Behind the Thin Orange Line: The Mission to Keep Workers Safe in Work Zones

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By Don McLoud, Equipment World

The No. 1 killer of workers in road construction is struck-by accidents, according to federal statistics and industry experts.

Those risks are coming at workers from both sides of the orange cones and barrels they work behind – from motorists crashing into the zone and from coworkers not following proper safety procedures.

“We call the cones and the barrels the orange line,” says Lee Cole, vice president of environmental, health and safety at CRH Americas Materials. “So on one side of the orange line is the protection of the motoring public. The other side of the orange line is protection of the worker. …

“And it’s a thin orange line.”

The rising death toll and high number of injuries (see sidebar on page 60) have led the roadbuilding industry to launch public service campaigns to make drivers more aware of the dangers of work zones. At the same time, it is developing innovative ways to protect workers while also stressing the importance of safety training for all involved in roadwork, from planning to construction."

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