Keep Workers Safe During Holiday Pavement Repairs

It’s the end of December and most drivers are on a deadline. When you step out of the work truck to perform a pavement repair, you become one more aggravation for them—if they even see you. During tomorrow morning’s toolbox talk, remind crewmembers to stay visible and behind traffic cones.

Even if your pavement repair isn’t on a main thoroughfare, put on the extra Class 2 and 3 safety apparel. Make sure you take the time to put down bright, clean safety cones to delineate your work area or work zone. If you’re on a roadway, consider the use of a crash attenuator. The MUTCD tells you when such equipment is mandatory—why not use life-saving devices all the time? Remember that dusk comes earlier this time of year than it did during summer paving months. Tow a light trailer with you to projects that might run long so you’re ready for night conditions.

You may be in a hurry to perform pavement repairs quickly, and then get off the road again. Maybe you want to fill a certain quota of potholes or sawcut-and-fill a specific number of bird-baths before the end of the shift. Let’s face it: Production means profit. Make sure you take the time to clean, tack, overfill and compact properly so you won’t be called back in the spring. Now while one or two crewmembers have their eyes on the quality job, you may wish to assign a flagger to have her eyes on heavy traffic. Give her an air horn or high-decibel whistle to sound the alarm if a driver enters the work zone.

Whether your pavement repair is in a roadway or parking lot, make sure you’ve taken the time to safeguard the workers making the repair. While you must consider the pavement surface and its cleanliness for a quality job, you must put the team’s safety ahead of all else. Step one should be to secure the work area.

Have a safe and Merry Christmas from your friends at AsphaltPro!

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