Traffic Control

Purpose

The Traffic Control program is designed to provide specific direction throughout the District to ensure our employees are afforded a safe workplace free from recognized hazards. This program identifies management and employee responsibilities to reduce risk of exposure to hazards associated with Traffic Control that may result in severe injury and/or loss of life.

Applicability

This applies to a District Employees who work in or around vehicular traffic. Work area protection is the adequate safeguarding or protecting of pedestrians, motorists, District employees and equipment by use of approved barriers, warning signs, lights, flags, traffic cones, high level standards, barricade rope, flaggers, etc., as the job requires, on approaches to work areas, excavations, open-access holes, parked equipment, etc. Proper work area protection shall be planned to ensure the safety and protection of all workers, the public and equipment.

Responsibilities

Managers are to:

Implement this program within their scope of responsibility.
Conduct workplace safety assessments to identify adherence to the program and applicable WAC / MUTCD rules.
Ensure effected employees are trained on Traffic Control methods.
Ensure employees complete Flagging training on an annual basis.

Employees are to:

Complete training as assigned.
Set-up traffic control in a manner that ensures work site safety and adherence to the MUTCD and associated traffic control plans.
Utilize Stop Work Authority if conditions change that create a hazard.
Notify Safety and Management when deficiencies in entry procedures are identified.

Safety Department:

Program administration to include audit, inspection, program development and management implementation.
Review and revise the program on an annual basis.
The Line-Training Department is responsible for providing proper training and is responsible for maintaining training certificates.

Engineering Department:

Development of site-specific traffic control plans as requested.
Completes required training.

Procedures

The District in an effort to exceed safety standards requires the following at all times:
A high-visibility safety garment designed according to Class 3 specifications in the ANSI/ISEA 107-1999, American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel consisting of at least seven-hundred and seventy-five (775) square inches of background material that are fluorescent yellow-green, fluorescent orange-red or fluorescent red in color; and
Two-hundred and one (201) square inches of retror-eflective material that encircles the torso and is placed to provide 360-degree visibility around the Flagger.
A high-visibility hard hat or helmet is white, yellow, yellow-green, orange, or red in color

Storm Flagging

In order to reduce confusion amongst crews, the following has been complied of what is required for flagging during storms for those individuals whose normal duties do not require them to flag.
Review of current guidelines set for the in the flagging certification guidelines.
Flaggers must be part of the job briefing.
No devices that could impede auditory senses, such as cell phones.
A relief person must be certified.
New or replacement equipment from the Warehouse will require a completed tool request form signed by your supervisor. This includes, but is not limited to vests, hard hats, coveralls, raingear, flashlights, mirrors, reflectors, etc. The District does not provide for carry/duffle-type bags for these items, as we do not supply them to our permanent on-call.
All Elements of WAC 296-155-305 apply
All Elements of the current Washington State MUTCD apply

Training & Resources

Flagging Certification is provided by the District for all employees that require. The course can be assigned through Learning Central.

WAC 296-155-305 Signaling and Flagging

Washington State Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)