Flaggers Safety In Highway Work Zones Session Objectives

Flaggers’ Safety In Highway Work Zones

Session Objectives You will be able to: • Recognize the hazards of flagging • Identify different sections of a temporary traffic control zone • Understand the temporary traffic control plan and your responsibilities • Use signaling devices effectively • Position warning signs, tapers, and flagging stations safely © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Hazards of Flagging • Risk from equipment and passing vehicles • Statistics support high risk of injury • More than 100 workers killed and 20, 000 injured each year • More motorists than workers killed or injured in temporary traffic control zones © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Temporary Traffic Control Zone • Advance warning area • Transition area • Activity area • Termination area © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Advance Warning Area • Road users informed • • • of work zone Warning signs longer on freeways Sign A— 1, 000 feet from transition Sign B— 1, 500 feet from sign A Sign C— 2, 500 feet from sign B Drivers see sign C first © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Transition Area • Road users are redirected out of the normal path • Mobile operations— transition area moves • Tapers are used to transition traffic • Space taper devices properly © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Traffic Tapers • Minimum taper length: L = WS • Merging taper requires longest distance • Shifting taper is used where shoulder is closed • Downstream taper is used in termination area © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Activity Area • Work space is for workers, equipment, and material • Traffic space routes road uses through activity area • Buffer space separates road user flow from work space © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Termination Area • Returns road users to normal path • “END ROAD WORK” sign • Longitudinal buffer and taper © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Temporary Traffic Control Plan • Avoid abrupt lane • • changes Encourage alternate routes Schedule road work at night Provide adequate warning for motorists Using flagging to guide motorists © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Routine Inspections • Implement traffic • • control plan properly Monitor plan under varying conditions Keep channelizing devices clean and reflective Check for missing traffic control devices Look for evidence of near misses © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Warning Signs and Tapers: Test Your Knowledge What is the recommended spacing for three advance warning signs on a highway? SIGN A should be placed 1, 000 feet from the beginning of the transition area; SIGN B should be placed 1, 500 feet from sign A; and SIGN C should be placed 2, 500 feet from sign B. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Warning Signs and Tapers: Test Your Knowledge (cont. ) How long should a taper in a transition area be if the offset is 16 feet and the speed limit on the highway is 55 miles per hour? The formula is Length equals width of offset times speed limit in miles per hour. In this case the length of the taper should be 16 times 55, which equals a minimum of 880 feet. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Warning Signs and Tapers: Test Your Knowledge (cont. ) What is the maximum distance in feet between devices in this taper if the speed limit is 55 mph? The maximum distance should not exceed one times the speed limit. So if the speed limit is 55, the distance between devices should be no more than 55 feet. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Temporary Traffic Control Zone Setup and Inspection Do you understand: • What we’ve discussed about the advance warning area, transition area, activity area, and termination area? • The importance of routine inspections in temporary traffic control zones? • What inspections should cover? © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Criteria for Flaggers You are responsible for public safety and must: • Communicate instructions clearly • Maneuver quickly • Control signaling devices © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Criteria for Flaggers (cont. ) Understand safety traffic control Recognize dangerous traffic situations Know the traffic control plan Be identified as flaggers by motorists © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Flagger Authority • Monitor operations in the work area • Communicate with traffic control supervisor • Halt operations if hazard arises © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

High-Visibility Apparel • Clothing meets • • • safety standards Fluorescent background color Reflective materials Designed to identify as a person High-visibility armbands, hats, vests, gloves Inspect reflective material regularly © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Alternatives to Flaggers • Hazardous conditions (high traffic speeds, bad weather, limited visibility) • Alternative traffic management systems (lane shifts, portable traffic signs, remote signaling devices) © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Hand-Signaling Devices • Control road users • STOP/SLOW paddle • Red flags • Strobe lights on paddles © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Signaling with Paddles • Stop road users • Direct stopped road users to proceed • Alert or slow traffic Image Credit: California State Dept. of Transportation © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Signaling with Flags • Stop road users • Direct stopped road users to proceed • Alert or slow traffic Image Credit: California State Dept. of Transportation © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Flagger Stations • Road users must have sufficient distance to stop • Errant vehicle can stop before entering work space • Advanced warning signs • Lighted at night © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Flagger Stations (cont. ) Stand on shoulder next to road Enter road only after vehicles have stopped Be able to warn workers of danger Stand away from shade and shadows Keep workers away © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

One Flagger • Short traffic control zone • Stationed on shoulder opposite work space • Good visibility of traffic • Traffic controlled at all times © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Two Flaggers • Flagger at each end • One flagger is the coordinator • Communicate with each other Image Credit: California State Dept. of Transportation © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Flagging at Night or in Adverse Conditions • Wear highly visible • • clothing or rain gear Illuminate flagger workstation Use warning signs to reflect actual work zone conditions Do not attempt to perform any other duties Do not use devices such as cell phones or pagers © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Match the Traffic Direction With the Hand Sign SLOW Stop STOP Proceed SLOW Slow down © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

Flagger Safety Procedures Do you understand: • About flagger qualifications and authority? • About high-visibility apparel and alternatives to flaggers? • About signaling devices and flagger stations? • When one flagger is sufficient and when two are required? © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709

• Make sure you understand your responsibilities and authority • Be familiar with the traffic control plan • Wear high-visibility clothing • Inspect signs and devices regularly • Position your flagging station properly • Use clear signals to guide traffic through the traffic control zone © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0709