In the "cone zone" there isn't much to protect a worker at the side of the road from being seriously injured or killed by a passing vehicle.
There are thousands of workers in British Columbia that work in the cone zone and have had to dodge drivers that do not slow down sufficiently and pay attention when traveling through their work zone.
"Roadside workers are extremely vulnerable. That's why it's so important that you take extra care in construction zones," said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Blair Lekstrom. "Whenever you approach someone working on or near our roads and highways, please slow down. We want all our workers to stay safe, so they can go home to their families at the end of the day."
A large segment of drivers say that they adjust driving behaviours when travelling through or past a cone zone, yet there have already been several incidents this season where traffic control workers have been seriously injured.
But it's not just traffic control workers or road construction crews that are at risk. Other workers, including municipal workers, landscapers, tow-truck drivers, road-maintenance workers, telecommunications and utility workers, and emergency and enforcement personnel, work in potentially high-risk environments in close proximity to traffic.
To make drivers more aware of the dangers, the Work Zone Safety Alliance recently launched the "Cone Zone" campaign, a road safety initiative that encourages drivers to slow down, pay attention and be respectful when driving near roadside workers.
The objective of the campaign is to reduce the number of deaths and injuries of workers at the side of the road by increasing awareness of their vulnerability in the cone zone.
In the last 10 years, WorkSafeBC reports that 386 workers - typically working in cone zones - were struck by motor vehicles. Of that number, 46 percent were classified as serious injuries and 12 resulted in the death of the worker.
"Slow Down. Pay attention in the cone zone. It's as simple as that," said Donna Wilson, WorkSafeBC vice-president of industry services and sustainability. "These workers are vulnerable and have the right to be safe."
For more information about roadside worker safety, visit WorkSafeBC.com or www.BCAATSF.ca.
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