crossing guard training module 3 safety

Module 3/SafetyIowa Adult School Crossing Guard Training

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MODULE 3 – Safety

• Module Goal

– Participants will apply knowledge of safety in school areas.

• Objective One

– Participants will understand the concept of traffic gaps and solutions that create safe gaps for pedestrians.

• Objective Two

– Participants will understand the warrant for use of school crossing guards.

• Objective Three

– Participants will understand intersection / crosswalk safety considerations necessary to identify hazardous conditions.

• Objective Four

– Participants will know the proper procedures for handling emergency situations.


MUTCD

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PEDESTRIAN - VEHICLE CONFLICTS

Alternate gaps and traffic blockages

• Inherent in the traffic stream

• Different at each crossing location.

Students need to:

• Wait for sufficient gap in traffic.

• If long wait, students can be impatient and cross the street at unsafe moment.


MUTCD 4C.06

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PEDESTRIAN - VEHICLE CONFLICT

• Countermeasures:

– Warning signs and flashers

– School speed zones

– School Crossing Guards

– Grade-separated crossing

– Traffic control signal

• Considerations:

– Age of children

– Width of street

– Sight distance at crossing

– Speed of vehicles

– Numbers of vehicles and pedestrians

– Crash history

– Conflict data

– “Hazardous Walking Conditions”


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• Adult crossing guards may be used to provide gaps in traffic at school crossings where an engineering study has shown that adequate gaps need to be created. MUTCD 7E.02

• But when are crossing guards the best solution?

• There are no absolute national criteria.

• Consider:

– Age of children – inability to handle signal system

– Inadequate response of children to signal indications

– Brief periods of high pedestrian traffic

– “Hazardous Walking Conditions”

PEDESTRIAN - VEHICLE CONFLICTS


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INSPECTING TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES

• Annual and Periodic Inspections

• A guard shall inspect the signs and markings

– at the beginning of each school year, and

– periodically throughout the year

• Report any that seem to be missing, damaged, or otherwise in need of maintenance, to his supervisor.

• Refer to Chapters 7B and 7C of the MUTCD.


REPORT THESE TO YOUR SUPERVISOR

FSCGTG

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INSPECTING TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES

• Missing, damaged, dirty or obscured signs

• Badly worn markings

• Also note changed conditions that may require an engineering study or review of the School Route Plan :

– Increased traffic

– Change in speed limit

– More students walking/biking to school

– Ongoing road repairs

– New road(s) in School Area


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Damaged/Mal-functioning Signs

Light Bulb Burnt Out

Bent Sign

Worn Sign


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HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS

• Daily Inspections

– Obstructions and unusual conditions near the crossing location can lead to high risk vehicle / pedestrian conflicts.

– Guards must be observant and able to recognize hazardous conditions.

– Before starting your crossing duties, take a moment to look for hazardous conditions.

– Report any hazardous conditions to your supervisor.


DAILY INSPECTIONSREPORT THESE TO YOUR SUPERVISOR AS SOON AS PRACTICAL

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• Hazards which can create sight obstructions:

– Parked cars

– Signs

– Signal controller boxes

– Mailboxes

– Bushes / low-hanging tree branches

– Benches

• Hazards which can force pedestrians to walk in an unsafe location:

– Standing water in sidewalks

– Broken sidewalks

– Construction debris

– Open drainage grates

– Loose dogs

– Overgrown plants


REPORT THESE TO YOUR SUPERVISOR IMMEDIATELY

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• Other hazards that can lead to vehicle / pedestrian conflicts:

– Malfunctioning pedestrian signal

– Malfunctioning traffic signal

• Do not cross students until a traffic control officer arrives


IDENTIFY THE HAZARDS

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IDENTIFY THE HAZARD(S)


IDENTIFY THE HAZARD(S)No Clear Sidewalk

Module 3/SafetyIowa Adult School Crossing Guard TrainingIowa Adult School Crossing Guard Training Program Module 4 / Safety 14


• While on duty unsafe behaviors

– Drivers

• A guard should not concern himself / herself with minor infractions, but should report gross traffic violations or dangerous behaviors that endangered students.

– Information required for reporting purposes:

• Model and make of vehicle

• Color of vehicle

• License plate number

• Description of incident

• Time of incident

• Direction of travel

• Pedestrians involved


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• While on duty unsafe behaviors (continued)

– Pedestrians• If a guard observes students behaving

unsafely near traffic, they should be counseled on safe crossing techniques.

• If a student doesn’t comply with a guard’s instructions, the guard shall take the student’s name and report the incident to supervisor as soon as the shift ends.


Guards must report suspicious activity to their supervisor as soon as their shift ends, or

if the situation requires immediate attention – call the POLICE or SHERIFF.

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• Suspicious Activity

– Guards should be alert to suspicious subjects in the area.

– Students may tell the guard of suspicious subjects. The guard should treat this information seriously, but use good judgment.


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• Suspicious Activity

• Information required for reporting persons:– Sex– Race– Age– Clothing

description– Hair color– Height / weight– Direction of travel



Who can tell me?

• Sex • Race• Age • Clothing description• Hair color • Height / weight

Write it down!

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In the event of an emergency at a crossing area, the guard should keep control of the situation and ensure the safety of the children.

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EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

• Types of Emergencies:

– Motor vehicle - pedestrian crash

– Motor vehicle - bicycle crash

– Motor vehicle - motor vehicle crash

– Sudden illness

– Natural hazards

– Man-made hazards

Module 3/SafetyIowa Adult School Crossing Guard TrainingIowa Adult School Crossing Guard Training Program Module 4 / Safety 20


• When an emergency arises:

– Remain at your post

– Stop crossing children

– Maintain control of children

– Call 911

– If there are victim(s)

– Contact your supervisor

– Provide incident information to authorities if required

Your first priority is to protect the children from unsafe situations.


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• “Immunity for emergency aid – exceptions" (P1)

• (1)A person, corporation, or other legal entity, or an employee or agent of such person, corporation, or entity, who, during a public health disaster, in good faith and at the request of or under the direction of the department or the department of public defense renders emergency care or assistance to a victim of the public health disaster shall not be liable for civil damages for causing the death of or injury to a person, or for damage to property, unless such acts or omissions constitute recklessness [I.C. 135.147].


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• “Immunity for emergency aid – exceptions" (P2):

• (2)The immunities provided in this section shall not apply to any person, corporation, or other legal entity, or an employee or agent of such person, corporation, or entity, whose act or omission caused in whole or in part the public health disaster and who would otherwise be liable therefore [I.C. 135.147].



The American Red Cross offers courses in Responding to Emergencies, First Aid, CPR, and Bloodborne pathogens.

For information on American Red Cross training opportunities, contact your local chapter at:

http://www.redcross.org/en/where

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crossing guard training module 3 safety

Education

hazardous conditions

unusual conditions

conditions thatmayrequire

use of school crossing

crossing location

concept of traffic gaps

adult crossing guards

school area report