National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 15-19, and organizations around the country have started promoting safety for crew members in work zones. The U.S. Department of Labor and industry partners in Georgia are encouraging industry employers to educate workers on how to protect themselves.
Georgia reported 301 traffic related pedestrian fatalities in 2021. Among the fatalities were construction employees in work zones. To help workers stay safe in work zones, the Georgia Struck-By Alliance and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are encouraging industry employers to provide safety training that focuses on preventing struck-by injuries at Georgia construction sites.
“The deaths of a worker setting up a roadside work zone on I-75 and the state trooper investigating the incident are stark reminders of the dangers of working near active roadways,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer. “As the busy road construction season begins, we’re asking construction employers statewide to pause work for safety stand downs during 2024 National Work Zone Awareness Week.”
The Associated General Contractors of America Inc. is providing employers with resources.
“Safety stand downs remind employers and workers that if prevention and control standards of workplace hazards are not in place, catastrophic results can occur, a terrible result of ignoring risks. We want to avoid these tragedies and ask that drivers recognize their responsibility for protecting these workers’ lives,” Petermeyer added.
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Source: Dol.Gov
