Getting The Right Equipment To Keep Workers Safe When Working On Roadways
Work zones that require people to be in the road when traffic is still flowing can be dangerous, but there are some things you can do to help minimize that danger and keep your workers safe. Work zone equipment includes many different things, and some of the equipment is designed to improve visibility, while other equipment will divert traffic and add some protection for the work zone crew.
Personal Protection
When you have people working in a roadside work zone, you should consider making them very visible to drivers coming down the road. Providing high visibility clothing, vests, and helmets for them to wear during their shift is essential. In some cases, a vest they can put on over a jacket or shirt is enough, but other times you may want to provide pants and shirts that are safety yellow and have reflective strips on them to be seen in any weather conditions.
If there is a lot of equipment in use, bright color helmets with ear protection on them can help with visibility and protect workers' heads and hearing with a single piece of equipment. You can order most of the personal protective equipment you need through any work zone equipment provider. Some businesses offer customizations to get the perfect gear for your people and the situations they are regularly working in.
Warning Signs
Work zone equipment should include signs and warning boards that allow you to convey to drivers that they are approaching a work zone with people in it long before they get there. Sometimes renting a programmable message board from an equipment rental company is the most practical way to get one for a job, but larger companies that use them daily may want to purchase these signs to use them anytime they need to.
Orange popup triangular signs with messages on them are relatively easy to use. You can purchase them from work zone suppliers and online vendors that have custom messages on them or simple "work zone ahead" messages that allow you to use them repeatedly. These signs are recognized all over the country as warning signs, and they are highly visible so drivers can see them.
Impact Barricades
Physical protection of people in the work zone often requires some specialized work zone equipment in the form of barricades placed between workers and traffic. Concrete barriers can be used, or plastic barricades filled with water that can be easily placed and filled once they are in position.
Both kinds of barricades are effective, but the plastic ones are typically easier to move around because they can be drained and transferred and then refilled when positioned. While concrete barriers are substantial and often do not move when hit, they require a large loader or other equipment to move around the work zone.
Contact a work zone equipment supplier near you to learn more.
