Work Zone Safety

Work Zone Safety
Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

PA Training for Health & Safety
(PATHS)
PPT-083-01 1
Session Objectives
You will be able to:
• Recognize the hazards of flagging

• Identify different sections of a temporary
traffic control zone
• Understand the temporary traffic control
plan and your responsibilities
• Use signaling devices effectively
• Position warning signs, tapers, and
flagging stations safely
PPT-083-01 2
Work Zone Safety Statistics
• More than 40,000 people are hurt in work zone

crashes per year
• There are almost three deaths per day that

occur within work zones
PPT-083-01 3
Roadway Workers’ Deaths
• 54% of fatalities occurred due to the worker

being struck by a truck
• 36% were dump trucks
• 21% were pickup trucks
• 17% were semi-trailer, tractor trailer, or trailer

trucks
• 26% were automobiles
PPT-083-01 4
Struck By Objects
A frequent cause of disabling injuries and

fatalities in the road construction industry
occur when workers are struck by:
1. Passing motorists
2. Construction vehicles
3. Equipment
PPT-083-01 5
Activity Being Performed
• Constructing
• Repairing
• Cleaning
• Walking in or near a roadway
• Directing or flagging
• Resurfacing or blacktopping
PPT-083-01 6
Struck By Objects Prevention
• Have policies that require mobile equipment

operators to follow the safety instructions in
the equipment operator’s manual
• Conduct pre-work safety meetings each day to

discuss the work on tap that day, the potential
safety hazards, and safe work practices
• Ensure that PPE such as high-visibility cloth is

provided and used in accordance with company
policy
PPT-083-01 7
• Planning for safe operations within work zones
• Safe operation of construction vehicles and

equipment in highway/roadway work zones
• Providing for the safety of workers on foot around

traffic vehicles and construction vehicles
• Compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (MUTCD)
• Compliance with OSHA construction industry

regulations (29CFR*1926, Subpart 0)
PPT-083-01 8
Work Zone Safety Considerations
• Lighting
• Visibility
• Inclement weather
• Congested areas
• Constantly changing work conditions
PPT-083-01 9
Traffic Control Principles
• A prepared detailed plan appropriate to the

complexity of the work project or incident and
understood by all responsible parties
• Individuals knowledgeable in principles of

proper traffic control should be assigned
responsibility for safety in the traffic control
zone
• As the work progresses and conditions change,

the traffic control should be modified to provide
reasonably safe and efficient road user
movement and worker safety
PPT-083-01 10
Traffic Control Awareness
• Cover the nature of the work when there’s

equipment used to communicate with motorists
and pedestrians
• Explain the duration of the project
• Address anticipated effects on road users
• Offer alternative routes of travel or modes of

transportation
PPT-083-01 11
Traffic Control
• Depends on the type of highway
• Driving conditions
• Duration of operation
• Physical constraints
• The distance between the workspace and the

drivers
PPT-083-01 12
Internal Traffic Control Plan (ITCP)
Hazard Assessment Control Element

• Schematic diagrams depicting the movement of
construction workers and vehicles within the work
space
• A checklist of site-specific hazards with a

description of how these hazards will be
minimized, what procedures, safety equipment,
and control strategies will be used
• A reporting system for all close-calls and incidents

related to internal traffic control plan
PPT-083-01 13
Internal Traffic Control Plan (ITCP)
Hazard Assessment Control Element
• A plan for safely handling intermittent traffic

stoppages; e.g., for equipment turn-around
• Anticipated traffic volume and speed, as well as

speed limit for operation within the work space
• Specifications for lighting inside the work space
PPT-083-01 14
Temporary Traffic Control Plan (TTCP)
Four areas to consider:
1. Advance warning area
2. Transition area
3. Activity area
4. Termination area
PPT-083-01 15
Advance Warning Area
• Road users informed

of work zone
• Warning sign corridors are
longer on freeways
• Sign A—
1,000 feet from transition
• Sign B—
1,500 feet from sign A
• Sign C—
2,500 feet from sign B
PPT-083-01 17
Transition Area
• Road users are redirected out of the normal path
• Mobile operations— transition area moves
• Tapers are used to transition traffic
• Space taper devices properly
PPT-083-01 18
Activity Area
• Work space is for workers, equipment, and

material
• Traffic space routes and road uses through activity

area
• Buffer space separates road user flow from work

space
PPT-083-01 19
Termination Area
• Returns road users to normal path
• “END ROAD WORK” sign
• Longitudinal buffer and taper
PPT-083-01 20
Traffic Tapers
• Minimum taper length: L = WS
• Merging taper requires longest distance
• Shifting taper is used where shoulder is closed
• Downstream taper is used in termination area
PPT-083-01 21
Routine Inspections
• Implement traffic control plan properly
• Monitor plan under varying conditions
• Keep channelizing devices clean and reflective
• Check for missing traffic control devices
• Look for evidence of near misses
PPT-083-01 22
Temporary Traffic Control
Zones
Setup and Inspection
Need to understand:
• Advance warning area, transition area, activity

area, termination area
• Importance of routine inspections in temporary

traffic control zones
• What inspections should cover
PPT-083-01 23
Hazards of Flagging
• Risk from equipment and passing vehicles
• Statistics support high risk of injury
• More than 100 workers killed and 20,000

injured each year
• More motorists than workers killed or injured

in temporary traffic control zones
PPT-083-01 24
Flagger Responsibilities
- Stop traffic
- Reduce the speed of and/or direct traffic

through the work zone
- Protect yourself, work crew, the general public,

motorists and pedestrians
PPT-083-01 25
Criteria for Flaggers

You are responsible for public safety and must:
• Communicate instructions clearly
• Maneuver quickly
• Control signaling devices
• Understand safety traffic control
PPT-083-01 26
• Recognize dangerous traffic situations
• Know the traffic control plan
• Be identified as flaggers by motorists
PPT-083-01 27
Flagger Authority
• Monitor operations in the work area
• Communicate with traffic control supervisor
• Halt operations if hazard arises
PPT-083-01 28
Flagger Stations
• Position
• Signals
• Approaching the centerline
• Release
• Leaving
PPT-083-01 29
Flagger Stations
• Road users must have sufficient distance to stop
• Errant vehicle can stop before entering work space
• Advanced warning signs
• Lighted at night
PPT-083-01 30
Flagger Stations
• Stand on shoulder next to road
• Enter road only after vehicles have stopped
• Be able to warn workers of danger
• Stand away from shade and shadows
• Keep workers away
PPT-083-01 31
High-Visibility Apparel
• All workers must wear high visibility apparel
• Worker visibility during dawn or dusk conditions

will be enhanced by fluorescent colored high-
visibility apparel
• The use of colors such as yellow-green for the

worker apparel will help to differentiate the
worker from the orange colored work vehicles,
sign, drums, etc.
PPT-083-01 32
Worker Safety and Visibility
• High-visibility apparel
• Worker training
• Activity area planning
• Speed control
• Positive separation
• Lighting
• Worker safety planning
• Special devices
PPT-083-01 33
High-Visibility Apparel
• Clothing meets safety standards

• Fluorescent background color
• Reflective materials
• Designed to identify a person
• High-visibility armbands, hats, vests, gloves
• Inspect reflective material regularly
PPT-083-01 34
Class 1
PPT-083-01 35
Class 2
PPT-083-01 36
Class 3
PPT-083-01 37
Is this Apparel Acceptable?
Worn, dirty No!
PPT-083-01 38
Safety Issue
Anything wrong?
Yes, individual walking with back to oncoming traffic
PPT-083-01 39
Changeable Message Sign
Message signs are

being used more and
more:
o Easy to read
o Readily changed
o Moved easily
o Downside:
Sometimes
messages not
recently updated
PPT-083-01 40
Flagger
What are the

issues here?
• Flagger
stationed in the
travel way
• Flagger is
sitting
• Flagger has no
escape route
• Traffic vest
illegal
PPT-083-01 41
Flagger Symbol Sign
• Flagger warning sign

is obstructed by
mailbox
• Warning barrel not
on roadway
• No flaggers in area
– construction
finished?
Can you identify what's wrong?
PPT-083-01 42
Unsafe Situation
Enough said!
PPT-083-01 43
Summary
o Individuals within roadway work zones must

use caution and be constantly aware of the
hazards associated with moving vehicles and
equipment
o Workers must wear the necessary Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) including and
especially compliant traffic vests
o Necessary signage should be in place to warn
drivers approaching a work zone
o A good communication system must be used
between flaggers and equipment operators
PPT-083-01 44
Contact Information
Health & Safety Training Specialists

1171 South Cameron Street, Room 324
Harrisburg, PA 17104-2501
(717) 772-1635
[email protected]
Like us on Facebook! -
https://www.facebook.com/BWCPATHS
PPT-083-01 45
Questions
?????
Questions
&
Answers
PPT-083-01 46

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Work Zone Safety

Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

You will be able to:

• Recognize the hazards of flagging

• More than 40,000 people are hurt in work zone

• There are almost three deaths per day that

• 54% of fatalities occurred due to the worker

• 36% were dump trucks

• 21% were pickup trucks

• 17% were semi-trailer, tractor trailer, or trailer

• 26% were automobiles

A frequent cause of disabling injuries and

• Walking in or near a roadway

• Have policies that require mobile equipment

• Conduct pre-work safety meetings each day to

• Ensure that PPE such as high-visibility cloth is

• Planning for safe operations within work zones

• Safe operation of construction vehicles and

• Providing for the safety of workers on foot around

• Compliance with OSHA construction industry

• Constantly changing work conditions

• A prepared detailed plan appropriate to the

• Individuals knowledgeable in principles of

• As the work progresses and conditions change,

• Cover the nature of the work when there’s

• Explain the duration of the project

• Address anticipated effects on road users

• Offer alternative routes of travel or modes of

• Depends on the type of highway

• The distance between the workspace and the

Hazard Assessment Control Element

• A checklist of site-specific hazards with a

• A reporting system for all close-calls and incidents

Hazard Assessment Control Element

• A plan for safely handling intermittent traffic

• Anticipated traffic volume and speed, as well as

• Specifications for lighting inside the work space

Four areas to consider:

1. Advance warning area

• Road users informed

• Road users are redirected out of the normal path

• Mobile operations— transition area moves

• Tapers are used to transition traffic

• Space taper devices properly

• Work space is for workers, equipment, and

• Traffic space routes and road uses through activity

• Buffer space separates road user flow from work

• Returns road users to normal path

• “END ROAD WORK” sign

• Longitudinal buffer and taper

• Minimum taper length: L = WS

• Merging taper requires longest distance

• Shifting taper is used where shoulder is closed

• Downstream taper is used in termination area

• Implement traffic control plan properly

• Monitor plan under varying conditions

• Keep channelizing devices clean and reflective

• Check for missing traffic control devices

• Look for evidence of near misses

Setup and Inspection