Overview:

This article will discuss safety precautions employers should implement when they have employees performing tasks around moving traffic. This article will discuss personal protective equipment, barricades, temporary traffic control, training, and program development. This article is not intended for Department of Transportation and construction work zone types of hazards.

Protecting Employees around Traffic

Since the 2001 fiscal year, five Virginia state employees have been killed after being struck by vehicles and another 60 received injuries. The costs associated with these deaths and injuries totaled more than two million dollars. Excluded from these figures are motor vehicle accidents and injuries suffered by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) employees. (See chart)

Yet the deaths and injuries have not sensitized supervisors to the dangers inherent when employees work around moving traffic. Procedures are in place to address the work task, but little thought is given to the vehicles that may be passing close to the employee. Even when procedures are established, training is conducted, special protective equipment is distributed and barricades erected, injuries and deaths still occur. No one can be too cautious when it comes to safety measures around moving vehicles.

To start, determine work tasks that are or could potentially be impacted by moving traffic. Second, perform a hazard assessment of those tasks, determine the necessary protective measures needed, and finally, train employees on the prevention techniques.

The first step is often the hardest, determining what work task could be impacted by moving traffic. This will vary from agency to agency, but common tasks include:

• Tree trimming operations


• Lawn care maintenance


• Snow and ice removal


• Pot-hole repair


• Re-paving parking lots


• Repainting parking lots
  • Changing light bulbs in parking lots


• Loading and unloading of supplies


• Directing traffic/traffic control


• Removing debris out of the roadway


• Special events that require parking of vehicles


• Issuing citations


• Providing assistance to a motorist


• Driving and using utility (golf) carts


• Evaluating individuals performing these tasks


• Mail deliveries

As with any work task, a job safety analysis or hazard assessment should be conducted. This will help to identify hazards associated with the task being performed before an injury occurs and what protective measures need to be implemented.

Once the specific hazard of moving traffic is identified, a plan should be developed and implemented to protect employees from the hazard. Developing a plan is the most critical aspect of the work process. This plan should address work activities, temporary traffic control, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and other prevention techniques or equipment required. Those agencies that have this exposure should consult VDOT’s “Virginia Work Area Protection Manual, Standards and Guidelines for Temporary Traffic Control.” This manual is Virginia’s version of Part 6 of the Federal Highway Administration’s, Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for temporary traffic control. Virginia’s requirements exceed many of the federal requirements.

There are specific requirements related to types of roadways impacted, length of time traffic will be affected, types of warning devices required, and PPE. While there are a variety of factors to take into consideration, there are a few requirements and best practices that all agencies should implement. These would include the use of high-visibility safety apparel, PPE, temporary traffic barriers, and employee training.

On January 1, 2007, VDOT required that all safety apparel worn during temporary traffic control (TTC) meet the requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear 107-2004 standard, which specifies three classes of apparel based on the employee’s work activities. The three classes are as follows:

Class 1
This apparel should be worn near roadways where traffic does not exceed 25 miles per hour (mph) and there is ample separation from traffic. ¹ Additionally, this apparel should be worn by those exposed to warehouse equipment traffic, sidewalk maintenance, and delivery vehicle drivers. ² Examples of job tasks that fall under Class 1 are:

• Employees exposed to warehouse equipment traffic


• Sidewalk maintenance activities


• Delivery vehicle drivers ³

Class 2
This apparel should be worn when greater visibility is needed during inclement weather. ⁴ Additionally, this apparel should be worn by those exposed to work tasks in or in near proximity to vehicle traffic. Especially if the work performed is distracting to vehicle drivers. ⁵ Examples of job tasks that fall under Class 2 are:

• Parking and toll gate personnel


• Employees directing traffic


• Forestry workers


• Emergency response personnel


• Law enforcement personnel


• School crossing guards ⁶

• Flagging crews


• Emergency response personal (Motorist Assistant Aides)


• Survey crews ⁸

“The apparel background (outer) material shall be either fluorescent orange-red or fluorescent yellow-green as defined in the standard. The retroreflective material shall be either orange, yellow, white, silver, yellow-green, or a fluorescent version of these colors, and shall be visible at a minimum distance of 1,000 feet. The retroreflective clothing shall be designed to clearly identify the wearer as a person.” ⁹

For public safety individuals, there is a new standard that was published in December 2006 that addresses specific issues to accommodate utility belts. The new standard is ANSI/ISEA 207-2006, Public Safety Vests (PSV). ¹⁰ This standard basically allows for “design flexibility to incorporate colored panels to enhance easy, on-scene identification of wearers, as well as other options such as break-away features.” ¹¹

In addition to the high-visibility apparel, there are a variety of other protective measures that agencies should be familiar with and have on hand. Those include:

Road Cones
Cones should be based on intended use and come in a variety of sizes, colors, and types. The Virginia Work Area Protection Manual, in Section 6F.59 states, “All cones shall be predominantly orange and shall be made of material that can be struck without causing damage to the impacting vehicle. The minimum height of cones for use on all roadways shall be 36 inches.” There are also specific requirements for cones that will be used during nighttime activities and for cones over 36 inches tall. This information can be found in the Virginia Work Area Protection Manual, Section 6F.59. Agencies should use the cones according the manual and as a warning/barricade device notifying motorist of an upcoming obstacle.

Other Channelizing Devices
There are a variety of barrier/channelizing devices that can or should be used depending on the activities and work tasks being performed, including tubular markers, drums, vertical panels, Type III barricades, and direction indicator barricades. Specific information on the construction, design, and application of these channelizing devices is outlined in the Virginia Work Area Protection Manual. It is very important that agencies review these requirements while developing their plans to ensure they are meeting the intent of the regulations for TTC.

Other considerations
Depending on the task being performed, duration of the job, and location of the job, some additional requirements may apply. The agency may need to consider temporary traffic signs, flaggers, and stop/slow paddles. There are specific requirements for each of these protective measures as well. Temporary traffic signs are a specific size and color. There are specific requirements for flaggers, including training, certification, clothing, English speaking, and be older than 18 years of age. Additionally, the equipment the flaggers use, such as stop/slow paddles have to meet specific criteria. All of this information is outlined in the Virginia Work Area Protection Manual.

As with any task, policy, or plan that is implemented, employees must be trained on the requirements. Employers must train employees on the hazards associated when working in or around traffic. Employees must be taught why and when protective measures are to be implemented and the necessity for them. Just as training is important, the enforcement of these policies, procedures, and plans when working around traffic is equally as important. It is a matter of life and death.

This is just a brief overview of some of the protective requirements that agencies must adhere to when working in or around traffic. Agencies must identify the job tasks that present these hazards, conduct a hazard assessment, develop a plan, implement protective measures, and train their employees. For additional details and information, please consult the Virginia Work Area Protection Manual.

¹ American Nationals Standard Institute (ANSI)/ International Safety Equipment Association. (September 15, 2004) “ANSI/ISEA 104-2004, American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear.” Appendix B, Suggested Performance Class Guidelines and Scenarios.

² Ibid.

³ Ibid.

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ Ibid.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ Ibid.

⁸ Ibid.

⁹ Virginia Department of Transportation. “Virginia Work Area Protection Manual, Standard and Guidelines for Temporary Traffic Control; Section 6d.” Retrieved July 5, 2007 from, http://www.virginiadot.org/business/const/resources/WAPM2005.pdf.

¹⁰ Iron Horse Safety. “ANSI/ISEA 2007-2006: American National Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests.” Retrieved June 29, 2007 from, http://vests.ironhorsesafety.com/ansi207standard.html.

¹¹ Ibid.

Resources:

American Nationals Standard Institute (ANSI)/ International Safety Equipment Association. (September 15, 2004) “ANSI/ISEA 104-2004, American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear.”

International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA). “Revised American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear, ANSI/ISEA 107-2004.” Retrieved July 31, 2007 from, http://www.safetyequipment.org/hivisstd.htm.

Iron Horse Safety. “ANSI/ISEA 2007-2006: American National Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests.” Retrieved June 29, 2007 from, http://vests.ironhorsesafety.com/ansi207standard.html.

Laws, Jerry. (February 2006), Occupational Health and Safety, “A Better Guide to High-Vis Apparel.” Retrieved on July 31, 2007 from, http://www.ohsonline.com/articles/44964/

Sullivan, Jack CSP, CFPS. Watch Out! Roadway Incident Safety “Best Practices” for Emergency Responders.

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “Hurricane eMatrix, Work Zone Safety and Traffic Control within a Work Area.” Retrieved June 29, 2007 from, http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hurricane/work-zone.html.

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “OSHA Fact Sheet, Work Zone Traffic Safety.” Retrieved June 29, 2007 from, http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/work_xone_traffic_safety.pdf.

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “OSHA Quick Card, Work Zone Traffic Safety.” Retrieved June 29, 2007 from
http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA-work-zone-safety-english.html.

Virginia Department of Transportation. “Virginia Work Area Protection Manual, Standard and Guidelines for Temporary Traffic Control.” Retrieved July 5, 2007 from, http://www.virginiadot.org/business/const/resources/WAPM2005.pdf.