Technical knowledge for road safety inspectors -

safe traffic control at road works

Phillip Jordan
Objectives of this presentation:
– To explain why safety at road works is important for all.
– To outline the essential points to remember when you undertake
an inspection of road works.
 HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INJURED
OR KILLED IN ROAD CRASHES AT
ROAD WORKS IN SAUDI ARABIA
IN ONE YEAR?

Unfortunately we do not
know for sure……
Road crashes at road work sites are a serious problem

Road users have three times the risk

of a serious crash in a road work
zone compared with other parts of
the road network (USA)

IMPROVING WORKER SAFETY THROUGH

BETTER VISIBILITY
Agota Berces,
Technical, Regulatory and Business Development
Manager
3M Traffic Safety Systems Division, Sydney, NSW,
Australia
Road crashes at road work sites are a serious problem

Studies in Finland and Slovenia

showed that ‘motorists are up to five
times as likely to be injured when
travelling through a work zone’

IMPROVING WORKER SAFETY THROUGH

BETTER VISIBILITY
Agota Berces,
Technical, Regulatory and Business Development
Manager
3M Traffic Safety Systems Division, Sydney, NSW,
Australia
Road crashes at road work sites are a serious problem

German research has shown that

approximately one quarter of
collisions happening on national
routes occur at work zones.

IMPROVING WORKER SAFETY THROUGH

BETTER VISIBILITY
Agota Berces,
Technical, Regulatory and Business Development
Manager
3M Traffic Safety Systems Division, Sydney, NSW,
Australia
Road crashes at road work sites are a serious problem

Research has also identified that road

works that take longer and extend over
longer distances have lower crash rates
as opposed to short term works in short
length zones. (SWOV 2010)

IMPROVING WORKER SAFETY THROUGH

BETTER VISIBILITY
Agota Berces,
Technical, Regulatory and Business Development
Manager
3M Traffic Safety Systems Division, Sydney, NSW,
Australia
An unnecessary tragedy at road works!
A national highway in northern India had pavement cracks.
The Contractor closed one carriageway (for crack-sealing) with some rocks
and simple signs. Traffic was directed two-way along the other carriageway.
He did not inform the on-coming traffic to expect two way traffic!
 A tragedy waiting to happen……

DELHI

MUMBAI

The NH 76 was a divided highway (2 carriageways). A

contractor had closed the Delhi bound carriageway for
maintenance (crack sealing).
What is missing?
What is missing?
What happened?
A fatal head-on collision
Five men killed
A few days later………signs placed to face the truck’s direction
of travel. Too late to prevent five deaths!
 As a Contractor, or as a MoT engineer
responsible for issuing road construction
contracts, or for inspecting roads – you have
a responsibility to the road users and to the
road workers to provide safe work sites.
The manual asks you to remember…..

o t !
d n er
ul rid
sho r o r
rks rive
wo d
d ny
o a ea
R ris
u rp
s

Always look at your road works through the eyes of the

drivers/riders – not just as an engineer!
“Safer Road Works”
 A traffic management plan (TMP)
is a drawing showing the traffic
control devices proposed for use at
What is a a road work site.
TMP?
In other words, it is a design of
how each of Zone is to be set out.
Diagrammatical Representation of the Hierarchy
of Controls Pyramid

Risk Elimination

Road closure
Traffic diversion
Sidetrack
Detour

Different construction
methods Engineering controls
Lane closure
Safety barriers

Traffic Controllers
Administrative controls 
Clear signs and delineation
40km/h speed restriction

High visibility clothing for all Personal protective equipment

workers
 six

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)

Early Warning Zone
Termination Zone Work Zone Taper Zone Advance Warning (50m urban / 100m
Zone rural)

Work Zone

THE SIX ZONE CONCEPT

 The Six Zone Concept

1 Early Warning Zone – the first zone, in which signs are placed to alert
approaching drivers/riders of the presence of road works ahead.
2 Advance Warning Zone – alerts drivers/riders of the Work Zone
ahead. It uses advance warning signs and regulatory signs to warn users
of the Work Zone ahead, and to regulate their behavior.
3 Taper Zone – is used if motorists are required to move from their lane
to pass around a Work Zone.
4 Safety Buffer Zone - is a longitudinal safety buffer immediately in
advance of, and beside, the work area. At CAREC worksites it is to be at
least 20m in length; it is kept free of equipment, materials and workers.
5 Work Zone – is the area in which the works are carried out; it is set
aside for workers, equipment and materials.
6 Termination Zone – is the zone where traffic resumes normal
operations after passing the Work Zone (the last of the six zones).  
six

six

six
THE LENGTH OF EACH ZONE IS DETERMINED BY THE
MAXIMUM OPERATING SPEED ON THE ROAD WHERE
WORKS ARE TAKING PLACE.

THESE THREE
ESSENTIAL TABLES ARE
IN THE CAREC MANUAL
HOW LONG SHOULD THE ADVANCE
HOW LONG SHOULD THE ADVANCE
WARNING
WARNINGZONE
ZONEBE?
BE?
HOW
HOWLONG
LONGSHOULD
SHOULD
THE
THETAPER
TAPERZONE
ZONEBE?
BE?
 TWO TYPES OF TAPER ZONES
DIVERGE MERGE
• Where a single lane of • Where two lanes of
traffic moves traffic must combine
(diverges) to the left (merge) into one lane
(or right) to pass the to pass the Work Zone
Work Zone
DISTANCE
DISTANCEBETWEEN
BETWEENCONES/BOLLARDS
CONES/BOLLARDS
Traffic cones are to be placed at 5 metre intervals

5 to 10
metres

Note: Traffic cones should never be spaced more

than 10 metres apart
 TRAFFIC
TRAFFICCONES
CONES
If a sign, or traffic cone is knocked over or removed,
it must be replaced as soon as it is safe to do so.

Note: A well maintained worksite adds to it credibility.

WHAT SHOULD THE SPEED LIMIT BE
WHAT SHOULD THE SPEED LIMIT BE
IN
INYOUR
YOURWORK
WORKZONE?
ZONE?
 USE A 40 KM/H SPEED LIMIT THROUGH
ALL YOUR CAREC WORK SITES – BUT ONLY WHEN WORKERS ARE
ON-SITE AND WITHIN 1.5M OF TRAFFIC
??
??
HOW
HOWLONG
LONGSHOULD
SHOULDTHE
THE
TERMINATION
TERMINATIONZONE
ZONEBE?
BE?
 Figure 12 Works Along the Shoulder or Beside the Road

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)
Work Zone Early Warning Zone
Termination Zone Advance Warning (50m urban / 100m
Zone rural)

END ROAD ROAD

ROAD WORK WORK
WORK AHEAD AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY PREPARE TO STOP PREPARE TO STOP

END ROAD ROAD

ROAD WORK WORK
WORK AHEAD AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY PREPARE TO STOP PREPARE TO STOP

NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction
of travel only
 Figure 13: A Reduction in the Available Road Width but with
Sufficient Width for Two-Way Traffic

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)

Termination Zone Early Warning Zone
(50m urban / 100m (50m urban / 100m
rural) Advance Warning rural)
Taper Zone
Zone
END ROAD ROAD
ROAD WORK WORK
WORK AHEAD AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY PREPARE TO STOP PREPARE TO STOP

Work Zone

END ROAD ROAD

ROAD WORK WORK
WORK AHEAD AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY PREPARE TO STOP PREPARE TO STOP

NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction
of travel only
 Figure 14: Works on a two-Way Highway Requiring
Closure of One Lane (with Give Way Sign Control).

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)

Early Warning Zone
(50m urban / 100m
rural)
Termination Zone Taper Zone Advance Warning
Zone
GIVE
END WAY 6m 4
ROAD
ROAD WORK
WORK 0 AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY GIVE WAY AHEAD PREPARE TO STOP

Work Zone

Less than 5m

END ROAD
ROAD 4 WORK
WORK 0 AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY
NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction GIVE WAY AHEAD PREPARE TO STOP

of travel only
 Figure 15: Works on a Two-Way Highway Requiring Closure of One
Lane (the remaining single lane is controlled by Traffic Controllers)

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)

Termination Zone
Early Warning Zone
(50m urban / 100m (50m urban / 100m
rural) Taper Zone Advance Warning rural)
Zone
END ROAD
ROAD WORK
WORK AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY PREPARE TO STOP PREPARE TO STOP

Work Zone

END ROAD
ROAD WORK
WORK
AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY PREPARE TO STOP PREPARE TO STOP

NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction
of travel only
Figure 16: Works on a Two-Way Highway requiring Closure
of One Lane (with temporary traffic signal control)

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)
Termination Zone

(50m urban / 100m Early Warning Zone

rural) Taper Zone Advance Warning (50m urban / 100m
Zone rural)
6m

Work Zone

6m

30m to provide clearance

between opposing traffic
directions
NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction
of travel only
 Figure 17: Closure of the Right-Hand Lane
of a Multi-Lane Carriageway

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)

Early Warning Zone
Termination Zone Taper Zone Advance Warning (50m urban / 100m
Zone rural)
20m
END ROAD
ROAD WORK
WORK AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY MERGE ROAD WORK PREPARE TO
AHEAD
LEFT STOP

Work Zone

END ROAD
ROAD WORK
WORK AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY MERGE ROAD WORK PREPARE TO
LEFT AHEAD STOP

NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction
of travel only
 Figure 18: Road Works Extending Across a Road

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)
Early Warning Zone
(50m urban / 100m
Termination Zone Advance Warning rural)
Zone

END ROAD ROAD

ROAD 40 WORK WORK
WORK LOOSE AHEAD AHEAD
DRIVE SAFETLY SURAFAC PREPARE TO
PREPARE TO PREPARE TO
E STOP
STOP STOP

Work Zone

Work Zone

END ROAD ROAD

WORK
ROAD LOOSE 40 WORK
AHEAD
WORK SURAFAC AHEAD
E
DRIVE SAFETLY PREPARE TO PREPARE TO PREPARE TO
STOP STOP STOP

NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction
of travel only
 Figure 19: Closely Spaced Works Across the Road
(less than 1 Kilometre apart) in a long worksite

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)

Safety Zone (20m)

Early Warning Zone
Less than1km
Termination Zone Work Zone Work Zone Advance Warning (50m urban / 100m
Zone rural)

END UNEVEN ROAD

ROUGH
ROAD SURAFAC 40 40 SURAFAC
WORK
WORK E AHEAD
E
DRIVE SAFETLY DO NOT DO NOT ROAD WORK PREPARE TO
OVERTAKE OVERTAKE AHEAD STOP

END UNEVEN ROAD

ROAD 40 ROUGH
SURAFAC 40
SURAFAC WORK
WORK EV AHEAD
E
DRIVE SAFETLY DO NOT DO NOT ROAD WORK PREPARE TO
OVERTAKE OVERTAKE AHEAD STOP

NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction
of travel only
 Figure 20: Two-Way Side Track due
to a Full Road Closure

DO NOT OVERTAKE

Early Warning Zone

DRIVE SAFELY
(50m urban / 100m
Advance Warning rural)
Zone
ROAD ROAD
40 CLOSED WORK
DO NOT OVERTAKE AHEAD AHEAD
SIDETRACKAHEAD PREPARE TO STOP

Work Zone

ROAD ROAD
CLOSED 40 WORK
AHEAD AHEAD
PREPARE TO STOP
SIDETRACKAHEAD

NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction
of travel only
Figure 20: Two-Way Side Track
due to a Full Road Closure

SIDETRACKAHEAD

ROAD 40 ROAD
CLOSED WORK
AHEAD AHEAD

DRIVE SAFELY

ROAD ROAD
40 CLOSED WORK
AHEAD AHEAD
SIDETRACKAHEAD PREPARE TO STOP

PREPARE TO STOP

NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction
of travel only

A side track at a new

bridge in Laos…….
 Figure 21: Roadwork Within an Intersection
Early Warning Zone (50m urban /
100m rural)

ROAD END
WORK ROAD
AHEAD WORK
PREPARE TO STOP PREPARE TO STOP DRIVE SAFELY

ROAD END
WORK ROAD
AHEAD WORK
PREPARE TO STOP PREPARE TO STOP DRIVE SAFELY

Early Warning Zone (50m urban /

PREPARE TO STOP PREPARE TO STOP

100m rural)
NOTE: The Figure shows a Traffic Management Plan for one direction
of travel only

ROAD ROAD
WORK WORK
AHEAD AHEAD
PREPARE TO STOP PREPARE TO STOP
Multi message signs are very useful for road works. The
CAREC manual encourages you to consider these.
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR TRAFFIC
CONTROLLERS

A Traffic Controller is the

person on a work site who is
responsible for the safety of
traffic and pedestrians to pass
through the work site safely
(and with minimal delay).
A TRAFFIC CONTROLLER …….

….is the person who sets up the zones according to the TMP
 INSTRUCTIONS FOR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS

Traffic controllers are used when signs and

devices for works are considered insufficient
to provide for personal safety, public
convenience and efficient control and
management of traffic around the worksite.
 Traffic controllers are responsible for:

• Placing the signs in a safe and effective manner

• Placing the cones/ bollard to the correct lengths
• The safety of all motorists and pedestrians who pass
though the site
• Assisting the Safety Officer with the safety of all
workers on the site
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

Traffic Controllers work in live traffic and around

machines and plant therefore it is essential to
wear the appropriate PPE
 WET WEATHER GEAR

Where personnel are required

to work in wet conditions, they
should be provided with, and
required to wear, waterproof, warm
and reflective clothing (PPE)
 ROAD SIGNS

Signs at road work sites should comply with the 6C’s of good signage.

Good signage is essential for safety through the work site.

REQUIREMENT SIGN REQUIREMENT CONTRACTOR TO ENSURE
That all signs can be seen by
approaching drivers and/or riders. This
Each sign shall be able to be requires all signs to be reflective, and
Conspicuous
readily seen. in good condition, and located
suitably.
Each sign shall be clear and All signs are to be kept in good, clean
Clear
easy to read. condition.
All signs used comply with national
Each sign shall be easy to standards.
Comprehensible
understand

No sign shall be used that does not

Each sign shall be reasonable
Credible show a credible (believable) message.
and believable by road users

The same sign shall be used That standard signs only are used at
for the same situation at all road work sites so drivers/riders can
Consistent quickly understand the message.
road works everywhere across
the country
The sign shall be the correct That only correct signs are used. Near
sign for that situation – there enough is not good enough. Do not
Correct are some warning signs that use “any” sign if the correct one is
appear the same but have missing. Rather, get a correct one and
quite different meanings. install it.
 Double check all the signs

ASK YOURSELF…
• Is the information correct?
• Is the message short and simple?
• Will the information make sense to the driver / rider?
• Is there any contradiction between any signs in a series?
• Will the driver / rider be able to see it?
COMMON DELINIATORS ARE:
COMMON DELINIATORS ARE:

or

Cones Bollards
 CONES
• Heights range from 450mm to 1500mm
• Have a highly reflective band around the top
• Can be stacked making them easy to transport
• Provide great delineation when used correctly
• Ideal for short term works
 BOLLARDS

• Bollards are commonly 1200mm tall and

approximately 200mm diameter
• They have a highly reflective band around the
top and a heavy rubber base that make them
less likely to be knocked over
• They have a handle on top that can be used to
fix barrier tape to create a pathway when
working with pedestrians
 SIGN
SIGNPOSITIONING
POSITIONING

When positioning signs, ensure that they….:

 Are within driver/riders line of site

• Generally placed 1 meter clear of the travel path
• Cannot be obscured by vehicles or other objects
• Do not obscure other devices
• Are not a hazard to workers or public
• Do not direct traffic into an unsafe path
• Are securely mounted
Remember the following key points:
• Always prepare a traffic management plan.
• Use the Six Zone Concept.

• Make sure the zones are long enough.

• For larger projects, have the TMP audited by an independent team.

• Work with Traffic Police to keep speeds low.

• Ensure the Contractor has sufficient signs/cones
Remember the following key points:

• Adopt a consistent road work speed limit.

• Ensure all carriageway changes are signed 500m and 250m in advance;
correct information and warning signs.

• Use a 20m Safety (Buffer) Zone at each end of the Work Zone to protect
your workers.
• Use “Two Way Traffic” signs in single lane operation.

• All workers to wear reflective safety vests.

• Employ trained traffic controllers employed (not flagmen) who use
Stop/Slow batons.
 You can save lives

Remember the 6 Zone concept and put yourself into the

shoes of the road users. You can make your road works
safer for all.