HIGHWAY WORK ZONE SAFETY

Preventing Worker Injuries and Deaths from Backing Construction Vehicles and Equipment at Roadway Construction Worksites
NIOSH Publication No. 2014-125 (June 2014)

Preventing Injuries When Working With Ride-On Roller/Compactors
NIOSH Publication No. 2005-101 (November 2004)
En Espanol

Work-Related Roadway Crashes: Prevention Strategies for Employers
NIOSH Publication No. 2004-136 (March 2004)
En Espanol

Preventing Injuries When Working with Hydraulic Excavators and Backhoe Loaders
NIOSH Publication No. 2004-107 (November 2003)
En Espanol

Building Safer Highway Work Zones: Measures to Prevent Worker Injuries from Vehicles and Equipment
NIOSH Publication No. 2001-128 (April 2001)

Evaluation of Devices to Prevent Construction Equipment Backing Incidents
SAE Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress and Exhibition (Oct. 26-28, 2004; Chicago, IL). Paper 2004-01-2725; :10 pp

Evaluations of Systems to Monitor Blind Areas Behind Trucks Used in Road Construction and Maintenance: Phase 1
Report of Investigation 9660
NIOSH Publication No. 2003-113 (February 2003)

Devices to Monitor Blind Spots Near Large Haulage Equipment
Technology News 484, (January 2001)

Test Results of Collision Warning Systems on Off-Highway Dump Trucks: Phase 2
Report of Investigation 9654
NIOSH Publication No. 2001-100 (November 2000)

Test Results of Collision Warning Systems for Surface Mining Dump Trucks
Report of Investigation 9652
NIOSH Publication No. 98-1998 (May 2000)

Recommendations for Evaluating & Implementing Proximity Warning Systems on Surface Mining Equipment
NIOSH Publication No. 2007-146 (June 2007)
Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Spokane Research Laboratory, studied technology and methods that could reduce accidents involving surface mining equipment that collides with other vehicles or workers, or drives over an unseen road edge.

Development and testing of a tag-based backup warning system for construction equipment
SAE Technical Paper Series 2007-01-4233 2007 Oct; 1-9

Evaluation of a radar-based proximity warning system for off-highway dump trucks
Accident Analysis & Prevention: January 2006 / 38(1):92-98

Evaluation of Systems to Monitor Blind Areas Behind Trucks Used in Road Construction and Maintenance: Phase 1
Report of Investigation 9660
NIOSH Publication No. 2003-113 (February 2003)

Devices to Monitor Blind Spots Near Large Haulage Equipment
Technology News 484, (January 2001)

Application of Radio-frequency Identification Systems to Collision Avoidance in Metal/Nonmetal Mines
IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications: Jan/Feb 2001 / 37(1):112-116

Test Results of Collision Warning Systems for Surface Mining Dump Trucks
Report of Investigation 9652
NIOSH Publication No. 98-1998 (May 2000)

Test Results of Collision Warning Systems on Off-Highway Dump Trucks: Phase 2
Report of Investigation 9654
NIOSH Publication No. 2001-100 (November 2000)

Results of a Pilot Study of Dust Control Technology for Asphalt Milling [PDF – 3,876 KB]
Survey Report (October 2004)

Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Asphalt
NIOSH Publication No. 2001-110 (December 2000)

Engineering control guidelines for hot mix asphalt pavers Part 1: New Highway-Class Pavers
NIOSH Publication No. 97-105 (January 1997)

Additional publications are listed on the Asphalt Topic Page.

Division of Safety Research (DSR), Researchers begin identifying highway work sites to evaluate new prevention measures, June 2004

NIOSH, OSHA, Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Coalition Ally to Improve Roadway Work Zone Safety, November 26, 2003

Ways to Prevent Job-related Roadway Deaths, Critical Research Areas Identified by NIOSH, November 6, 2003

Press Release: CDC Report Suggests Ways to Prevent Injuries, Fatalities to Workers in Highway Work Zones, May 15, 2001

NIOSH Report Highlights Motor Vehicle Crash Risk for Workers, Recommends Practical Preventive Measures, July 27, 1998

One of the initial emphasis areas for the FACE fatality investigation program was highway work zone safety. Fatal incidents involving highway work zones have been investigated by NIOSH and State investigators. These links provide a list of those cases which in turn links to the full-text reports.

• NIOSH Investigation Reports of Highway Work Zones
• State Fatality Investigation Reports of Highway Work Zones

Final Report – Blind Area Study for Large Mining Equipment (2006) [PDF – 6.89 MB]
This document, delivered to NIOSH from John Steele, consists of blind area diagrams for 5 pieces of large off-road mining equipment developed under contract 200-2005-M-12695.

Construction Vehicle and Equipment Blind Area Diagrams, 2 (2004) [PDF – 9.52 MB]
This document, delivered to NIOSH from Caterpillar Inc., consists of the blind area diagrams developed under contract 200-2002-00563. Within the report are blind area diagrams for 14 construction vehicles and equipment.

Construction Vehicle and Equipment Blind Area Diagrams (2003) [PDF – 8.93 MB]
This document, delivered to NIOSH from Caterpillar Inc., consists of the blind area diagrams developed under contract 200-2002-00563. Within the report are blind area diagrams for 24 various construction vehicles and equipment.

NIOSH

Preventing Worker Deaths from Trench Cave-ins
NIOSH Publication No. 2011- 208 (September 2011)
En Espanol

Preventing Injuries and Deaths From Skid-Steer Loaders
NIOSH Publication No. 2011-128 (December 2010)
En Espanol

Preventing Worker Injuries and Deaths from Mobile Crane Tipover, Boom Collapse, and Uncontrolled Hoisted Loads
NIOSH Publication No. 2006-142 (September 2006)
En Espanol

Recommendations for Protecting Outdoor Workers from West Nile Virus Exposure
NIOSH Publication No. 2005-155 (September 2005)

Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Workers Who Operate or Work Near Forklifts
NIOSH Publication No. 2001-109 (June 2001)

Preventing Worker Injuries and Deaths from Traffic-Related Motor Vehicle Crashes
NIOSH Publication No. 98-142 (July 1998)
En Espanol

Preventing Silicosis and Deaths in Construction Workers
NIOSH Publication No. 96-112 (1996)
En Espanol

Preventing Deaths and Injuries from Excavation Cave-ins
NIOSH Publication No. 85-110 (July 1985)

Additional publications are listed on the following topic pages:

Hearing Loss Prevention

Hearing Conservation Toolbox

Shift Work

Silica

Hazards to Outdoors Workers

FHWA

FHWA Worker Visibility Regulation – Effective Date: November 24, 2008

The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse held a webinar on the new regulation.

FHWA Final Rule Work Zone Safety and Mobility -Effective Date: October 12, 2007

Federal Register Announcement

Frequently Asked Questions for the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities
Data on fatal and nonfatal injuries at work from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, the annual Survey of Occupational Injury and Illness, and other Department of Labor programs:

• Fatal work injuries in 2013
• Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2012

Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Comprehensive U.S. transportation statistics for all modes of transportation.

Federal Highway Administration
Information on the U.S. highway infrastructure, safety initiatives, regulations, environmental stewardship, and congestion mitigation.

• Safety
• Work Zone Mobility and Safety

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Information on regulatory and voluntary programs for reducing injuries, fatalities, and crashes associated with large trucks and buses.

• Safety
• Regulations

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
Federal regulations for operation and set-up of temporary traffic control zones, including highway work zones and emergency situations.

National Highway Institute
The National Highway Institute (NHI) is a training arm of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). NHI provides leadership and resources for the development and delivery of training and education programs to improve the quality of our Nation’s highway system and its inter modal connections.

OSHA Directorate of Construction
Safety and Health Topic page covering Highway Work Zones and Signs, Signals, and Barricades

OSHA/NIOSH Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners
Alliance page describes the Alliance’s goals and activities.

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
Provides research results and educational materials to promote traffic safety. This site also has a useful work zone photo library.

American Road & Transportation Builders Association
ARTBA holds annual meetings and conferences, maintains standing committees and professional development sections that work on issues to promote improvements in work zone safety.

American Society of Safety Engineers
Offers basic resources for safety professionals on work zone safety.

Associated General Contractors
AGG holds annual meetings and conferences, maintains standing committees and professional development sections that work on issues to promote improvements in work zone safety.

Construction Safety Council
The Construction Safety Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of safety and health interests in the field of construction throughout the world.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Vehicle crash test results and a wide variety of educational materials on traffic safety. Offers useful state-by-state comparisons of traffic safety laws.

International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)

Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America (LHSFA)

National Asphalt Pavement Association
NAPA holds annual meetings and conferences, maintains standing committees and professional development sections that work on issues to promote improvements in work zone safety.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Provides information on vehicle testing and standards, occupant restraints, impaired and drowsy driving, and national crash statistics.

National Safety Council
In conjunction with ARTBA offers Roadway Work Zone Safety Awareness Awards. Offers general work zone safety information for safety professionals.

National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse
Provides information for government, industry, and the public to promote the safe and effective operation of highway work zones.

• International Resources (work zone safety for users around the world)
  The International Resources page on the Clearinghouse provides information from the European Union and in following languages: Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Spanish, French, and Russian.

Transportation Research Board
Provides information from the arm of the National Research Council that engages government, industry, and academia in promoting research, policy studies, and information-sharing addressing all aspects and modes of transportation. Offers publications for a fee including, Illumination Guidelines for Nighttime Highway Work, Highway Maintenance Safety, Support, and Service.

University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)
Provides research results from an interdisciplinary center with expertise in large-truck safety, human factors, engineering, public policy, and data collection and analysis. Research includes pedestrian and road worker visibility, and application of intelligent transportation systems in work zones.