When the summer tends to heat the roadwork seems to start getting heated up too leading to a greater amount of work zones coming up all over the interstates, streets and the highways as well.
This is the time of the year where more and more people are now on the road covering greater distances across the beach, mountains and other gateway places.
However, today we are going to share 8 work zone safety tips while the road construction season is on:
- Create a plan
A transportation management plan should be there on every road construction project that is undertaken. A temporary traffic control plan should be there for every project that is undertaken considering the safety of the workers along with the traffic that is there throughout the work zone.
For the management of the heavy equipment, construction vehicles as well as the workers around, you also need to have a plan for controlling the traffic within the work zone.
- Proper control of the traffic
With the help of the warning signs that would be alerting the motorists of the upcoming altercations in the driving conditions, an area of transition that uses the traffic control devices for the lane closures as well as the traffic pattern shifts, a buffering area, work area and the termination area for allowing the traffic to resume back to the normal along with the sign that would be indicating that the work zone has ended.
These are the things that should be mandated over the work zone.
The devices that are used for controlling the traffic should be the ones that would be able to comply with the federal areas that should meet up with the requirements of the state agency. Even when it comes to road profiling services, this compliance is a must.
- Creating separate work zones
With a lot of ongoing activities that are all going around at the same time, the areas of road construction workers are within the busy areas.
You need to make use of the cones, barrels as well as the barriers for a clear delineated specified areas of the work zones including that of the material storage, areas even where the heavy equipment is being utilized, safer areas for the workers on foot to be able to move around safely is the best manner in which the accidents can be avoided.
- Keep a note of the surrounding
You need to keep a better watch over your surroundings making sure that you are safe while working under the construction of the road.
While you are inside of your work zone or have a spotter that is available while your back is turned you need to be aware of the things that are going around you along with monitoring the traffic for alerting the workers of any potential dangers that are lurking within.
- Blind spots need to be avoided
The work zones that include the dump trucks, compactors, pavement planers as well as the rollers and pavers, the vehicle and heavy equipment are on a constant move within that of the work zone.
Every mirror, as well as the visual aided devices that are attached and those which are operating in a proper manner including that of the backup lights and the alarms, is what the operators should be ensuring.
You need to keep in mind that the drivers have limited their line of sight while you are on your foot and are working near the machines. With the driver, you need to be in visual contact with them.
If you are not able to visualize them then they probably are not looking at you, so you need to follow this thumb rule here without turning back.
- Work with a competent person
Whenever the work is being performed, the competent person should be there available onsite.
This person would be capable enough with the identification of the existing and the predictable dangers that might be occurring in the surroundings or the conditions of work whether they are harmful or not.
A proper assessment of the hazard should be taken into consideration with the proper inspection done regularly.
- Organizing a safety meeting each day
Before commencing with your work you need to organize a safety meeting to follow the safety protocol, in addition to ensuring that every personnel recruited at the worksite has undergone their perfect training.
This is also the right time for ensuring that every worker has and are wearing their proper work uniforms. This would take care of the safety measures that need to be undertaken while at work.
- Safety program with site specified
You need to well understand that when it comes to the project of road construction, every project differs from one another so while you are creating your safety programs the gears should be according to the specific site to make sure that the accidents are avoided.