As a contractor, you should know firsthand how busy construction sites can get. The noise, dust, and all the movement from different types of equipment, vehicles, and people make it a dangerous place to be. Failing to manage the safety of one’s construction site will lead to accidents and can even be detrimental to the reputation of the project stakeholders.
Moreover, you shouldn’t overlook how construction projects can affect the road network by causing traffic. Thus, you need to make sure that your site is safe not just for your workers but also for motorists and pedestrians by having construction site traffic management in place.
Indeed, construction site traffic can be a pain. Luckily, it is manageable through effective planning, such as identifying hazards and applying appropriate controls suitable for your site’s layout. Read on below for more examples of good construction site traffic management.
Plan Out All the Aspects
When setting up a site, you should plan on all aspects ahead of time to increase efficiency and productivity. So, if your goal is to decrease workplace hazards, start creating solutions as early as the designing stage and complete all necessary risk assessments.
Likewise, expect that the construction site will change as the project develops, so be prepared to adjust any traffic management plans. To give you a clearer view, here are two issues you should think about when planning :
Create Distance From People and Vehicles
One essential thing when keeping a safe workplace is ensuring that people and vehicles are distanced away from any machinery at work. To do this, you should establish clearly defined routes to separate vehicles and pedestrians.
Provide separate entrance and exit points for people, and clear any obstructions that may block their way. On the other hand, your roadways should be suitable for the vehicles that use them, so they should be wide enough to pass and avoid leaving them with bumpy, uneven areas that make them harder to pass through.
Minimize Vehicle Movements
Having vehicles moving around the site too much is a disaster waiting to happen. Therefore, you should limit the cars that enter the site. If you can, you must also keep the parking area away from the construction site. Any delivery vehicle should also be prevented from crossing the site through the establishment of storage areas.
To add, plan the routes and create one-way systems to keep vehicle movement as much as possible. Reversing causes many issues in the construction site, so adding turning areas is an excellent way to reduce the likelihood of accidents happening.
Train Your People
It’s common sense, but only employs those individuals who are fit and competent to operate vehicles, machines, and attachments used in the site. Remember, if you let anyone untrained or inexperienced do the job, you are only setting yourself up for accidents.
There are multiple ways employers can ensure that their workers are competent for the job. First, they can run a background check on their candidates’ training and experience and ask for supporting documents or certifications. Moreover, during recruitment or hiring, ensure that they are physically fit for their assigned tasks.
Second, they can train their drivers, operators, banksmen, and signallers by setting up a refresher course. Lastly, constantly remind them about the dangers of the job. Ensure that they are aware of the risks, so they don’t forget to follow safety measures while working.
Be as Visible As You Can
Apart from the people around the construction site, other types of machinery, uneven surfaces, excavations, and materials must be visible for safe traffic movement. Have all workers wear high visibility clothing, such as bright and reflective green outer garments, for them to be easily recognized.
Avoid having any blind spots in your walkways, crossings, and entrances. Furthermore, consider installing reversing alarms, mirrors, and even CCTVs to aid drivers in seeing all movement around the vehicle they’re operating. Having proper lighting is also needed, especially at night or during bad weather.
Of course, signal persons are a must to safely maneuver and move vehicles and materials around the construction site. So, always have a trained banksman or signaler to direct vehicle movement. It also helps to erect clear marks for the roads to help drivers get to their designated areas.
Keep Motorists and Pedestrians Informed
Road construction zones cause many accidents. Thus, it is crucial to keep motorists informed and put up signs to warn them of the work being done on the road. These road signs, cones, barrels, and barriers should be visible and clear to guide and instruct the drivers on what to do as they pass through your work zone.
Moreover, be consistent with the speed limit you’re implementing and indicate where the construction zone has ended. That way, motorists and pedestrians are aware if they can return to following standard traffic rules.
In addition to that, a temporary control plan is also needed to protect the workers on the construction site. Hire a traffic controller to coordinate both public and construction traffic. If you’re working on a project in a place like Sydney, it’s best that you get the best Traffic control sydney has to offer. These services are a must on any road construction or repair project to help ensure safety for pedestrians, motorists, workers, and equipment as well.
Don’t Forget to Inspect Regularly
The construction site is ever-changing, especially as more work is getting done by the day. As such, update your traffic plans and arrangements as you see fit. Always schedule a routine check for any hazards and develop a plan to solve them.
So, you should start every morning with a safety meeting to brief and notify everyone on site of any changes or potential risks they may face that day. Also, inspect all machinery and vehicles on site. Check if all brakes, guards, and alarms work for safety. Similarly, ensure that you have a first aid kit on deck in case any emergencies happen.
Takeaway
There are many aspects to think about when running a construction site. Indeed, much time is spent on planning to ensure that the workplace is safe for everyone. When managing the traffic on-site, the five examples listed above are great starters every construction site should employ to keep a smooth and efficient workflow.