for construction workers.

A press release issued for the company on Monday said “staff are limited to 100 miles of driving a day to reduce tiredness”.

But the company has corrected the release since it was published by the Daily Echo.

It now says that “should staff live more than 100 miles away from where they are working, they are required to stay away in paid-for accommodation – the aim being to lessen the time on the road behind the wheel, thus reducing tiredness”.

The limits on travel are part of a package of safety rules which include replacing all vehicles every three years, carrying out weekly vehicle checks and repairing damaged vehicles quickly.

SMD managing director Ben Pratten said: “We have a duty of care to all employees and safety is our number one priority – not just on-site but in every aspect of our work.

“We have more than 100 staff working on projects across the UK and huge amounts of materials being transported to construction sites ranging from Devon to north Scotland.

“It is imperative therefore to have a set of common sense policies in place to safeguard SMD staff when they are on the road.

“And with around three million people employed in the UK construction industry, equating to 10 per cent of the total workforce, I would urge other companies to take note of our strategy.”