Reflect on Paver Safety
BY John Ball
Put the mechanic on the job of upgrading work zone safety with light, tape
The team at The Earl Companies, Jackson, New Jersey, takes safety seriously. Its entire fleet of vehicles from work trucks to mills is color-coordinated with the company’s yellow and green brand, and those vehicles are kept shiny and clean.
Not only does cleanliness mean a safer work environment where workers have clear platforms and fewer opportunities for tripping, but the cleanliness also catches the general public’s eyes. It’s hard to miss a line of matching shiny machines. It’s also hard to miss the reflective tape Earl mechanics have added to strategic points on the equipment.
The red-and-white color alternates on the stripes of tape and reflects the headlights of vehicles. This increases each machine’s visibility and outlines each machine at night.
Check out these pictures to see some of the other safety augmentation the Earl team puts into practice.
Arrow A shows the reflective tape on the front of the hopper wing, which helps define the edge for the haul truck drivers and other vehicles. Arrow B shows the light that Earl mechanics placed in the center of the tractor to illuminate the pavement edge for the paver operator. Arrow C shows the foldable flag pole that keeps Old Glory safe when the crew is off duty.
Arrow A shows the reflective tape on the extensions. Arrow B shows the hooks that Earl mechanics put in place to hold lutes out of the way during paving. Notice the tread-wear plates affixed to the tractor not only protect the paver from asphalt smears off the lutes, they also reflect light for extra safety.
We’ve seen an image similar to this one in AsphaltPro before. Letter C shows not only the reflective tape along the back of the screed plates, but also shows the U-channels holding the straight edge off the screed deck. Letters A and B show more reflective tape on the sides of the screed structure to help define and outline its shape. Notice the LED lights that Earl mechanics have added to the operator’s platform to shine on the screed operator’s controls. This enhances safety and ease of operation.
John Ball is the proprietor of Top Quality Paving and Training, Manchester, New Hampshire. He provides personal, on-site paving consulting services around the United States and into Canada. For more information, contact him at (603) 493-1458 or tqpaving@yahoo.com.