THE MAINTENANCE CREW'S SAFETY ROLE
THE MAINTENANCE ROLE IS DEFINED AS A PLANNED ROLE PROGRAM OF ROUTINE AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE CONSISTING OF THE FOLLOWING: (1) PROCEDURES FOR MAINTAINING THE ROADWAY AND THE ROADSIDE CONSISTENT WITH DESIGN STANDARDS FOLLOWED IN CONSTRUCTION TO PROVIDE SAFE AND EFFICIENT MOVEMENT OF TRAFFIC, AND (2) A CONTINUOUS MAINTENANCE PROGRAM TO DETECT AND CORRECT DEFICIENCIES IN ROADWAY LOCATIONS AND DEVICES BEFORE THEY BECOME HAZARDOUS. THE MAINTENANCE CREW PRESENTS BY ITS PRESENCE ON THE HIGHWAY A SPECIAL HAZARD. THEREFORE, THE CREW ITSELF HAS A SPECIAL SAFETY ROLE TO PLAY. FOUR SEPARATE FATAL ACCIDENTS IN MAINTENANCE CREWS WITHIN ONE YEAR, CAUSED A SPECIAL INVESTIGATION OF EACH ACCIDENT. IN THREE OF THE ACCIDENTS THE PASSING TRAFFIC, FOR REASONS UNKNOWN, LEFT THE TRAVELED WAY AND PLOWED INTO THE WORK AREAS. NEGLIGENCE OF MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN TWO OF THE ACCIDENTS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE MAINTENANCE CREW MUST HAVE AS ITS FIRST ORDER OF SAFETY BUSINESS, PROTECTION TO ITSELF AND THE TRAVELING PUBLIC FROM TRAFFIC-INDUCED ACCIDENTS IN THE WORK AREA.
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Authors:
- Andrews, J F
- Publication Date: 1967-10
Media Info
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Crash investigation; Fatalities; Highway maintenance; Highway safety; Maintenance personnel; Negligence; Preventive maintenance; Traffic safety; Work zone traffic control
- Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00218259
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: pp 1-5
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: May 24 1994 12:00AM