Safety in the work area
POLITICS
This policy provides guidance and instructions to prevent incidents and injuries resulting from highway/road
construction for all workers at INTERIOR DEMOLITION SERVICES, INC. job sites.
SCOPE
It applies to all Interior Demolition Services, Inc. job sites, i.e., Company offices, customer job sites, etc., that
have the opportunity to utilize subcontractors.
PROCEDURES
Overview
The number of people killed in the United States in workplace car accidents continues to rise. There are
currently more than 1,000 deaths a year. In addition, more than 40,000 people are injured each year due to car
accidents in a work zone. It is for this reason that we have established this Traffic Control and Safety Program
in Work Zones. Sometimes the nature of our operations does not require lane closures on highways, we often
find that unloading material, installing ductwork in excavation, installing overhead lighting, and other work
activities cause workers to be adjacent to or in actual vehicular traffic. In addition, our work can also expose
pedestrians or bicycle traffic to hazards, and this program will address that problem as well. Obviously, we are
concerned that our materials, tools, equipment, etc. may cause damage to vehicles or cause injury to the public
when our work encroaches on accessible areas. But what we are most concerned about is the health and safety
of our workers who are able to work in these dangerous conditions.
Program Objectives
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Our first and most important goal is to ensure a high level of safety for our workers, other
workers, and the public.
Our second goal is to minimize the adverse traffic impacts associated with construction in terms
of delays and congestion, noise and other environmental impacts, to ensure a high level of
satisfaction from our end customer: the public.
Our third objective is to identify the specific risk factors associated with individual projects that
present traffic-hazardous conditions and to develop countermeasures to mitigate those hazards
and minimize risk.
Program Objectives
No worker or other person will be seriously injured due to traffic accidents in our work zones,
regardless of the cause of the accident.
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No member of the public traveling through our worksites will be injured due to traffic accidents
caused or aggravated by our work or traffic control operations.
Traffic delays and congestion associated with our work activities will be kept to the minimum
level that can be achieved, in accordance with the volumes of traffic through the project, the
characteristics of the road where the work is carried out and the nature of the work operations
to be completed.
Interference with business and other activities adjacent to the project will take place
o Minimal, consistent with traffic volumes, road characteristics and work operations.
Traffic controls shall be carried out in such a way as to ensure that emergency services within
and during the project can be provided in a timely manner and that transit operations are not
interrupted.
Traffic controls will be carried out in a way that provides us with adequate access to the work
area to complete the planned work on time, in accordance with the quality requirements of the
contract. Efficient delivery of materials and equipment to workplaces will be available.
All traffic control operations will be in full compliance with the terms and requirements of the
construction contract and/or in accordance with applicable state and federal traffic control
regulations. It may be necessary to fully understand the Uniform Traffic Control Devices Manual
(MUTCD) to meet these requirements. Part 6 of Temporary Traffic Control refers to the traffic
control procedures and methods to be followed, and additional state appendices may apply.
All traffic control devices, safety features, and work zone operations must always be maintained
in good condition, with complete documentation of all registered work zone operations in
accordance with the requirements of this Work Zone Program.
Regulatory and contractual requirements
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Each project will have particular demands and needs for traffic control. Interior Demolition
Services, Inc. will determine potential work-related hazards in and around the traffic control zone
prior to the start of work. Delivery of materials to public highway locations or adjacent to
highway locations or adjacent to highways shall be determined, and scheduling and planning shall
be conducted to minimize hazard.
Any foreman, supervisor, or delegate with direct responsibilities in the work zone will have access
to the Federal MUTCD and appropriate state supplemental requirements prior to the start of the
project.
Typically, the general contractor (GC) is responsible for traffic control at the construction site,
and coordination with the GC's temporary traffic control plan is necessary. Additional traffic
control planning may be required as determined by the scope of work.
OSHA regulations indicate that flaggers' signs, barricades, and flagging activities comply with
MUTCD regulations. Violations of MUTCD requirements in these areas could be fully citable by
OSHA.
The vehicle and traffic laws of the particular state and municipality must be followed, and permits
may be required for lane or sidewalk restriction or closure. All these issues should be addressed
in pre-planning meetings and in collaboration with the GC.
Department of Transportation regulations in each state may require additional action to be taken
and this must be coordinated at the time of the start of work.
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Worker visibility
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A critical element of work zone safety is the high visibility of workers when they are close to
traffic.
All workers must wear high-visibility clothing when in or near traffic. Class 1, 2 or 3 garments will
be used depending on the specific needs of the exhibition.
Working during dawn or dusk will require the use of fluorescent-colored high-visibility clothing
(class 2 or 3 depending on exposure).
Yellow and green clothing should be considered when there are a significant number of orange
signs, drums, or vehicles in the work zone.
Workers will be provided with high-visibility vests appropriate depending on exposure. These
clothes should be kept in good condition and washed regularly to ensure adequate visibility.
Clothing/vests should be replaced as needed to ensure color discrimination by the motorist.
Training for workers in traffic zones
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All workers exposed to traffic will receive training on how to work safely near traffic.
Any temporary traffic control measures implemented will only be completed by workers who
have been fully trained and are aware of MUTCD requirements.
Any specific work procedure shall be established by the Supervisor, General Foreman, or
Delegate when work activities present hazards to traffic.
Traffic control plans shall be clearly communicated to all personnel concerned.
When personnel are responsible for the maintenance of traffic control devices, those workers
will be fully trained.
Area Planning
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Routes for work and traffic must be clearly established and correctly signposted. A control plan
will be put in place to ensure that all parties are aware of the invasion and closures.
The safe access and exit of workers and vehicles will be determined.
Vehicle backing up should include backing alarms and observers whenever pedestrians or
workers are present.
Overhead and underground utilities should be located and marked to prevent contact between
equipment and workers.
Traffic Speed Control
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Adherence to posted speed limits is vital to protecting workers and the traveling public. A
reduction in the initially stated speed limits may be required depending on the demands and job
tasks.
Appropriate speed limits should be established and the request for abatements should be
coordinated with the GC or whoever is responsible for the traffic control plan.
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Make sure that the determined regulatory speed is published correctly and clearly immediately
before the work zone.
Flags may be needed to monitor and slow down traffic as needed.
Local law enforcement may be necessary to enforce speed limits. Coordinate with the GC to
determine if law enforcement presence will be necessary at the site.
Separation of traffic and work activities
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Effective separation of traffic from work activity is one of the most critical aspects of safety in the
work area.
The use of temporary traffic barriers, shade vehicles, or other devices must be determined and
implemented in accordance with the traffic control plan.
Factors to consider when determining what separation is needed are as follows:
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Traffic speed
Traffic volume
Distance between workers and vehicles
Duration of the work
Type of Work Operations
Physical hazards within the work area
Alignment of traffic lanes through the work zone
Coordination with GC is critical to determining work areas that require separation. The work
activity of other contractors may come into play when determining the work area.
To the greatest extent possible, adequate side buffer space should be provided, slightly moving
traffic away from the work operation as much as the available space allows.
When workers must work in close proximity to traffic, a trained flagger or observer must be used
to protect workers from oncoming traffic.
For short-term work activities such as patching potholes, taking measurements, marking, etc.,
the operation should be planned with a flag or at least one observer to ensure that workers are
not exposed to traffic in unprotected open lanes.
Workers should not cross high-speed travel lanes on foot unless the foreman, supervisor, or
steward analyzes the situation and develops procedures to accommodate movement safely.
Warning signs should be posted in places where work vehicles regularly enter and exit traffic.
Technical requirements for temporary traffic control of work zones
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The basic requirements are detailed in the MUTCD. This manual should be consulted when
establishing a control plan.
Signage requirements, if applicable, require training of workers and this should be established at
the start of the job.
All traffic control manuals will be kept at work for ongoing review.
Copies of the established traffic control plans will be kept and reviewed with the affected
workers.
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Required signals will be determined and adequate supply will be ordered to enter the job site
prior to traffic control needs. Reasonable damages should be considered and additional amounts
should be available.
All necessary signage supports will be ordered in quantity to allow damage and vandalism.
Ducting devices (cones, drums, and barricades) should be ordered as needed. 28" and 36" cone
specifications should be established to ensure that the required cones are used based on speed
requirements. Type III barricades, when necessary, must be in adequate quantity to ensure
secure and complete closures. Pipeline devices must meet MUTCD and OSHA requirements
Warning lights and batteries will be kept on site when nighttime closure or overnight security is
necessary.
The portable concrete barrier will be used when required by GC or when long-term protection of
workers is needed in the work zone. Adequate warnings and signs will be required.
All barriers must be in good condition to displace when impacted.
Vehicles will be installed with warning beacons, flashing lights, and markings as needed in
accordance with MITCH requirements.
Reflective markings and beacons should be kept in good condition and cleaned frequently to
ensure maximum visibility.
Work Zone Layout
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Many situations follow the "typical" requirements of MUTCD and the details must be specifically
followed. The type of Temporary Traffic Control Guide design should be clearly identified on the
traffic control plan and appropriate page, or diagram reference should be made to MUTCD.
Contract specifications or permit documents will typically include drawings or diagrams showing
the configurations that will be used for lane closures, flagger stations, shoulder closures, and
other typical configurations. This specification must be followed and referenced in the foreman's
daily logs.
Significant deviations from contract or permit designs should be reviewed with GC and approved
prior to implementation.
Almost all designs will require some minor modifications based on actual site conditions. The
foreman, supervisor, or delegate in charge will make the minor adjustments required, but the
changes are expected to err on the side of additional warnings and be in the best judgment of
the foreman, supervisor, or delegate. Any changes should be documented in the daily log. These
adjustments would include:
o Minor changes to sign placement (10 percent or less) to prevent vehicle entries,
intersections, other devices, and to improve visibility.
o Minor changes in the starting point and length of the cones (10 percent in length,
100 feet at the starting point to avoid intersections and other conflicts and to
improve viewing distance.
o Add complementary signs on the left side of the road to improve visibility.
o Reduce the spacing of pipeline devices in potentially problem areas
o Other minor changes to address obvious concerns.
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Any atypical situations should be reviewed with a qualified traffic control person or engineer, and
the design document should be reviewed with a qualified traffic control person or engineer, and
the design document should be fully documented. A written plan must be maintained on site
for ongoing review of the crew to verify compliance with requirements.
Additional conditions may require additional devices, including "pavement ends" or "pothole"
signs. These must be provided and documented in the plan.
Installing and Removing Traffic Control Settings
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The periods during the placement and removal of traffic control devices often present the
greatest risk of accident to workers and the public because the devices are not fully positioned
and workers and equipment are more exposed to traffic.
Proper planning and careful execution of set-ups and removals are necessary, adhering to
established procedures for the protection of workers.
Common sense and the use of observers or other means to identify potential hazards are
necessary at all times during placement and removal.
The following steps are required when performing configuration/deletion operations:
o All fixed signs should be placed first, with covers attached so that the signs can be
quickly covered and uncovered at the appropriate time. The covers will be placed
at the end of the operation.
o Portable signs will be placed in the necessary place along the route.
o The channeling devices will be placed in place in the proper pattern. Write down
the number of cones and the angles of the cones and follow the plan.
o If installing devices on foot, make sure there is a shade vehicle in place or that the
worker carefully watches for oncoming traffic.
o Workers should not cross open lanes of high-speed traffic to place devices.
o The arrow boards will be placed in the correct sequence as the cones are placed.
Normally, these are towed in place and must be activated when other devices are
set up.
o Normally, establishment operations should begin at the approach end and
continue downstream in the direction of traffic flow, unless conditions
determined by the foreman, supervisor, or delegate dictate other and safer
measures.
o Extraction will normally be carried out in the opposite direction of the setup.
o The foreman, supervisor, or delegate will be responsible for driving through all
facilities after completion to ensure they meet all requirements.
o The foreman, supervisor, or delegate is also responsible for driving during removal
to ensure that all equipment has been properly removed or secured.
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Worker safety is paramount during assembly and disassembly operations. The following safety
rules will be followed:
o Workers cannot place cones or other devices from the bed of moving vans.
o Workers must not ride in the bed of a pickup truck during installation or at any
other time.
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o Workers must not place cones or other devices or work behind a work vehicle in
reverse.
o If a work vehicle needs to back up, all workers must be in front of the vehicle and
in sight of the driver.
o Violations of these rules will be grounds for disciplinary action, including
suspension without pay.
Lighting
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Temporary lighting should be used in night work areas or when work is at dawn or dusk.
Lighting must allow motorists/pedestrians to clearly see the work area and the potential hazard
so that they can safely travel through the work area. But make sure the lighting doesn't "blind"
motorists traveling near the work area.
Lighting should allow workers to see their work activity more clearly.
Lighting should be directed in such a way that motorists can clearly identify the location of
workers in the work zone.
Night procedures must be developed to secure the work area and protect against hazards and
may require auxiliary flashing lights or lighting that must be activated when leaving the work
area.
Night Proceedings
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Job sites may require several days of activity and may require site security at night. The foreman,
supervisor or delegate will be responsible for ensuring that an appropriate overnight plan has
been established.
GC will be consulted if overnight procedures require special equipment, closures, or other
contractor involvement.
The foreman, supervisor, or delegate must determine the proper number of signs and channeling
devices that are needed to alert drivers and pedestrians to hazards and any changes to the road
or walkway.
All of these devices must be reflective to ensure good visibility at night. Lighting may be required
depending on the hazard and risk.
All equipment and supplies should be parked and stored in a safe location where they are not
accessible to vehicles or pedestrians.
Equipment, vehicles, and materials must be secured to prevent theft and vandalism.
Appropriate pathways should be established as needed to allow passage to retail or commercial
establishments as needed. Hazards should be marked with cones, barricades, caution tape, snow
fence, etc.
The foreman, supervisor, or delegate is required to perform a job check to verify that hazards
and exposures have been minimized.
All caution tape, delineators, cones, barricades, and signs should be checked immediately prior
to closing work for the day and inspection noted in the daily log by the foreman, supervisor, or
delegate. The corrective action must be completed before leaving the job.
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Use and training of flag bearers
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The flags are in place to protect themselves, personnel, motorists and pedestrians traveling
through the work zone, and equipment. This is critical work and should be taken seriously.
The flag bearers must be mentally alert, in good physical condition, courteous but authoritarian.
All workers who flag must receive adequate training. Each state has different requirements.
Most require some form of training, and many require actual certification. The policy is that,
regardless of the State's requirements, all workers receive proper training before signaling.
Training and instructions will cover at least the following:
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Flag team to be used
Layout of the work area and the flagging station
Methods for signaling traffic to stop, move forward, or slow down
One-way control methods
Real demonstration of the appropriate marking methodology and operations
Emergency vehicles circulating in the work zone
Emergency Situation Management
Methods of Dealing with Hostile Drivers
Flagging procedures when using a single whistleblower
Written documentation of flag bearer training will be maintained with other safety training
records.
Flaggers should be used in locations on a construction site where barricades and warning signs
cannot control moving traffic.
Flag bearers must wear appropriate orange, greenish-yellow, or yellow warning clothing, Class 2
for daytime and Class 3 for night flagging, although regulations only require Class 2 for night.
Suitable STOP/SLOW paddles will be used following the requirements of MUTCD, including
reflective material when used at night. 18" pallets are the minimum size allowed. 24" paddles
should be used for speeds of 45 mph or more. A flag can be used in emergencies, but it must be
of good quality red material, at least 24 inches square and secured to a pole about 36 inches long.
Extension personnel may be used for oars during extended periods of flagging. The long cane
should be 66" long and accommodate the insertion of the 12" cane paddle.
Appropriate and consistent hand and paddle/flag signals must be used as specified in the MUTCD.
The pennants will be evaluated on the appropriate signals and foremen will monitor to make sure
the proper signals are given. Proper signals are not provided. Failure to provide the proper signs
could expose additional liability in the event of an accident.
Flagging stations or positions should be located so that oncoming road users have sufficient
distance to react and stop at a planned stopping point. Refer to the table of stopping distances
in the MUTCD.
Flagging stations should be illuminated if used at night or in low-light conditions.
Advance warning signs, including "flagger" warning signs, must be properly placed for the safety
of workers.
Flaggers must stand on the shoulder adjacent to the road being controlled or in a closed lane
before stopping road users. The flagger should only stand or move into the lane that is being
used by moving traffic after traffic has stopped.
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The flag bearer must remain in the line of sight of the first road user to ensure visibility.
For operations requiring more than one flagger, portable radios shall be used unless the flaggers
are close enough to allow voice or manual signals. Manual signals will be checked and agreed
upon at the time of the initial trade.
Flaggers must maintain a steady flow of traffic as much as possible and minimize unnecessary
stops. Work vehicles should be restrained until a safe space is available whenever possible.
Flag bearers will be relieved at least every 2 hours during a 15-minute break to ensure they
remain alert. No worker shall be permitted to clock in more than 10 hours on any day.
There will be drinking water and toilets available for the flag bearers.
Additional security measures
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Safe access points will be located so that workers can enter workspaces without excessive
exposure to traffic.
If secure parking areas are not available, workers will park in a central location and use work
vehicles to get to the job site.
Restroom facilities, rest areas, and other facilities will be located to minimize worker exposure to
traffic.
Entry and exit points for work vehicles and haul trucks will be planned in advance to reduce traffic
conflicts and improve worker safety.
Vehicles and equipment with restricted rearward visibility may not back up anywhere there are
workers or pedestrians in the area, unless they demand an observer.
Blind kickback (no observer) will be performed only when the driver has determined that the area
is free of workers or other vehicles/equipment physically exiting the vehicle and checking back.
Drivers, when exiting their vehicles, must be properly dressed, including helmets and clothing of
adequate visibility (safety vest).
In cold weather, the foreman, supervisor, or steward will ensure that suitable, larger-sized vests
are available to fit over bulky outerwear.
Workers and foremen, supervisors, or stewards should never get involved in any altercation with
drivers. Simply record the license plate number and description of the vehicle and driver so that
local law enforcement can be notified.
Any worker who witnesses an accident in the work area must immediately report it to his
foreman, supervisor or delegate. This would include incidents involving vehicles, bicyclists,
pedestrians, etc.
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