January 30, 2007

Alliance to protect U.S. road workers

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Several U.S. construction groups have combined their efforts to improve worker safety in highway work zones.

As part of the Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) signed an alliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to establish a collaborative relationship to protect workers.

“Protecting our workers is always a top priority,” said AGC COO David Lukens.

“This new alliance reinforces our commitment to the safety of our men and women working to improve the nation’s highway infrastructure.”

OSHA, NIOSH and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners will work to provide the alliance program participants and other government and non-government organizations with information, guidance and access to training resources that will help protect employees from general health and safety hazards.

The program is aimed at reducing and preventing exposures to roadway work zone safety and health hazards.

The alliance will focus on flagger safety, safer deployment of traffic control devices, positive protection, night work, reduction of speeding in work zones and runovers/backovers.

The partners will achieve the following goals:

• Provide expertise to develop training and education programs on work zone safety and health issues targeted to Spanish-speaking and other high-risk or vulnerable “hard-to-reach” highway construction workers;

• Provide expertise to develop specific workplace safety and health curricula on roadway work zone safety and health hazards;

• Provide expertise to develop and disseminate information through print and electronic media, outreach through alliance partners’ conferences, local meetings or other events;

• Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize results; and

• Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions or stakeholder meetings on work zone safety and health issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

DCN NEWS SERVICES

Print | Comment