Welcome to Nationwide Work Zone Consciousness Week, which takes place from April 21-25, 2025, with partnerships between state departments of transportation, nationwide highway security organizations, authorities businesses, personal corporations, and people. The target is to encourage drivers to make use of further warning in work zones, however it’s also a chance for development professionals to determine dangers and provide you with security methods. Let’s spend a while taking a look at the true dangers in right this moment’s work zones, and the way to mitigate them.
The Risks on the Highway
Based on the Nationwide Work Zone Security Data Clearinghouse, a venture of the American Highway and Transportation Builders Assn., there have been 821 complete deadly crashes in 2022, which is the newest 12 months information was collected. That’s far too many lives.
A part of the problem right here is drivers on the highway are sometimes distracted—one thing we’ve got been speaking about right here on the weblog and on the podcast The Peggy Smedley Present. We have to take steps to scale back distracted driving generally. NAHB (Nationwide Assn. of House Builders) acknowledges the challenges of distracted driving and has created assets and pointers for its members to assist encourage secure driving practices to, from, and across the jobsite. There may be a lot work to be completed on this space, however for right this moment’s weblog let’s flip our consideration to security methods for employees in work zones.
Methods for Security
Builders and contractors are taking steps to make sure better security in work zones. Let’s think about the instance of Skanska. The venture improvement and development firm has taken a number of steps to enhance security in work zones.
For instance, on the State Route 57/60 interchange enchancment, the crew performed every day security conferences, steady SMS coaching for environmental well being and security groups, and specialised gasoline tester coaching. Enhanced lighting, clear signage, and proactive roadway upkeep additional guarantee safety for crews and commuters. The end result was a formidable 135,467 work hours with zero lost-time accidents and 0 OSHA violations as of July 2024.
As one other case, the State Route 71/91 interchange reconstruction is designed to ease congestion and enhance security throughout Riverside, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties, and introduced advanced engineering challenges resembling putting in massive piles and working heavy equipment in various circumstances. To handle these dangers, Skanska applied site-specific security measures, together with specifically engineered bridge designs and adjustable boundaries to keep up secure site visitors movement.
After all, these are just some examples. Whereas there are actually steps development corporations can take to enhance security on the jobsite, it’s the duty of the driving force to decelerate, concentrate, and make work zones a safer place for everybody. Are you doing something for Nationwide Work Zone Consciousness Week? What concepts do it’s important to make our work zones slightly bit safer?
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