ASSE Paves Way for Work Zone Safety Webinar
With seasonal roadway construction just around the corner, the American Society of Safety Engineers and the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse will co-sponsor a free, one-hour webinar on April 21 at 1 p.m. (EDT) addressing the hazards of work zones, preventive efforts aimed at protecting workers, and the new ANSI/ASSE A10.47-2009 standard, Work Zone Safety for Highway Construction.
The standard, which became effective in February, covers several practices including flagger safety, run over/back over prevention, equipment operator safety, illumination, personal protective equipment, and more.
"OSHA has few standards that cover work zone safety," said A10.47 Subcommittee Chair Scott Schneider. "The Federal Highway Administration is focused on safety for motorists and workers but also on reducing delays to the traveling public. Work zone safety standards also vary by state. The A10.47 standard is intended to fill the gap and to help contractors develop best practices to protect the safety and health of road construction workers. Each year, many construction workers are killed in work zones. They are run over by motorists, back over by construction vehicles, and electrocuted by overhead power lines.
"The standard deals with this wide range of hazards. Following it could save many of these lives," Schneider said.
Schneider, also the director of safety for the Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America, will provide a detailed overview of the standards during the webinar and take questions at the end of his presentation. Those interested in attending the event can register at www.workzonesafety.org/training/record/10234.
ASSE serves as the secretariat for the A10 Accredited Standards Committee on construction and demolition operations. The A10 voluntary consensus standards serve as guides to contractors, labor, and equipment manufacturers in the construction and demolition industry.