““Highway Construction Work Highway Construction Work Zones and Traffic Control Zones and Traffic Control

Hazards”Hazards”A Training Program developed under a Susan A Training Program developed under a Susan

Harwood grant from OSHAHarwood grant from OSHA

Prepared by Prepared by Wayne State University, Wayne State University,

Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringDepartment of Civil and Environmental EngineeringDetroit, Michigan Detroit, Michigan

This material was produced under grant number 46E3-HT18 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S.

Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of

trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

• Highway Construction and Work Zone Safety – Concern to many

• Construction Workers, Contractors, Highway and Safety Agencies, Regulatory Agencies, Transportation Professionals and Engineers,Trade Associations, etc.

• Highway construction is one of the most hazardous occupations in the USA– In the highway and street construction

Industry • Over 20,000 workers are injured each year• Over 100 workers are killed each year

Introduction

Fatality Statistics by Industry Type

1997 2001

Highway and Street Construction 39.21 44.65

All Construction except Highway and Street Construction Workers

18.13 18.99

Building Construction (Residential and Non-Residential)

13.91 11.30

TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

AVERAGE ANNUAL FATALITY RATE

(Deaths per 100,000 workers)

Risk of death of Highway and Street Construction workers is2 to 4 times that of the remainder of the construction industry,

and building construction industry.Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), Bureau of Labor Statistics

• Highway work spaces are unique– Worker exposure to potential hazards include:

• Construction-related hazards• Vehicle intrusion in the work space• Workers directing passing traffic and construction

traffic • Interaction between workers, machinery,

equipment, trucks and vehicles within the work space

• Restricted work space• Night operations

– Pressure to complete project early exacerbates the situation

Causes of Highway Worker Fatalities

• 120 to 130 workers die each year in highway and road construction (H&SC) activities

• Majority of the fatalities (74%) for H&SC workers are due to:

– On-foot workers struck by passing vehicular traffic (23%)

– On-foot workers struck by construction vehicles (18%)

– Construction vehicle operator and occupant events (e.g., rollovers) (18%)

– Highway traffic accidents (15%)

* Sources: BLS CFOI data, 1992-1996; and SIC 1661 Contractor OSHA 200 data as posted on the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse website at http://wzsafety.tamu.edu/files/factsheet.stm

Causes of Highway Worker Injuries

• Majority of serious injuries are due to: – Over-exertions (27%)– Falls (23%)– Being struck by other objects (17%)

• Tools, materials, equipment parts, trees, etc.

* Sources: BLS CFOI data, 1992-1996; and SIC 1661 Contractor OSHA 200 data (data log and summary) as posted on the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse website at http://wzsafety.tamu.edu/files/factsheet.stm

Highway Safety vs. Construction Safety

• The number of injuries and fatalities from traffic crashes far outweigh the number of H&SC workers that are injured or killed – Traffic Crash Data

• In the USA, in 2001: – 2.9 million people were injured in traffic

crashes– 42,116 people were killed in traffic crashes

– Highway Worker Accident Data • In the USA each year, over 20,000 H&SC workers

are seriously injured• In 2001, 132 H&SC workers were killed in the USA

Highway Safety vs. Construction Safety (Cont.)

• For Year 2001– Highway traffic crashes - motorists

• 1,586 injuries per 100,000 licensed drivers• 22 persons killed per 100,000 licensed drivers

– Highway and street construction workers• 6,765 injuries per 100,000 workers• 44.6 persons killed per 100,000 workers

National Work Zone Traffic Crash Trends

Source: Fatal Accident Reporting System

• Between 1992 and 1998– A total of 152 H&SC workers were killed

from being struck by a vehicle from passing traffic

• On average, 25 workers are killed per year from intruding vehicles

National Work Zone Traffic Crashes (Cont.)

Distribution of Work Zone Fatalities by Occupation, 1992-

1999 Average

Source: NIOSH/CDC. “Deaths Caused by Vehicles and Heavy Equipment on Construction Sites”, Sept. 2002

Other trades33%

Truck drivers9%

Construction laborers

42%

Operating engineers

9%

Supervisors7%

Events Leading to H&SC Worker Fatalities

Occupational Fatalities - Average 1992-2002

Collision between Vehicles

10%

Noncollision Highway Incidents

9%

Nonhighway Transportation

Incident8%

Highway Transportation

Incident23%

Caught in Equipment or

Object5%

Struck by Object7%

Struck by Falling Object

4%Contact with Objects and

Equipment14%

Fall to Lower Level3%Harmful

Substances or Environment

5%

Contact with Current

(Electrocution)4%

All Others8%

(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Examples of Common Hazards in Highway Work Zones

No Rigid barriers to separate workers from passing traffic

Hazard to On-Foot Workers: Type of Barrier

Truck may be traveling at a high speed

Worker is in traffic lane

Hazard to On-Foot Workers: Too Close to Traffic Lane

Hazards to On-Foot Workers: Working Near Equipment

Workers in close proximity to equipment

Working too close to equipment against a rigid barrier (possible pinch point)

Hazards to On-Foot Workers

Improper Flagging Techniques

Flagger is not using hard hat Flagger is sitting while working

Flagger is not flagging, is not using hard hat and is facing back to traffic

Improper Personal Protective Equipment

Using cell phone in middle of the lane (distraction)

No shirts (and other PPE)

No steel toed shoes

Hazardous Work Environment (Poor Visibility)

Hard to see a worker in the shadow of a truck

Lack of high visibility apparel/vest

Equipment Rollovers

Rolled over equipment

Overhead Power Lines

Truck/equipment in potential contact with overhead power lines, which may result in electrocution

Hazards of Heavy Equipment: Impaired Vision

Broken windows

Parking Hazards

Parked car too close to heavy equipment in operation

Incident involving parked car and loader

Importance of Training

• Improve knowledge, skills, ability and attitude in order to perform construction related activities safely and efficiently

• Increase awareness of job hazards and methods to abate them

• Improve safety for workers and reduce injuries/fatalities

Overview of Training Modules

Module 1. Work Zone Traffic Control

Module 2. Safe Operations and Internal Traffic Control in

the Work Space

Module 3. Heavy Equipment

Module 4. Overhead and Underground Power Lines

Module 5. Hand and Power Tools

Other Training Materials Available • Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s

(OSHA)– “10-Hour Training Course on Roadway Construction

Industry”– http://www.artba.org/pdf/2003_10-Hour_Overview.pdf

• Michigan Road Builders Association (MRBA)– “Heavy/Highway Construction Safety Best Practices”

• Southern California Contractors Association, Inc. – “Safety Manual for Workers on Roadways Open to

Motorists” – http://www.sccaweb.org/safety_training.htm

Other Training Materials Available

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health/Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NIOSH/CDC)– “Building Safer Highway Work Zones: Measures to

Prevent Worker Injuries from Vehicles and Equipment”

– http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/2001128.html

• Various Training Videos