April 5, 2004—Recognizing that roadway construction is one of the most hazardous occupations, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) says that through education, training and proper work practices, roadway work zone accidents a nd injuries for workers and motorists can be reduced.
“With warmer weather comes increased road and bridge construction work,” ASSE President James “Skipper” Kendrick, CSP, said today. “Motorists, contractors, and workers need to be aware of the risks we all face at roadway work zones and work together to reduce accidents, especially during April’s National Work Zone Awareness week.”
ASSE member George Wolff, CSP, writes in his ‘Work Zone Safety/Traffic Control Chapter’ in the new ASSE Construction Safety Management and Engineering Book that the number of incidents, fatalities and injuries related to work zones is on the rise. More than 1,100 men, women and children are killed in roadway work zones annually, with most of those fatalities being motorists. And with motorists, on average, encountering a work zone every 40- 50 miles, the work zone accident risk increases.
To assist employers and workers on increasing roadway work zone safety, Wolff recommends they be aware of the many types of worker hazards and exposures to risk; the need for a temporary traffic control work zone; setting up an advance work zone warning area and transition area; the hazards of installing, modifying, and removing work zones; how to best equip a flag person; driver awareness; and, liability and litigation.
Wolff warns that in addition to the risk from impaired drivers, who at night will focus on and drive toward the light in a work zone area creating a safety risk, roadway construction workers face a multitude of hazards which include being struck or caught between equipment, injury from overuse and poor body conditions, and environmental exposures to heat, cold and sun.
Wolff recommends that contractors, workers and motorists alike be aware of these four basic elements of safety of a temporary traffic control work zone: 1) advance warning—often consisting of three signs that advise, warn, and instruct the motorist of a roadway work zone; 2) the transition, or taper, that moves traffic from one lane to another; 3) the activity area that consists of the optional longitudinal buffer (safety space) and the work zone; and, 4) the termination, or downstream taper, that provides the motorist a clear path back to the lane from which he or she was diverted.
Wolff recommends having a plan that outlines the traffic controls that will be included throughout the work zone and what changes will be needed during the changing process of construction. A drawing of the site, the number and type of traffic control devices to be used, and lists or illustrations of any special personnel requirements such as flag-person stations or the use of uniformed traffic control or law enforcement are suggested.
A Colorado task force of ASSE members, including Wolff, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), OSHA, the Colorado Contractors Association (CCA) and contractor representatives has created a roadway construction work zone best practices guide soon to be available from the CDOT web site.
