Cone Zone campaign reminds employers of revised rules for work zone safety
The 13th annual Cone Zone campaign reminds employers that, whenever they have employees working at the side of the road, they’re responsible for their safety – including meeting revised traffic control regulations.
“No matter how much experience your employees have, working around traffic is dangerous,” says Trace Acres, program director for Road Safety at Work and spokesperson for the campaign. “Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their workers and contractors along BC’s roads and highways.”
The campaign launched today, recognizing that roadside work traditionally increases in spring and summer. The campaign also launched its new website, ConeZoneBC.com.
WorkSafeBC statistics show that 12 roadside workers were hit by a vehicle and killed in BC from 2012 to 2021. Another 221 were injured seriously enough to have to miss work.
Health and safety laws apply regardless of how much time workers are on the roadside. The regulations govern hundreds of activities, from landscaping to utility work to road construction and maintenance. And they help protect the tens of thousands of workers whose job puts them within metres of passing vehicles.
The Cone Zone campaign is a provincial initiative supported by the Work Zone Safety Alliance and managed by Road Safety at Work. Roadside worker safety is a collaboration between employers, workers, and drivers.
Traffic control requirements have changed
WorkSafeBC’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation’s Part 18: Traffic Control was revised in December 2021. The changes include new requirements for supervision and use and positioning of traffic control persons (TCPs). For example, using TCPs when speed limits are greater than 70 km/h is prohibited.
Employers need to meet the new requirements as well as comply with other workplace health and safety regulations.
The rules require employers, supervisors and prime contractors to:
- Do a risk assessment of their work zones
- Identify the potential hazards
- Take steps to protect workers
- Ensure workers know the hazards and how to protect themselves through job specific training, education, and supervision
Basic safety steps employers can take
“Each roadside work zone has its own unique set of hazards associated with roads, traffic, vehicles, weather, and work activities,” Acres explains.
Some safety best practices include:
- Involving certified traffic control persons in the risk assessment
- Using detours where possible to keep traffic away
- Using concrete barriers to isolate workers
- Using automated flagger assistance devices when barriers aren’t practical
- Using traffic control persons on site (when permitted) only as a last resort
In addition, employers are responsible for the safety of employees who drive at any time for work. So training should include instruction on how to drive safely through work zones.
Any employee who works at the side of a road for any reason and for any amount of time counts as a roadside worker. A driver who pulls over to the side of the road to secure a load, for example, is a roadside worker while they’re doing that job.
Traffic control persons, recycling and garbage collectors, municipal workers, utility workers, first responders, moving crews, landscapers, tow truck operators, truck drivers, conservation officers, and road construction and maintenance crews are some other examples. They can do the work full time, part time, or only occasionally.
For more information
Employers and supervisors can find more information on work zone safety at the newly revised ConeZoneBC.com.
Quotes
Harry Bains, Minister of Labour:
“Safety on the job goes beyond the traditional workplace. Unsafe driving leads to accidents and injuries that could be prevented, and proper employee and driver training is vital. Our government will continue to foster a culture that values worker health and safety, every day and for every workplace.”
Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure:
“With the summer road work season ramping up, I thank the employers who are making sure safety protocols are up to speed to keep their workers safe during this busy time on our highways. The Cone Zone campaign serves as a reminder to employers and drivers about the risks associated with road work zones and the importance of following Cone Zone guidelines.”
About the Work Zone Safety Alliance
The Work Zone Safety Alliance is comprised of organizations committed to improving the safety of roadside workers. Members are: Ambulance Paramedics of BC, Automotive Retailers Association, BCAA, BC Construction Safety Alliance, BC Flagging Association, BC Highway Patrol RCMP, BC Hydro, BC Municipal Safety Association, BC Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association, BC Road Safe, CoreCode Safety and Compliance, Government of BC, IBEW Local 258, Insurance Corporation of BC, Justice Institute of British Columbia, K & K Consulting, LiUNA Local 1611, Mainroad Group, Metro Traffic Management, Road Safety at Work, SafetyDriven, Telus, Trans Mountain, Universal Group, Vancouver Island Construction Association, and WorkSafeBC.
About Road Safety at Work
Road Safety at Work is a WorkSafeBC-funded initiative managed by the Justice Institute of BC aimed at eliminating work-related motor vehicle crashes, deaths, and injuries in BC. Road Safety at Work offers free online resources — including courses, workshops, webinars, and consulting services — to help organizations plan, implement, and monitor effective road safety programs. Visit RoadSafetyAtWork.ca.
Media contact
Gord Woodward, Communications manager
Road Safety at Work
250-734-3652
gwoodward@roadsafetyatwork.ca