The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners comprise a group of construction industry associations committed to protecting the health, safety and rights of workers and understanding the responsibilities of employers. The partners represent more than 1.2 million members and workers nationwide.
"Most fatalities that occur in road construction work zones involve a worker being struck by a piece of construction equipment or other vehicle," said OSHA Administrator Dr. David Michaels. "This renewed alliance with the Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners will help reach workers and employers with critical education and information to reduce preventable injuries and deaths."
The Alliance will work to raise awareness of OSHA's enforcement initiatives and develop and share information to help recognize and prevent roadway construction hazards. In particular, the Alliance will focus on preventing worker injuries and deaths from construction vehicle runovers and backovers and creating increased outreach to non- or limited-English-speaking workers.
During the 2-year agreement, the Alliance will develop fact sheets for paramedics, police officers, truck drivers and other work zone visitors on appropriate PPE and high-visibility apparel and how to enter/exit a work zone during the day and at night. Additional fact sheets will be developed for less knowledgeable contractors to detail which traffic control requirements apply, with a particular focus on short-term/temporary work zones.
OSHA's Highway Work Zones and Signs, Signals and Barricades Safety and Health Topics page offers additional information on roadway work zone hazards and how to protect workers from these hazards.
For more information about this alliance, visit http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/alliances/roadway/roadway.html.