Information provided by:Volvo Construction Equipment

Road construction can be an extremely dangerous type of work, with crew members working in close proximity to motor vehicle traffic and heavy-duty construction vehicles. Driver confusion, inattention, speeding and impairment clearly put workers at risk.

Flaggers and other ground crew can be struck or backed over. Equipment operators can be injured or killed by collisions, overturned equipment or by unsafe interaction with running equipment. Regardless of their assigned duties, every contractor and crew member has a vested interest in promoting and maintaining a safe work zone.

There are a number of general areas of emphasis that should be addressed as part of any work zone safety efforts. They are:

• Traffic control - both public and equipment
• Ground crew safety
• Equipment safety
• Night work illumination
• Emergencies

Traffic control