working roadside and safety

Heads up and looking around.

Look twice before entering a lane of traffic. If you're chipping roadside, you will likely want to swing long pieces around toward the chipper tray, and is an easy time to get a little too far out of your cones as you start to focus your attention on chipper awareness.

xpct txtng drivrs.



When I'm working in a two lane residential street (25-30mph typically) I block out as much space as possible that an emergency vehicle would have easy passage. On that kind of street people can slow down because people's lives are at stake. One lane. Slows people down when they aren't likely paying that much attention, just leaving or arriving at their house on autopilot. Sending that txt "leaving home", etc.

If anybody hassles me, I'll apologize for their inconvenience, and tell them about my neighbor who was run down at work on the road- brain injury, joint injuries, constant dull pain, often significant pain after working around the farm. He's unemployable and on disability, making the best that he can about it.

Ask anybody that has worked for me, they've heard about my neighbor's accident, and have been road-aware at work.

Unpredictable, high velocity steel masses pose the most danger in treework among skilled people, IMO.

Constant awareness.
 
I find that signs that say "SLOW, WORK AHEAD" are really beneficial because people will drive full speed through your work zone regardless of cones or if you are retrieving something out of a gear box on the road side. It never fails.

Try backing your chipper into the driveway or an alley whenever possible.

Load brush into the chipper from the curbside.
 
Great posts. All I would add is make sure your signs and cones are at least what the local ordinances say. And make sure your guys NEVER turn their backs on the traffic.

Besides txtng always assume NO ONE knows how to drive, and every car passing is a retired tourist looking across the street from where you are or a mom turning around to yell at her brats. At the pre-job your guys will laugh, but they'll remember it.

Don't be afraid to bust your guys if they get sloppy. They may not appreciate it then but at least you won't have to go to the hospital later to check on them. Or worse.

If there are too many idiots getting too close or knocking over your cones, call the local PD and let them know what's gong on. They'll probably send a motor officer out. Another reason to know your signs and cones are at the proper distances.

All the best.
 
Know what is required by local ordinance or state law. I usually set up a buffer zone along side the truck that narrows the lane to a point where people will slow down to check for oncoming traffic. If you have a second vehicle like a pick up, park it behind the chipper far enough back to form a safe work area. This way they'll run into the back of that instead of driving through the crew before slamming into the chipper. If necessary have a flagperson that CONTROLS traffic. They can't be timid about it. Stare a driver down and tell them to stop. Once a driver has their autopilot disengaged and are full in the moment at hand they'll realize that it's about someone's wellbeing.

Minimize return trips to the tool boxes on the traffic side of the truck. Road vests!
 
treehumper, that's a good idea with the pickup truck, I'll have to bring that up to my crew. Also, making sure you have everything out of the roadside gear box like gas and required saws is a great idea for safety and efficiency.
 
I had my toolboxes organized so that the gear on the roadside was removed when the job started and returned at the end. First out/last in. The 'extra' gear was streetside, common used gear curbside.

Follow the same procedures as when working around wires. 'Face the dragon' is a good catch-phrase for everyone to use.

High viz clothing

I thought about adding a strobe light to the top of my chipper

After setting up your traffic control zones with cones or flagging lay out some brush just inside the cones and leave it there as a second barrier for the chipping crew.

If you need to get a motorist to stop have your flaggers look firmly at the driver, then, in one motion, stab their finger, no, not 'that one', at them and then change the finger point to an outstretched palm in the 'STOP!' position. Making a step towards the driver makes the motion even more powerful. Think of Zorro making the death stab with his sword. [/list]
 
We called in some law enforcement to setup around, pulling a speed trap. In some places see if tree work goes under a DOT ruling. If it does deffinatly ask if the local cops will help out here in NY speeding in a work zone is double points on lisence, 3 times busted in a work zone suspension.

I was flagging for a utility comp. doing some work near the campus. They had their signs out and one on each side saying"Over Head Work" I almost had to whack some cars to stop because they where slowing down but, also looking up. Just to add with the flag person if you can get your hands on one of those pole slow stop signs have your flagger put that out a little from him and tilt out people tend to misjudge size of areas to move their cars and tend to slow down really fast.OOOO yeah if there are any bends in the road that will block the drivers site till they are right there in front of you place signs in front of the bends. At all costs to you and your crew just be really awake and alert,if you have people still going to fast through the work zone call in the cops.
 
In some instances, were the local traffic is intense or they just don't seem to understand the concept of slowing down in work zones, we will turn the truck around and chip with the front of the truck facing oncoming traffic. Something about a large vehicle facing oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the road with the headlights and strobes on that makes them slow down.
In Ontario, we have some pretty intensive legislation that dictates the minimum traffic control setups that are required. Signage, size and shape of cones, distance between cones, how much safe work area and how much of the lane you can take before you need traffic control persons.
Lots of red tape/rules to deal with in order to do your job.
 
http://goo.gl/vDPHW

Expensive, but gets people to slow down, especially big trucks. We use one pretty often - impossible to ignore.

Before we owned one, we would sometimes lay a rope across the road. Does the same thing, wayyyy cheaper, and who doesn't have a 20' piece of trash rope - you might be surprised at how effectively it works. Sometimes people even stop.

Of course, these suggestions are for neighborhoods, not highways, and may not apply.

Like others have said, hi-vis clothing is not optional, it is OSHA-necessary.

I most often nearly step into traffic while doing the final cleanup, with the blower. I've witnessed the same with others, as well.

Lots of cones - both sides of the road if possible, making a tunnel they have to drive through - again, can't ignore it, and it gets them to focus on your operation.
 
Even if I'm not flagging I always look drivers in the eye and wave at almost everyone. That little bit of engagement helps others understand that they're encountering real people.
 
I got clipped pretty good in the shoulder doing a municipal street pruning job. There was enough room on the road to fly a boeing 747 through, yet still people whizzed past you at 90 in a 40 km/h zone 2 feet beside the chipper. I was furious. The person didn't even stop. No amount of cones or strobes could prevent this. It was in markham/richmondhill ontario. It will only make sense to those from southern ontario. I often park into traffic. My boss doesn't like us doing it, but if the street is risky, i would rather have my truck bashed up then my legs cut off by a starbucks drinking cell phone wielding 4 foot tall inept diver in a vehicle far larger than their driving skill can operate.
 
For the United States you need to follow MUTCD - 600 series. Look up that and MOT (Maintenance of Traffic). This applies to any work with in 15 feet of the edge of the road. If some one crashes into your chipper, truck, etc and it goes to court, that is what you will be held to. Same for an employee struck by a vehicle.

Improper cones, cone placement, wrong size sign, wrong sign, wrong sign placement, non ANSI safety apparel, etc,etc,etc...you lose in court.
 
We have similar legislation in Ontario, Ministry of Transportation "Book 7" which deals with traffic confugurations. It's amazing how many contractors have never heard of it or don't follow it but like your example in the States, not documented and outside the prescribed legislation, you don't have a leg to stand on in court.
 
A professional Flagger Force is commonly used (sometimes required) in our area -- certified, insured, etc. and they provide training. Other areas probably have similar services.

Just 'google': "Flagger service - {state}"
 
[ QUOTE ]
For the United States you need to follow MUTCD - 600 series. Look up that and MOT (Maintenance of Traffic). This applies to any work with in 15 feet of the edge of the road.


[/ QUOTE ]

Is this for ANY roadway or just interstate highways? I was under the impression that MUTCD was REQUIRED for interstate work but not other roadways.
 
Whenever possible, I like to "nose" into traffic. That way, vehicles contact the front of the truck away from the chipping zone.
4' X 4' signs are great. Lots of cones. Flaggers are the best. Hi-viz class 2 vests minimum. Anything over 35mph, I like class 3 vests, although they're not required til 50mph, or is it 55?
Always look twice before entering a roadway.
Check local, county and state ordinances.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For the United States you need to follow MUTCD - 600 series. Look up that and MOT (Maintenance of Traffic). This applies to any work with in 15 feet of the edge of the road.


[/ QUOTE ]

Is this for ANY roadway or just interstate highways? I was under the impression that MUTCD was REQUIRED for interstate work but not other roadways.

[/ QUOTE ]
MOT for local roads is controlled by each state, county, municipality. Everything is controlled here on state roads: flagger certification, type of vest, signage wording, size, height ...
jpshakehead.gif
... MOT plans and permits are often required.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom