Protecting Workers in Construction Zones

By Jessie Mccafferty

Deaths of workers being hit by passing cars and autos involved in accidents make up between 40% and 50% of construction worker deaths, varying a bit from year to year. Other hazards such as drop-offs, heavy equipment rollovers, power lines and accidents with power gear tend to make up the rest, along with workers being struck by construction vehicles, each in a smaller percentage.

When traffic causes about 1/2 of all road construction employee deaths, clearly powerful traffic controlling measures must be taken. Barriers and devices like speed display signs are steps in the right direction.

When driver feedback signs are employed as traffic security devices in work areas, the velocity of traffic has been shown to drop up to several miles hour. This is significant, because a reduction can slow some cars to a speed that's so much less likely to cause devastating injuries, including fatal ones. A vehicle traveling 40 miles per hour is much more likley to kill a worker than one going 30 miles per hour. Each mile per hour slower a vehicle travels means more chance that someone struck by that auto will survive.

When road construction workers have to stand near automobiles or in their pathway such as those who hold signs and flags, slower traffic means they'll have more time to move out of the way if a car gets closer or an accident happens. When you use signs from TraffiCalm Systems, you can be assured that they are highly visible and trustworthy. And because they follow government traffic sign specs so that they're the proper size and color that drivers recognise, drivers do heed the signs and slow their automobiles down.

Barriers aren't unusual in work areas, but often they're the barrel-sized orange and yellow reflective barriers. These are highly visible, but they're also flexible. They're helpful for drivers because they clearly mark the perimeters of roadways and construction sectors. If there is a collision with one of those barriers, their flexible construction makes it not likely there'll be vehicle damage. But they do nothing to stop vehicles, so having the vehicles moving slower to start with is important. That's where lit signs can help.

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Clearly-visible heavy barriers as well as speed display signs for traffic slowing can help slow work zone traffic and save lives. Check out trafficalmsystems.com to find out how.