In any construction site, accidents have the potential to be life-threatening. This is why construction sites become less and less appealing. In the case of road construction, accidents happen when workers are run over or struck by moving vehicles and equipment.
How can you avoid such accidents in your work area? The answer lies in road safety equipments victoria australia. Regardless of the role or experience level, it is crucial for workers to remember the following best practices to help improve road construction site safety:
Always be visible
Whether it is dark or not, it is imperative that you always strive to be seen. You can do this by making sure that you always wear high visibility clothing together with a vest and hardhat.
Communicate
The greatest mistake in road construction is assuming that the operator (of an equipment) or driver (of a car) can see you or knows where you are located. This is where communication comes in. You have to communicate clearly especially if you are working near construction equipment or vehicles.
Stay put
Another mistake is approaching a moving equipment. When you see a moving equipment, you have to communicate with the driver clearly using a radio or hand signals. As soon as the vehicle or equipment has stopped, it is the only time to approach it.
Set a plan
In the road construction industry, setting a plan or procedure is called an internal traffic control plan. This plan should be systematic when it comes to removing workers from the paths of equipment and vehicle. The operators or drivers need to know where the workers are located. Workers also need to know where the equipment or machines are operating.
Warn workers
Whistles seem simple but it can save lives in the long run. You should constantly look out for other workers. You can do this by using an air horn or whistle to warn them of an impending danger.
Utilise positive separation
Whether you are the contractor or the safety officer, you should utilise positive separation. This means removing the workers from the traffic with the use of barriers, shadow vehicles, buffer space, road closures and many more.
Be alert
With the systems in place, it is easy to complacent. This is not wise because things happen. The best thing to do is to be alert at all times and in all places. You need to stop, look and listen for any potential hazards.
Be trained as a flagger
Flaggers direct the traffic. It seems an easy task but it is not. It requires close communication and coordination. With this, it is important that they get training. In the training, the flaggers will know where to stand, what to wear and how to properly communicate with motorists and fellow flaggers. While you are at it, always respect the motorists. If the drivers are abusive, do not respond just notify law enforcement if needed.
Construction leaders should strive to protect their workers and reduce workplace accidents through road safety equipment victoria australia. It is crucial that workers remember best practices in the workplace to improve their safety. The best practices are basic but sometimes these basics are ignored or neglected.
