Transcript 2015 Annual Training - Rocky Mountain Asphalt Conference

Work Zone Best Practices
INTRODUCTION:
• Presented by: Patrick O’Bryan
• Operations Manager with 13 years experience managing
large scale DOT projects and major civic / government
events.
• Colorado Barricade has a local presence of approx. 40
years. We provide Temporary Work Zones, Roadway
Striping and Sign Installation and Manufacturing.
• We employee over 40 Local dedicated Colorado workers.
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
2
Outline:
This presentation will give a very basic idea of some best practices to
help make your workzone safer. Additional resources will be given at
the end of the presentation. We will talk about:
• Workzone Statistics
• Best Practices: Pre-Construction
• Best Practices: During Construction
• Best Practices: Post Job
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
Let’s start with some statistics:
As you can see
Colorado has had
43 fatalities in
Workzones from
2010 to 2013.
This may seem
small compared
to the thousands
of deaths that
happen each year
on highways but
the goal should
always be ZERO.
Colorado WZ Fatalities by year
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
2010
2011
2012
2013
Source: workzonesafety.org
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Let’s stay with some statistics:
• In the same span across the United States the
number of Work Zone Fatalities is significant.
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
So what can we do about it??
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
Work Together
Start by Sharing our collective knowledge
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
• The most important part of any job is “PLANNING”.
• To begin planning a work zone first you need to have a
basic understand the following:
1. Create a site specific Traffic Control Plan that encompasses basic hazards that
will affect your work and the motoring public. (Pre-Construction)
2. Maintain proper PPE in workzone . Document conditions and log workzone
everyday. Keep the workzone devices clean and clear of debris. Make changes as
they become necessary. (During Construction)
3. After construction make sure all devices have been removed. (Post Job)
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
1. Create a site specific Traffic Control Plan (TCP)
• Traffic Control Plan should be site specific and
address all areas that affect traffic.
• Highway, rural, residential and parking lots can all
pose different types of hazards.
• Understanding these hazards and incorporating
them into the Safety & Traffic Control Plan will
help all parties.
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
Thoughts to consider when preparing Traffic
Control Plan
Residential Areas & Parking Lots
• Specific Hazards to be aware of:
1. Multi Access Points.
a. Driveways (may need to close)
b. Intersections
2. Pedestrian Traffic
a. School Zones
b. Bicyclists
3. Local Commuters
In their comfort zone and are more apt to
pay less attention to signs or devices.
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
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Thoughts to consider when preparing Traffic
Control Plan
Rural Roads
• Potential for higher speed limits.
• Traffic control Devices need to be larger for
better visibility.
• Flaggers can be utilized – must be trained and
certified.
• Road surface can change from paved to dirt,
causing the potential for poor visibility due to
dusty conditions.
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
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Thoughts to consider when preparing Traffic
Control Plan
Highways / Freeways
• Very high speeds which creates a need for devices with a
larger target value so they can be seen from a greater
distance.
• Flaggers should not be used on high speed roadways.
• Lookout person is highly recommended anytime you have
workers next to traffic lanes.
• Many large DOT / Local City projects require the use of
Uniformed Officers to assist in the safety culture of project
and to help add additional protection to workers / motorists.
Work Zone Safety: Pre-Construction
The Traffic Control Plan
Title Box with location,
barricade company
name, comments or
notes etc.
Type of Signs based on
DOT / MUTCD
Standards with spacing
noted.
Shaded area showing
where the workzone
will take place
Summary of Devices
and Signature Box for
Barricade Company and
State
7/16/2015
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Maintain proper PPE in Workzone.
In Today’s
distracted Society
PPE is more
important than
ever!
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
Basic Best PPE to use in Workzone
• Flourescent Hard Hat with Reflectivity.
•
• Safety Glasses as needed
and required.
Class 3 Safety Vest
(provides most reflectivity)
• Reflective
Pants &
Hard Hat
Lights
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Document the Workzone
A Daily Diary of the workzone should be provided
to document changes / improvements of project.
It should at a minimum include:
Name of project / Contractor / Date / TCS name
Location of Closure and TCP / MHT# being implemented
Thorough description of activities that took place for shift.
Names of flaggers, officers of project and their locations.
Signature area for TCS / Contractor / DOT
Diaries can be printed with carbon copies 1 TCS / 1 DOT / 1
Contractor if needed.
Maintain and Clean Workzone
During Shift routinely straighten closure
and ensure compliance with the MUTCD
and Traffic Control Plan.
Signs and information guide traffic through the work zone. Information
needs to be clear at all times to convey a safe, consistent message.
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
SIGNS CAN GIVE YOU
VALUABLE INFORMATION.
USE THEM WISELY……NOT
LIKE THIS!
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
Post Job
• All projects come to an end. Ensure the roadway looks better
than the way you found it.
• Make sure that all signs are removed. This includes bases,
flags, stubs in ground for permanent signs and sandbags.
• Ensure that the any permanent signs that were removed
during construction are replaced prior to the road being
opened.
• Be sure to have a post project meeting with your traffic
control team to congratulate them on a job well done and
discuss any future improvement that can be learned.
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
Wrap Up……….
• Ensure that the work zone is set up in accordance with the current
version of the MUTCD.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the temporary traffic control setup
by having the project supervisor walk or ride the job looking for
evidence of near misses (e.g., skid marks, damaged barricades).
• Include employees in the walk- or drive-through as a training tool,
and to emphasize that safety is a continuous priority.
• Authorize the traffic control supervisor to temporarily halt work
until unsafe conditions related to temporary traffic control have
been eliminated.
• When possible choose valued partners that you’ve worked with to
maintain consistency in your team.
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
FYI……
Below are some valuable links to websites for extra help:
• www.workzonesafety.org – Work Zone Clearinghouse
• http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ - Federal Hwy Administration
• http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ - Manual of Uniformed Traffic Control Devices
• https://www.codot.gov/business/designsupport/standard-plans - Colo. Dept. of
Transportation Standard Plans & Construction.
Work Zone Safety: Best Practices
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• Please let us know if you
have any questions or
feedback.
• Call us for your next project
we’d be happy to help!
Members of:
7/16/2015