Collision warning system shows promise for reducing work-zone casualties

The majority of work-zone fatalities involve a worker being struck with a piece of construction equipment or a vehicle, and half those worker deaths are when the equipment is in reverse.

The use of collision warning systems or cameras on the back of construction trucks to protect highway construction zone workers shows promise, but the equipment can be adversely affected by weather problems, installation issues or challenges to effective use, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

NIOSH installed commercially available cameras and warning systems on the back of construction equipment to see if the risks associated with backing up equipment around workers decreased. The equipment included Doppler radar, ultrasonic sensors, pulsed radar and two brands of video cameras. The report is available at www.cdc.gov/niosh.