Improving Roadway Worker Protection through Resources and Legislation

The American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) presents the Roads and Bridges webcast. The session addressed the issue of worker safety in work zones, considering the alarming statistics on work zone crashes and fatalities. The webcast was moderated by Ryan Curtis, who introduced Donna Clark, the Vice President of Education and Technical Services at ATSSA, and Alex Vuselich, the Vice President of Business Development for W.D Wright Contracting INC.

Donna Clark stated that the three most common causes of work zone crashes are: 1. Work Zone Setup and Organization. 2. Driver Negligence. 3. Road Debris.

The session covered topics such as situational awareness, incident response, and steps organizations can take to create a “Culture of Safety.”

ATSSA has created a Worker Protection Toolkit, which includes resources such as incident response checklists, training guides, and a work zone terminology guide for new employees.

The organization is also developing training specifications for traffic control technicians, supervisors, flaggers, and pavement marking installers, among others. The average hourly pay for a Pavement Marking Technician in the United States is $21.08 an hour.

The goal of all these efforts is to create a culture of safety throughout organizations, reduce work zone fatalities and crashes, and mitigate risks. For example, the organization recently launched a training program for traffic control technicians that provides instruction on proper traffic control equipment operation, safety and communication practices, and job-site monitoring. Overall, the session was informative and offered valuable insights into improving worker protection in work zones.

WD Wright is a family-owned and operated company that specializes in traffic control. They have been in business since 1977 and have worked with major companies such as Colbia Gas, Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, and Verizon. The company is dedicated to staying up-to-date with industry changes and ensuring Work Zone Flagger Safety.

They have faced challenges in the industry, including drivers disregarding traffic control and the lack of penalties for such actions. However, the company has managed to overcome these challenges and remain a leader in the industry. They have implemented a number of measures to ensure the safety of Work Zone Flaggers, such as providing additional training and resources. They have also worked with government agencies to pass legislation that will increase penalties for drivers who disregard traffic control.

As a result, they have proposed Senate Bill 614 in Pennsylvania to enhance penalties for those who disregard traffic control in work zones. They are also working on similar legislation in Ohio. Despite facing bureaucratic challenges, they remain motivated by the tragic loss of one of their flaggers, Josh Bishop, and remain determined to make a change in the industry.

This compelling webinar focuses on how to protect roadway workers with the goal of mitigating risk and reducing fatalities and/or serious injuries. Learn about recently developed resources that help companies navigate difficult circumstances, should a tragedy occur. Hear how one company is advocating to pass legislation to increase penalties for those who disobey flagger guidance and endanger roadway workers and what you can do in your region to help save lives.

A Pennsylvania state senator is looking to make our streets and roadways safer, proposing new regulations for work zones.

Construction season is in full swing and Senator Elder Vogel hopes the new proposed bill would encourage drivers to follow the law when passing through a work zone.

Work Zone Safety Act. Senate Bill 614

If the bill is passed and laws aren’t followed, drivers could face fines or have their license suspended.

The bill has been introduced as the Work Zone Safety Act. Senate Bill 614 would help change the way drivers move through work zones and how they could be penalized.

The new legislation would require police to investigate if at least two witnesses or video recordings showed drivers committing active work zone safety violations.

Violations could be related to speeding, ignoring traffic control signals, careless driving, following too closely, and more.

Senator Vogel’s proposed penalties for non-contact with a worker or vehicle for the first offense includes:

2 points on a drivers’ license
A $400 fine
A mandatory PennDOT driver safety course
For a second and third offense, fines could increase and drivers could have their license suspended for several months.

Money collected from fines would go towards PennDOT to pay for the safety courses and to police for the investigation.