Author: Meredith Hemphill
April 21-25 was National Work Zone Awareness Week. Sponsored by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Work Zone Awareness Week recognizes the importance of safety in roadway work zones. A work zone is a designated area on a street or highway where engineering, utility or construction work is taking place. The orange cones and warning signs are an everyday part of driving that we may not always think much about, but according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are 315 work zone collisions each day.
“In or around our roadways, it becomes a crossover between workers getting work done in this forever changing state and civilians moving through it, so it can pose an additional risk for both parties,” said NCDPS Safety Director Eva Setal. “The construction industry in particular has had a lot of injuries and fatalities related to vehicles crossing into the zones that they’re working in.”
Motorists can be injured in these collisions as well. So, too, can law enforcement personnel such as State Highway Patrol troopers and State Capitol Police officers who may be tasked with directing traffic and protecting work crews. To help spread awareness of these issues and to provide education on how to prevent these accidents, the NC Department of Transportation and the NC Department of Public Safety planned several events throughout the week.
Monday, April 21, the U.S. Department of Transportation kicked off the week with the Technologies to Improve Work Zone Safety webinar. The 90-minute program featured a panel of experts from both government and the private sector from across the country discussing current and forthcoming technologies that can keep roadway workers safer. One of the major points of discussion was how to most effectively alert distracted drivers of a work zone in their path.
“Our road users are sort of inundated with signs,” explained Mark Buckalew, chief of construction and materials for the Delaware Department of Transportation.
Instead, companies such as HAAS Alert are working to implement digital alerts on the navigation apps built into our smartphones and even our dashboard entertainment system screens. By putting the warning inside the car, there’s a greater chance of breaking through all the distractions and ensuring that motorists are not surprised when they reach a work zone.
Tuesday was the state kickoff event. NCDOT hosted a press conference at the NC State Fairgrounds. The event was livestreamed on all of NCDOT’s social media platforms. Safety Director Setal also hosted a work zone safety webinar later that morning. The educational presentation covered how to identify a work zone, the parts of a work zone, flagger safety and important roadside safety tips for everyone, even those who are just changing a tire.
“Clear direction is key for us to be able to do things safely,” Setal told participants.
Wednesday was Go Orange Day. NCDOT and NCDPS employees and roadway safety professionals were encouraged to wear orange to show their support for roadway workers and work zone safety. Anyone could participate, however, and those who did were asked to post their orange photos on social media using the hashtags #NWZAW and #Orange4Safety.
Thursday, organizations, companies, institutions and individuals were urged to share messages using the hashtags #NWZAW and #WorkZoneSafety across social media platforms. NCDOT shared public safety announcements, statistics and an image of the National Work Zone Memorial. They also highlighted a NCDOT and State Highway Patrol partner program: Helping All Work Zones Keep Safe. HAWKS works with off-duty troopers to monitor and patrol work zones, increasing drivers’ awareness.
National Work Zone Awareness Week closed out Friday with a nationwide Moment of Silence. The moment of silence was started in 2022 to commemorate people whose lives have been lost in a work zone incident. NCDPS joined in at 11 a.m.
NCDPS is able to participate in this and other occupational safety programs thanks to the Safety, Occupational and Environmental Health Office led by Safety Director Setal. SOEH also includes two safety consultants and a nurse consultant who visit NCDPS facilities, speak with safety representatives and employees, and advocate for employee safety and health.
“I most hope what people get out of this week is that safety is here, at our office, and that we are here to be a resource,” Setal said. “I hope this week is a great chance for us to get to meet a lot of those people that we didn’t get to interact with before.”