Roadway Work Zone Hazards
Work zones present hazards not only to motorists navigating complex signs, barrels, and lane changes but also to workers who build, repair, and maintain streets, bridges, and highways.
- Most worker fatalities in work zones result from being struck by vehicles.
- From 2011 to 2017, worker deaths at road construction sites by vehicle type were:
- Pickup trucks and SUVs: 151 deaths
- Construction machinery: 131 deaths
- Automobiles: 129 deaths
- Semi-trucks: 124 deaths
- Dump trucks: 82 deaths
Blind Spot Hazards
A blind spot (or blind area) is the zone around a vehicle or piece of construction equipment that the operator cannot see directly or via mirrors.
- Construction equipment is often large and enclosed, creating significant blind areas that make it difficult for operators to see pedestrians and ground workers.
- The larger the equipment, the larger the blind spots, increasing the hazard for workers in close proximity.
- Workers positioned in these blind areas are at higher risk, as operators may not see them directly in front, behind, or to the side of the equipment.