Key measures to safeguard your team on road projects
Protecting your workers on road projects will require a detailed assessment and thorough training. When coordinating a range of tasks and individuals, safety can be overlooked with procedures ignored and short cuts taken. This has lead to injury and even death for road workers. With the correct policies and action plan in place, this could easily be avoided. However, there are many aspects to manage and include in your safety plan, so we've made a list of the few standout techniques.
Don't forget about the motorists
Common factors that are believed to contribute to work zone accidents involving motorists include:
- Motorist didn't notice work zone
- Motorist didn't know what to do
- Motorist didn't know where to go
- Motorist didn't have time to react
- A worker or equipment was in the traffic lane
Be aware of these five contributing factors and prepare for contingencies to reduce the incident rate on your road project.
Protect your workers
A lot of thought and planning goes into preventing incidents involving motorists and workers, but there are many other factors to consider when protecting your workers which may involve plant and equipment and other activities conducted within the work zone.
To prevent onsite incidents ensure:
- All vehicles and mobile equipment are fitted with back-up/travel alarms
- Cab glass on all vehicles are well-maintained and undamaged
- All operators are wearing seat belts
- You train all workers onsite to be aware of vehicles and mobile equipment and are aware of blind spots and how to communicate with operators
- Vehicles are fitted with cameras to manage blind spots
- Intrusion alarms are introduced, giving workers clear warning
- Traffic control devices are being used
Modification Factor 
The modification factor is the factor by which a standard workers compensation premium is multiplied in order to determine whether they'll receive a surcharge or discount on their premium. Employee injuries can impact a business' modification factor and stays in an insurance company's record for a minimum of five years, resulting in an increase to insurance premiums. This will effect workers compensation costs as well as effect your ability to bid on work. Always remember F.A.D.S
This is a good guide when setting up roadworks, there are many aspects to consider but if these four areas are addressed you'll improve your chances of maintaining a safe work site.
Flow: Affect the flow of traffic as little as practicable
Attention: Get the attention of motorists quickly and effectively
Direction: Provide clear direction to the motorists to guide them through and around the work zone
Separation: Whenever possible, separate hard (vehicles and equipment) from soft (personnel), using barriers or road way closures
Being aware of the factors influencing the safety of your road and highway workers is important. These can have a direct impact on their well-being, your business' performance and the financial position of both your workers and your business. Prevention is key and with the use of an effective safety plan you'll be able to increase the control you have over onsite safety. We have created a risk assessment checklist to help you implement an effective safety plan.
Related Articles
6 questions all mobile plant operators should know how to answer
Operating mobile plant comes with high levels of risk and as the supplier or operator, it's your responsibility to be aware of these risks and how to eliminate or minimise them. So while you may think you're on top of all requirements for the onsite operation of your plant, it's a beneficial habit to regularly check in with regulations and implement any changes. To help you cover your bases, we've listed a few common questions that often come up between owners and operators.
4 ways technology is saving lives on site
Ensuring the safety of yourself and your workers on site will help you avoid injury and project delays. As safety and the prevention of hazards is an important component of any project, a lot of research and money has gone into finding solutions to potential safety issues. Technology has emerged as a leading contributor to the effort of improving onsite safety.
8 signs that would make you look twice
Looking for a good laugh? Sometimes all you have to do is hit the road to see some hilarious VMS boards, traffic control signs, parking restrictions and more. We've put together a list of a few of our favourites!