FHWA Roadway Work Zone Training Consortium - Summer 2008 Newsletter, Volume III
Inside
- 10,000 and Growing
- Managing Speeds in Work Zones: The Need For Guidance
- ANSI A10.47 Work Zone Safety for Highway Construction Standard
- Special Sneak Preview: MUTCD TA Interactive training Excercises for Roadway Consortium Near Release
10,000 and Growing
Brad Sant
American Road & Transportation Builders Association
Through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration, training is being presented across the country in an effort to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on roadway construction sites. 
Since 2004, approximately 10,000 people have received training and/or materiels based on the acclaimed "Roadway Safety" program for roadway construction. This interactive training program, developed through a unique collaboration between labor,management and government, is quickly becoming the standard for training in the industry.
The program is organized into individual modules that provide information about the most common hazards workers and motorists are likely to encounter during roadway construction activities. Topics include night construction, run-overs and back-overs, falls, excavations, working outdoors, flagger safety, equipment operations, driving safety and much more. The innovative approach to the program's design allows the information to be presented as an overview of hazards or, by activating additional embedded tiers of information, instructors can also provide more in-depth training on a number of different topics. Additionally, the information is available in many different media types-from interactive computer based training to large "flipbooks" conducive to job site discussions.
The program was also developed to meet the needs of the roadway construction industry that employs many non-English speaking workers. Materials have been developed in English, Spanish and Portuguese. When using the interactive program, instructors can switch instantly between the various languages. In addition, each slide contains optional audio narration that can be activated allowing an English-speaking instructor to provide simultaneous verbal training in Spanish and/or Portuguese. Also, all measurements in the program can be changed instantaneously between the Standard/English system and metric.
The program is now being offered at no cost across the U.S.
through an extensive outreach program by American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA), the 
Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America (LSHFNA), the American Association of state highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOW) and others. Organisations may request training by contacting any of the developing partners at the addresses listed at the end of this article.
After using the Roadway Safety program, one OSHA official commented, "We used the programs in their entirety, took parts out for emphasis on other presentations, and made files of the pamphlets for our own presentations. As far as how it was received I must say that your materials have made an impact on the Heavy Highway Industry... Your discs and pamphlets are used by most contractors and we hear only rave reviews on the materials when we get evaluations after the classes. You did a bang up job and I can only hope to continue the honor of using your training materials to improve Safety and Health... I can never repay you for the good the materials have done."
Managing Speeds in Work Zones: The Need For Guidance
Gerald Ullman and Melissa Finley
Texas Transportation Institute
In a recent survey, AASHTO members and other highway construction industry experts identified the need for better guidance on setting speed limits and managing speeds in work zones as one of the top priorities for the FHWA work zone safety grant program. Slower speeds are assumed to result in safer work zones for both workers and the motoring public. Unfortunately, getting drivers to slow down through a work zone is not easy or inexpensive to accomplish in most instances.
As the Roadway Safety consortium works to develop better guidance on this particular topic, it is useful to revisit some common perceptions and questions that exist with regards to managing work zone speeds.
Do Slower Speeds Improve Safety?
It is generally perceived that safety is improved when traffic is going slower. Logically, crashes and their resulting injuries are likely to be more severe at higher speeds than if speeds are lower. In addition, a vehicle traveling at a slower speed will have a little more time to react and recover in emergency situatoins, should the need arise. However, how fast the traffic is moving does not have a strong correlation with crash frequency. In other words, traffic moving along at a steady pace, albeit a fast one, may be safer than forcing the traffic to slow down quickly causing rear end collisions. Consequently, reducing vehicle speeds too dramatically or too quickly can sometimes reduce safety.
Does Posting Lower Work Zone Speed Limits Decrease Speeds?
One of the biggest misconceptions in work zone speed management is that simply lowering the speed limit will actually reduce motorists' speed. Unfortunately, numerous studies have shown that just posting a reduced speed limit by itself will not slow drivers down. Drivers will only reduce their speeds through the work zone if they clearly perceive a need to do so. Indeed, speeds will generally decrease somewhat in work zone situations where drivers see a reason for them to slow down, such as when large equipment and work crews are out next to moving traffic. Enforcement of the new posted speeds by law enforcement officers in the work zone will also slow traffic. It is the situation they see, and not the reduced speed limit itself, that causes drivers to reduce their speed. In these instances, reduced speed limits reinforce drivers' perceptions of the need to slow down.
How Can We Further Reduce Motorists' Speeds?
Management techniques can be used to encourage compliance, including portable changeable message signs(PCMS) with radar, speed display trailers, transverse rumble strips, drone radar and traditional and automated enforcement techniques. Most of these techniques will only reduce speeds by a few miles per hour. The exception is the presence of law enforcement, which can yield upto 15 mph decrease in some situations. Enforcement is also the most expensive technique.
Consequently, its use must be managed much more carefully than the other techniques. Some states are now experimenting or considering the use of photo enforcement radar, which early studies have shown can be very effective at reducing traffic speeds through work zones and is less labor intensive.
How Can We More Easily Determine and Use Appropriate Work Zone Speed Limits for Conditions?
Unnecessary speed limit reductions do not reduce vehicle speeds and can be counterproductive to safety. However there are often times over the course of a project where reduced vehicle speeds may be necessary. As a result, a single speed limit is not always appropriate for a particular work zone, and mechanisms for allowing different speed limits to be posted based on current conditions are needed.
Changing signs can be a very tedious task to complete on a daily or weekly basis. The following new technologies can be used to more easily change speed limits.
- Static speed limit signs with flashing beacons(flashing beacons are activated when reduced speed limit in effect, similar to school zone beacons)
- roll-up speed limit signs that can be mounted on portable sign stands; and
- variable speed limit signs.
Currently, some state laws may prevent the use of some of these devices. In additiion, research is ongoing to determine their effectiveness and practicality.
The ANSI A10.47 Work Zone Safety For Highway Construction Standard
This month, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A10 committee will hold a meeting on proposed safety standards in construction and demolition. Up for consideration is the A10.47 standard, "Work zone safety for highway construction". It is currently under development by the A10 work zone subcommittee. The A10.47 standard has an extensive section specifically defining roadway construction terminology. It further details appropriate procedures and precautions in the following areas:
- Traffic Control
- Flagger Safety
- Runover/Backover Prevention
- Equipment Operator Safety
- Excavation, Electrical and Power Tool Safety
- Fall Prevention
- Materials handling
- Health Hazards
- Night Work
- Personal Protective Equipment
Much of the expertise and information is available in A10.47 is made possible by a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Work Zone Safety Grant. Through this program, the FHWA provides funding to help organisations facilitate highway work zone safety training and develop guidelines for injury and fatality prevention. The ANSI standard is part of the "guideline development" category of the grant program. For more information on the FHWA grant program, visit the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse at www.workzonesafety.org
Adapted with permission from Lifelines Online, Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America.
Special Sneak Preview: MUTCD TA Interactive training Excercises for Roadway Consortium Near Release
Rod Wolford and Beth Larson
FOF Communications
Roadway consortium members are testing a Beta Version of interactive computer-based training exercises built around the MUTCD Technical Applications (TAs).
The new exercises allow trainers to break down and explain each of the four components of a TA, down to the finest detail. This includes explanations of sign and device spacing, lateral and longitudinal buffer spaces, lateral offsets, work area locations and traffic spaces.
Trainers can also select specific TAs to modify interactively on screen to demonstrate the impact of road type and speed limits. The illustrations change to show how MUTCD options and guidance for each TA in the MUTCD affect TA appearance. The selected TAs are based on survey results among stakeholders conducted earlier this year by the consortium. A "custom build" option is part of the interactive package. A trainer can specify speeds and road types and drag signs and devices into the road and move them around to demonstrate various configurations.
The interactive MUTCD TA exercise will be released later this year in version 9 of the Roadway Safety Training program (RSP). The consortium expects the interactive TA exercises to be a valuable addition to the RSP. Version 8 is still available for download at www.workzonesafety.org
FHWA Roadway Work Zone Training Consortium Partners
Laborers' Health & Safety Fund of North America
American Road & Transportation Builders Association
National Asphalt Pavement Association
International Union of Operating Engineers
Laborers' -AGC Education & Training Fund
American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials
CNA
Texas Transportation Institute
James E. Bryden, PE
FOF Communications
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Work Zone Safety Grant Information
Background... Work zones remain a dangerous element of the transportation network, representing over 1000 fatalities annually. The work zone realted injuries and fatalities involve motorists traveling through the work zone, as well as workers working on roadway construction/maintenance/utility projects. The trends of growing traffic, increased road construction, and public frustration with work zones have contributed to the growing intensity of work zone safety impacts on workers and traveling public. The impacts raise an urgent need for guidance and training for work zone workers, the public, and transportation agencies and groups towards prevention of highway work zone injuries and fatalities.
Grant Tasks... The objective of this grant is to provide assistance for highway work zone safety training and guideline development towards the improvement of highway work zone safety. The Roadway Safety Coalition will perform the following tasks under this grant: Highway Work Zone Worker Safety Training; The Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines Development; and Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines Training.
This material is based upon work supported by the Federal Highway Administration under grant agreement No.DTFH61-06-G-00007. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the Author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Highway Administration.
Posted: 9/26/2008
Categories: Speed Control | Speed Limits | Training | Work Zone Traffic Control | Worker Safety | FHWA Work Zone Safety Grant Program | Newsletters
