WORK ZONE SAFETY

PURPOSE OF SEMINAR 1.Create awareness 2.Share experiences and ideas 3.Find practical solutions 4.Optimise road construction and road user costs – look at macro- economic costs

WHAT WE HAVE HEARD 1.Extensive new road contracts on National, Provincial and Metropolitan roads, particularly over next 3 years (Kobus – 15% to 20% of SANRAL road network at any one time) 2.Also routine road maintenance and other short term works which have an impact on the road user (services upgrades, Parks and Forests) 3.Work Zone Safety is joint responsibility of Client Consultant Contractor Law Enforcement General Public

UNIFORM STANDARDS WHICH CAN ASSIST 1. National Work Zone Safety Policy - still to be developed 2. SARTSM Volume 2 Chapter 13 published in 1999 – in need of update 3. Safety Management at Roadworks (City publication) – not widely distributed 4. SA Road Safety Manual – is it appropriate?

OTHER MEASURES WHICH CAN ASSIST COMMUNICATION Between Road Authorities With General Public (Newspapers, Local radio stations) Between Designers and Contractors for large, complicated contracts ON SITE Appropriate signs and markings – must make sense Flagpersons (must be trained, have right personality and stay alert) ITS, Freeway Management System, VMS Visible Enforcement of Regulatory signs and markings POLICY Long Life Pavements (and roadmarkings)

SOBERING THOUGHT Persons in Work Zones have more chance of being killed than in any other industry including mining (and taxi industry?)

IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY CONTROL Don’t reinvent the wheel Who is responsible? How is Quality Management to be enforced Ensuring that right accommodation measures are in place before opening to traffic and then that they continue to be appropriate Road signs – quality, placement/mounting Delineators – consistency, don’t confuse roadusers Flagpersons – training, vests, flags, attitude/personality Safety barriers – ends of mobile barriers must be anchored Need for quality standards

ANOTHER THOUGHT How do Road Authorities, Designers, Road Safety practitioners keep abreast of new developments, products, best practices?

PUTTING TOGETHER A CONTRACT Involve Contractors in construction phasing, accommodation plan, costructability of contract Be ahead of the game Traffic accommodation, equipment defined early Identify what is required before construction can start Be prepared for breakdowns, law enforcement Have specific drawings for construction, phasing and traffic accommodation Involve Law Enforcement early to gain buy in for measures and enforcement Include high visibility measures which can be seen well in advance Define the requirements and duties of Traffic Safety Officers

AND ANOTHER THOUGHT Use of convoy vehicle to lead platoons of traffic through work zones?

LAW ENFORCEMENT Interact more at planning, design stages Prefer “traditional” enforcement, need places to pull off vehicles Communications – Must be kept informed to respond Contact Numbers Continuous interaction/communication to manage emergency services, abnormal loads peak hour traffic, unusual heavy traffic Need to change roaduser’s mindset

CONCLUSIONS 1.Uniform standards across all authorities 2.Communications between Client Bodies Traffic Authority Contractors General Public 3.Clear responsibilities/liabilities 4.Training (ISM) 5.Law Enforcement