Inside the cones: your own trucks are the danger

A paving crew is working at night. Dump trucks back up to the paver one after another. The beeping never stops, so nobody hears it anymore. A raker steps back to grab a shovel and walks right behind a truck that is backing in. The driver is watching the paver in his mirror and never sees him. Or a roller operator is looking at the mat edge and backs over a worker kneeling by the curb. The public traffic never touched these workers. Their own equipment did.

The cones, signs, and layout of a work zone have to follow the federal traffic manual, the MUTCD. The manual notes that keeping workers on foot apart from moving equipment, when possible, gives operators more room and a better view. It also says to consider planning the work area to cut down on backing. OSHA has its own backing rules. A truck that can't see behind it may only back up with a working backup alarm loud enough to hear over the noise, or with a person signaling that it is safe. Loaders, dozers, and rollers with a blocked rear view have the same rule. Our backing spotter talk covers how a spotter works. Today is about how the work zone itself sets you up to get hit.

Here is how we work inside the cones. Plan where trucks enter, turn, back, and leave, and keep workers on foot out of that path. Never walk behind a truck or machine that is backing, even if you think the driver sees you. Get eye contact before you cross behind. Don't trust the beeping, because on a loud job everyone tunes it out. Stand where the driver can see you, which is usually the driver's side. Don't put your back to the cone line either, since the public is on the other side. Don't move cones to make room unless the plan says so. Wear your vest so both drivers can see you.