Every day around 3,000 workers are out on the roads throughout the UK, working hard to maintain our roads, to keep our journeys safe and smooth. This is, however, a very high-risk job. They work right next to major motorways, with drivers going past them day and night. That is why it is extremely important that these workers take extra precautions when it comes to their safety. These are some of the key measures in place for people working on highways.
PPE- Personal protective equipment is vital for all highway maintenance workers. This equipment includes hard hats, safety glasses, work gloves and most importantly high-visibility clothing. When working on the roads at night time, it is very important that high visibility clothing is worn, so drivers can easily spot them and make sure they keep a safe distance when passing in their vehicles.
Traffic Control Measures- These are another vital factor that keeps the highway maintenance workers safe when working on the roads. These measures can include traffic cones, barriers and signs to redirect traffic and make sure there are no vehicles coming into close proximity to the workers. Temporary traffic lights can also be used to control the flow of traffic and keep it to one side of a road, if the works are taking place on a more narrow road.
Chapter 8 Chevrons- These are high visibility markings on the back of highway maintenance vehicles. It makes the vehicles easy to see for other drivers and will therefore help keep them safe on the road. It is mandatory that highway maintenance vehicles are chapter 8 compliant. You can find out more about how to make sure your vehicle is chapter 8 compliant here www.pvluk.com/chapter-8-chevrons/
Communication- Communication is vital for highway maintenance workers. If there is not proper communication between the workers, then they may not know about potential hazards. It is also important so they can properly coordinate tasks and work more efficiently. Communication from the workers to the drivers on the road is also important. If they do not inform drivers of road closures properly, this could lead to accidents.
It is very important that these safety precautions are met, as accidents are most likely to occur when these safety standards are not enforced. Following the 4 steps above will help workforces stay safe when working on the roads.
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