How to keep your workers safe during manhole repairs

Any project that is performed in the roadway involves dangers that other construction projects don’t. You and your team might be on a heavily-trafficked road, or you have a small space to work in. Road work always involves some element of danger - whether it’s cars on the road, or heavy equipment, or both.

To keep you and your co-workers safe during road work and manhole repairs, we offer a list of safety tips. To learn more about manhole repair safety, be sure to check out our training center.

High-Visibility Clothing

Drivers may be distracted by things - the traffic, their phones, the radio, etc. By wearing bright clothing and headgear, you and your team members will stand out. This is especially important during night or evening operations.

Keep drivers on the road aware of your presence by wearing clothing that makes you stand out as much as possible.

Be Aware

Not only should you be cautious in watching your own back, but you should be keeping an eye on your co-workers. When you’ve been on the job site for several hours, you may lose focus and put the dangers in the back of your mind. It’s a good practice to assume motorists are driving distracted and won’t always take the correct safety measures around your work site.

Assign Spotters

Forgetting about the traffic dangers can put you at greater risk. If a task doesn’t require all hands on deck, consider choosing a couple of your team members to watch the work site and direct traffic if necessary. They could make your job site significantly safer and it will give your team peace of mind as you work.

Use Parking Brakes

Vehicles and equipment parked on the site should always have parking brakes applied. When vehicles aren’t in use, make sure they’ll stay firmly in place. This is especially important if the road is on an incline. In this case, you should also consider chocking the tires.

Use Seat Belts

When you are operating vehicles or equipment on the job site, take the time to secure your seat belt. In the event that a car crashes into your work site and collides with your vehicles or equipment, you’ll be safely restrained.

Make Eye Contact Before Moving Equipment

Here’s a good safety tip: Before moving equipment or vehicles, be sure to make eye contact with each worker on the site. This will help you recognize and remember where everyone is before you start moving equipment. Keeping tabs on your co-workers this way will help you navigate safely.

Train Workers on Safety

Make sure your team is properly trained on workplace safety, and if they haven’t been trained in a while, a refresher course would be a good idea.

Not only is general safety critical, but it’s also important to make sure every team member has been trained and qualified to operate equipment. This is not only for their safety, but for your team’s safety, and the safety of driver’s on the road.

Taking safety measures can be time consuming and may seem to slow projects down. But it can be the deciding factor between life and death. So take the time, and make sure your team is safe on every job.