National Work Zone Awareness Week 2024
NWZAW Insight by Patrick Kelly , Harrisburg, PA, Construction Management Office Leader.
In many states, construction season has begun, which means roadways are filled with orange construction signs, traffic barriers, channelizers and cones, traffic restrictions and detours, and, most importantly, the men and women actively working in our construction work zones. Yes, our work always seems to cause confusion and congestion, which slows and snarls commuter traffic across the nation. We in the construction industry often suggest that this is a temporary inconvenience for a long-term solution. Commuters and travelers who experience delays through work zones would probably say or joke that this is a permanent inconvenience for a short-term solution!
With National Work Zone Awareness Week approaching (NWZAW) the week of April 15-19, we may ask ourselves, “How can I/we contribute to promoting safety through our construction work zones?”
I'll start by explaining some of the guidance offered to our staff members, teaming partners, clients, and contractor personnel. Our staff members are briefed or oriented on the project scope of work, a Job Hazard Analysis form is completed, and proper PPE is updated or provided as needed. We discuss our “Safety Always” initiative, participate in weekly safety talks to discuss potential safety hazards and concerns, and encourage our staff to participate in the contractor’s safety or toolbox talks. Additionally, we seek to use a buddy system while in a work zone; we look for potential escape routes should a vehicle intrude on our work zone; we talk about heavy equipment movements, swing radii, and pinch points; and we emphasize the importance of remaining cognizant of your surroundings where there is no room for complacency—basically, “keeping your head on a swivel.” Additionally, we issue and use amber strobe lights and make sure to slow down and signal when entering or exiting a lane closure—all while trying to make sure traffic behind us doesn’t follow us into the work zone.
Now, onto the advice we can offer to folks traveling through our construction work zones... Our clients spend an enormous amount of money on the maintenance and protection of traffic measures, and, admittedly, it can sometimes feel like information overload. In addition to the traditional orange and black construction signage you see when approaching a work zone, we often use overhead or portable message boards to advise the traveling public of upcoming changes in road conditions, lane closures, speed reductions, and detours, miles ahead of the work zone.
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Our ask is simply this: please slow down, pay attention, maintain some distance between you and the vehicle in front of you, expect the unexpected, remove the distractions of driving (cell phones, reaching for items, eating, and drinking), and be prepared for changing conditions.
The folks who work in work zones know the risks associated with our type of work and are ordinary people, just like all of us. Please remember, we are sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. Our families depend on us and expect our safe return home at the end of our shifts. It only takes a second to change a life, but more importantly, it only takes a second to save a life.
To learn more about National Work Zone Awareness Week follow the link below!