A few safety measures for road construction
If construction work wasn't perilous enough, employees have been involved in considerably more danger at road maintenance and building sites near traffic. Road work zones are hazardous areas where vehicle traffic and road workers must share space. When an accident occurs, the driver is typically at fault, but the worker nearly invariably suffers the most serious injuries.
Transportation is no doubt an essential element in everyone?s life, without it, the whole economy would implode. And roads are the principal mode of domestic transportation. This is why we must take roadwork seriously.
Every year, however, road workers put their lives in danger in order to build a mode of transportation. They're also prone to devastating casualties if they're not careful.
Safety measures to be adhered to
Here are the few mentioned safety measures every road construction worker should adhere to:-
Always be aware of your working environment
Whatever your job tasks are in the workplace, you should constantly be aware of what is going on around you. Avoid walking behind reversing cars or within the swing radius of heavy machinery.
When feasible, face traffic while inside the work zone or have a spotter on hand when you turn your back. Spotters should also be utilized to monitor the movement of cars and heavy equipment within the work zone, as well as traffic, to notify employees of possible hazards.
It is critical not to walk behind stopped automobiles during construction. It's also a good idea to constantly face the traffic. This provides workers with information about their surroundings without their being aware of it. Finally, spotters are valuable members of the road construction crew.
Adhere to the potential hindrances
It might be helpful to identify all possible workplace hazards in advance in order to prevent them from occurring. There are a number of examples of these, such as approaching vehicles, electricity wires, and pedestrian paths.
You should also keep an eye out for any problems in the road's surrounding environment, for example, animals crossing the road, or snow falling from the sky. It is also important to ensure that employees of the construction company understand how to use the construction equipment.
Labors must be equipped with proper safety equipment
Personnel working within the work zone should wear proper safety equipment. Personal protective equipment includes hard hats, steel-toed boots, highly visible clothing, and, depending on the noise levels, hearing protection.
Wearing highly visible clothing such as a vest, jacket, or shirt should be highly visible including being fluorescent orange or lime yellow and having visible reflective material, especially at night, and should meet specific standards. It is imperative for construction safety to utilize safety equipment on a construction site. In addition to hard hats, goggles, gloves, boots, and hearing protection, it also includes ear protection.
Adequately controlling the traffic system
A road-building project would not be complete without traffic control. An accident caused by one careless driver can ruin the entire day. Avoiding danger and selecting a reliable traffic control site is the best course of action.
It is recommended that construction zones be marked with barriers and traffic cones. You should also use light-colored traffic cones and display warning signs ahead of the road maintenance zone so that drivers will be aware of the danger.
A work zone should have an advanced warning area with warning signs alerting motorists to impending changes in driving conditions, a transition area with traffic control devices for lane closures and shifts in traffic patterns, a buffer area, and a termination area where traffic can resume normal operations, plus a sign indicating the end of the work zone.
To learn more, watch the following video tutorial.
Video Source: JIFSA - Education & Training
Try to locate and avoid any Blind Spot
Work zones are constantly filled with vehicles and heavy equipment such as excavators, pavers, rollers, compactors, and pavement planers. It is the operator's responsibility to ensure that all mirrors and visual assistance devices are installed correctly and are working properly, including backup alarms and lights.
On foot, if you are operating near these devices while they are operating, you may not have a clear view of the driver. Ensure that you maintain constant visual contact with the driver. You should remember that if you cannot see them, they may not be able to see you either.
Blind spots can be created by mobile equipment and construction trucks. Ensure that each construction vehicle is properly located and does not obstruct the view of the road from any angle.
Conclusion
It is imperative that the final state of the road be constructed with extreme caution, as any flaw in the process will result in serious accidents. It is also necessary to complete the building work as soon as possible since roads are continuously in demand.
