ANSI A10.47- 2009 Work Zone Safety for Highway Construction

1. ANSI A10.47- 2009Work Zone Safety for Highway Construction Scott Schneider, CIH and Travis Parsons Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America

2. Agenda • Introductions • History • Overview of the Standard • Major Issues

3. History of the Standard • First proposed in 2004 • Intended to fill a gap • Few OSHA or ANSI A10 standards addressed road/highway construction • One of the few A10 “vertical” standards to address hazards in one industry sector

4. Outline of the Standard • 1) Scope and Purpose, Exceptions, Referenced Standards • 2) Definitions • 3) Traffic Control • 4) Flagger Safety • 5) Runover/Backover Prevention • 6) Equipment Operator Safety • 7) Excavation Safety • 8) Electrical Safety

5. Outline of the Standard • 9) Power Tool Safety • 10) Fall Prevention • 11) Reduction of Musculoskeletal Problems • 12) Protection from Health Hazards • 13) Illumination for Night Work • 14) Personal Protective Equipment • 15) Paving Operations

6. Scope, Purpose, Exceptions • Scope: Covers workers doing construction, maintenance or repair work on any area of a highway • Purpose: • To prevent worker injuries and illnesses • To establish safe work practices and • To prevent vehicular crashes • Exceptions: • Practical difficulty • Unnecessary hardship • New developments • But must provide equivalent protection

7. Referenced Standards • ANSI standards • FHWA standards- MUTCD • ASTM standards • OSHA standards • NCHRP 350 • ANSI standards often go beyond Federal regulations and represent best practices

8. Definitions • 41 definitions, such as • Competent persons • Highway • Internal Traffic Control Plans • Positive Protective Devices • Transportation Management Plan

9. Traffic Control • Must comply with the latest MUTCD • Must pre-plan the job for Safety, Materials, Staffing, Traffic control • Must prepare a traffic control plan, communicate it to the authority in charge before work and when it changes

10. Positive Protection • Positive Protection is required when: • There is no means of escape (e.g. bridge and tunnel work) • 2 weeks or longer duration • High speed traffic (≥ 45 mph) with high volumes • Workers working close to the traffic lane

11. Traffic Control Setup/Removal • Requires proper training and supervision • Use automatic deployment devices where feasible or protected area of a vehicle with fall restraint • Deploy and retrieve in a safe direction • Add a Truck Mounted Attenuator or law enforcement if high speed traffic • Inspect setup: • Daily by a qualified person • More often if heavy traffic, frequent damage, poor visibility, bad weather or vehicle intrusion • Remove or cover signs when not working • Distinguish Construction vehicles with lighting and signage for work zone access • Close traffic lane when working in aerial lifts over a traffic lane or shoulder

12. Speed Management • Reduce speeds when needed by use of: • Reduced speed limits • Speed advisories • Increased fines • Photoenforcement (where allowed) • Speed displays • Law enforcement • Portable Changing Message Signs (PCMS)

13. Flagger Safety • Use flaggers only when other means of slowing traffic are infeasible • Position flaggers • in the safest location, • facing traffic, • in a closed lane or on shoulder and • only in an open lane once traffic has stopped • Single flaggers are only allowed on the shoulder when there is good visibility • Use more than one flagger if low visibility • If exposure to traffic cannot be minimize • Give visual warnings of the flagger • Use Jersey barriers, spotters and/or visual assistance devices (such as hardhat mirrors)

14. Flagger Safety 2 • Wear Class 2 clothing during the day and Class 3 clothing at night • Illuminate flagger stations at night • Provide an escape plan • Flaggers must be provided with adequate breaks, replacement flaggers • Flaggers must use stop/slow paddles and only use flags in emergency situations • Traffic control devices must conform to the latest MUTCD • Traffic signals should not be in conflict with flagger signals

15. Flagger Training • Flaggers must be trained on: • Communication skills • Escape procedures • Using signaling devices • Traffic control procedures • Recognizing dangerous situations • Emergency response • Personal protective equipment • Other worksite conditions • Employer must keep training records for at least a year

16. Flagger Safety cont. • Flaggers must use two way radios when visual/audio contact between flaggers is not possible • Automated Flagger Assistance Devices (AFADs) should be used only when 1 lane of approaching traffic and must be illuminated at night • Flaggers must not respond to or retaliate against frustrated motorists. They should notify their supervisor • Intrusion warning devices should be used

17. Runover/Backover Prevention • Mirrors must be working properly • Workers must be protected from traffic by Jersey barriers, spotters and other assistive devices • Workers must not stand or walk on the side of a raised dump body • Back up alarms must be supplemented with mechanical backing assistance devices • Backup alarms must be supplemented by visual alarms at night • If not feasible, then spotters must be used

18. Spotters • Spotters must be: • Trained • Not stand in the path of equipment • Remain in the driver’s sight • Train drivers to stop if they can’t see the spotter • Wear high visibility clothing

19. Internal Traffic Control Plans • Internal Traffic Control Plans must be developed • They must be communicated to all workers and vehicle operators • They can only be modified by the supervisor or safety person • Everyone must be notified of any changes • They must include: • Diagram • List of equipment and personnel • Hazard checklist • Safety notes • Communication plan

20. Worker Access-Egress • Site-specific plan for worker access-egress required to cover • Parking • Sanitation • Breaks • Paths to minimize pedestrian exposure to vehicles

21. Equipment Operator Safety • Equipment must be inspected and defects corrected prior to use • Equipment must be locked and tagged out for maintenance and repair work as required by A10.44 • Rollover Protection and Seatbelts are required on most construction vehicles • Seatbelts must be worn during operation • Seatbelts and their anchor points must be inspected • Operators must be qualified for the type and size of equipment they will be operating • No riders are allowed unless equipment is designed for multiple occupancy

22. Electrical Safety-Underground Utilities • Determine the location of utilities before work starts (e.g. 811) • Maintain markings until work is complete • Use hand digging, vacuum excavation, etc. when close to determine exact location • Excavations must be protected during the operation from workers and the public

23. Electrical Safety- Overhead Power lines • De-energize overhead lines and transmission towers whenever possible prior to work • Treat them as energized unless written verification from owner/utility • Daily briefing before work begins • Contact owner/utility before work begins • Minimum clearance distances specified, increased in wind/rain/fog • Accurate measuring devices required • Proximity alarms, boom guards, insulating links should be used • Qualified spotters required for work near energized lines

24. Overhead Lines cont. • Keep all workers away from high reaching equipment until operator/qualified person determines it is safe • Avoid using tag lines or use non-conductive ones • Do not store materials or equipment near powerlines • Plan the job to avoid powerlines • Plan, mark and inspect travel routes for high reaching equipment • Tie down equipment during transport • Do not move haul or dump trucks with the box raised without a spotter

25. Fall Prevention • Slips and Trips- Provide clear pedestrian walkways, working/walking surfaces • Heights- Use guardrails, where feasible, and fall protection (A10.32) above 6 feet • Floor openings- Keep them covered, secured and designed for twice expected weight • Inspected by qualified person • Follow A10.32 fall protection if cannot be covered • Equipment access-egress- Provide safe access ladders, free of debris • Ladders- Keep in good working order, train workers, require 3 point contact, follow OSHA subpart X and ANSI A10.14 • Scaffolds- Follow A10.8 • Excavations- Ensure all workers are protected from falls into excavations, guard crosswalks over 6 ft with guardrails

26. Health Hazards • Hazards covered include, but not limited to: • Heat/cold • Noise • Airborne hazards (silica, lead, etc.) • Dermal (cement) • Chemicals • Sunlight/Solar radiation • Lack of sleep • Control hazards using the hierarchy of controls- engineering controls, then administrative controls and lastly PPE

27. Illumination/Night Work • Night projects require an illumination plan to describe lighting locations, illumination levels, light and power sources, glare control • Illumination levels and uniformity set for different tasks • Discontinue work if lighting fails, except in emergencies • Vehicles lights must be in good order, supplemented • Glare must be minimized, e.g. with balloon lights

28. Personal Protective Equipment • High visibility clothing- Follow MUTCD • Head protection- Follow ANSI Z89.1- Class C, E, G helmets • Eye/Face Protection- Follow ANSI E87.1, OSHA 1926.95 • Hearing Protection- Follow ANSI A10.46, Use engineering controls first • Weather protection- Should wear appropriate clothing • Gloves- Use when needed • Respirators- Required when needed, Requires Respiratory Protection Program as in 1910.134 and ANSI Z 88.6 • Footwear- Follow ASTM F2413, Sandals and Athletic footware prohibited

29. Other Requirements • Power tools • Guarding and grounding (GFCIs) required • Gloves required to meet ANSI S3.40 for reduced vibration • Musculoskeletal Problems- Follow A10.40 • Excavation Safety- Follow A10.12 • Paving Operations- Follow ANSI A10.17

30. Questions??