Hazards for Road Construction Workers
Six highway construction workers didn’t make it home one tragic March 2023 day after two vehicles, each traveling over 100 mph, collided, and one flipped over into a construction zone, killing the innocent and unsuspecting workers. It was yet another reminder of the importance of slowing down and being extra alert when driving through construction zones.
A Serious Problem
According to the Federal Highway Administration, accidents in work zones is a national problem, and it’s not getting any better. From 2020 to 2021 there was nearly an 11 percent increase in work zone fatalities, topping out at nearly 1,000 deaths in 2021 alone. Accidents that result in serious injuries or death involve all kinds of workers, including:
- Construction employees:
- Utility construction workers;
- Paving and tamping equipment operators;
- Truck and tractor trailer drivers;
- Highway maintenance laborers;
- Bridge construction workers;
- Crossing guards.
Worker Safety Parameters
Federal regulations provide five very specific guidelines to ensure the safety of road construction workers:
- Training: Every employee must be trained on ways to reduce their vulnerability in relation to motor vehicle traffic;
- Temporary Traffic Barriers: Safety barricades must be properly spaced as barriers to protect workers from adjacent traffic;
- Reduction of Speed: To ensure traffic proceeds at a reduced speed when lanes are reduced, flaggers or law enforcement should be present;
- Minimized Activity Areas: Attempts should be made to reduce the area used to back up construction vehicles and minimize exposure to traffic;
- Hazard Assessment: On site personnel should be trained to assess hazards and determine which safety measures should be implemented relating to personal protection, engineering, or administrative procedures.
Additional Safety Measures
There are a number of simple measures that should be taken to provide additional safety to road construction workers:
- Provide workers highly visible attire and hardhats;
- Develop traffic control protocols;
- Utilize temporary traffic control devices;
- Illuminate the work zone;
- Maintain certifications and equipment:
- Retain accurate records of accidents.
Fatal Accidents
The majority of fatal injuries in road construction work sites involve workers being struck by mobile equipment or motor vehicles while on the job. According to statistics, workers are equally likely to be struck by construction equipment like bulldozers, dump trucks, or grazers, as they are to be struck by cars, motorcycles or buses as they travel through the work zone. More than one in ten fatal occupational injuries on road construction sites occur as workers proceed through a site, not while they are actually working at the site. Many additional injuries are the result of collisions with heavy equipment.
Following an Accident
If you or a loved one incurs a serious injury or death while employed at a road construction site, you need an experienced personal injury attorney. Let the La Plata & Waldorf personal injury attorneys at The Law Office of Hammad S. Matin, P.A. help you obtain justice. Contact our compassionate team today for a confidential consultation.
Source:
cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/i-695-crash-baltimore-construction-workers-killed-melachi-brown-guilty-plea-deal/
