Collision highlights need for road crew safety and flagger training

Last week there was a serious incident where a commercial driver struck a line of vehicles causing the death of 2 passengers and injuring a number of others. The vehicles struck were waiting for direction from a flagger and pilot vehicle on a road construction site in southern Manitoba. While this incident appears to be driver related, it stresses the importance of taking all necessary steps for the safety of flaggers and road crews on road construction sites.

Please ensure:

  • Your workers are properly trained and you review the details of your traffic-control plans, including proper flagger positioning, emergency response, and safe egress from unsafe traffic.
  • Your workers are wearing the right PPE for the job, including reflective vests or clothing.
  • You perform routine inspections, remembering to document and correct any deficiencies and corrective actions.

Your work zone should also be inspected to ensure that signs, cones and barrels are placed where they will maximize safety.

We at MHCA WORKSAFELY™, with our partners in the SAFE Roads initiative continue to promote safe driving practices among the public to protect our road crews. For more information on traffic-control coordinator or flagger training please contact us at 204-947-1379. Safety incidents involving flaggers or road crews can be reported to Sarah Craig at sarah@mhca.mb.ca or 204-594-9060. Any further questions can be directed to your WORKSAFELY™ regional safety advisor.