Keep work zone crews protected

In 2022, 891 people were killed in work zone crashes, according to Injury Facts – an online source of preventable death and injury statistics compiled by the National Safety Council.

Of those fatalities, 528 occurred in construction work zones. (Others included maintenance and utility zones.)

Work zone deaths reached a high in 2002, at 1,186, the database indicates. One way to help prevent these deaths: Set up an effective temporary traffic control zone to ensure workers are protected.

“Each jobsite should have a traffic control officer or competent person onsite to ensure that setup, teardown and repositioning of the work zone occurs in accordance with a site-specific traffic control plan,” the Laborers’ Health & Safety Fund of North America says. “It is their job to ensure proper teardown and repositioning are performed inside the work zone safely and performed from properly marked vehicles.”

Here are other devices OSHA says to use when setting up a temporary traffic control zone:
Signs. “Standard highway signs for information, speed limits and work zones will assist drivers in identifying designated traffic paths.”
Cones, barrels, barricades and delineator posts. These devices will “instruct drivers to follow a path away from where work is being done.”
Concrete, water, sand or collapsible barriers; crash cushions; and truck-mounted attenuators. These will limit “motorist intrusions” into the work zone.
Flaggers. “Flaggers should use STOP/SLOW paddles, paddles with lights, or flags (flags should be used only in emergencies.)” These workers also need to be outfitted in high-visibility clothing.
Lighting. “Lighting for workers on foot and equipment operators is to be at least 5 foot-candles or greater.” And remember to eliminate as much as possible glare that may be affecting workers and drivers.

“Respect the zone so we all get home” is the 2025 theme of National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 21-25), an initiative of the North Carolina Department of Transportation.