While motorists and truckers may experience frustration with traffic delays caused by summer road work, that’s no excuse for putting road workers at risk. The big orange signs warning drivers of construction speed limit zones ahead are there to protect workers. They alert drivers to the dire consequences of injuring a worker.
Just like drivers must obey traffic signs, contractors have obligation to do their best to protect their employees. Remember these tips for keeping road construction crews safe.
Safety Is Non-Negotiable
Workers must know that safety gear is always required—no exceptions. Helmets, eye protection, bright reflective safety vests, and proper footwear can help prevent injury and maybe even save their lives. For workers cutting concrete, respirators are necessary if using dry cutting techniques.
Distracted or careless drivers can wreak havoc on a road construction site, knocking down barrels, weaving through traffic cones, and even jumping lanes and plowing into workers. Worker visibility can pull a driver back from the brink of disaster.
Train and Remind
All road crew workers should be thoroughly trained in safety precautions. This should include how to remain alert and stay safe in an environment where heavy equipment is in use. Use daily meetings to remind crews that their safety is largely in their hands, and warn them against becoming too accustomed to the work environment, because something could go wrong at any moment.
Maintain Equipment and Tools
Proper care and maintenance of tools is critical. Stick to maintenance schedules, and ensure workers care for their tools properly, including storing them in designated areas when not in use.When considering purchasing saw blades, keep in mind that diamond saw blades are the standard used for cutting concrete. Check them for wear regularly. Enforce logging requirements to document pre-inspection checklists for heavy equipment.
Identify Site Hazards
Road construction projects can occur on bridges over rivers, in tunnels, under electric wires, and at night. Identify all potential hazards, make workers, and crew leaders aware of any additional precautions they should take.
Create Effective Traffic Management Plans
If the project is supported with federal funds, the plan for signage, lane markings, cones, barrels, and flaggers will be governed by the Part 6 of the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Tools (MUTCD) plus applicable state regulations. It’s up to the contractor to ensure that workers maintain the plan for pre-construction areas, transition areas into the work zone, the work zone itself, and the transition out of the work area. Check lane markings, cones, barrels, and signs to ensure they haven’t been shoved out of place.
Launching a new traffic pattern creates new hazards, as drivers who had become accustomed to the previous setup must adjust. Remind workers that this is an especially dangerous time, and they should be on even higher alert than usual to maintain their safety. Use your morning meeting to go over tips for keeping road construction crews safe.
