Paving Contractor Safety Manual

Paving Contractor Safety Programs

The safety programs needed by a paving contractor depend on the work performed and hazards employees encounter. A typical manual may include programs covering:

• Asphalt Safety
• Heavy Equipment Safety
• Traffic Control and Work Zone Safety
• Flagger Safety
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Heat Stress Prevention
• Silica Exposure Control
• Respiratory Protection
• Hearing Conservation
• Hazard Communication
• Lockout/Tagout
• Machine Guarding
• Driving and Fleet Safety
• Manual Lifting and Material Handling
• Job Safety Analysis
• Emergency Action Plan
• First Aid
• Fire Prevention
• Hand and Power Tool Safety
• Excavation and Trenching Safety

Programs that do not apply to the contractor’s operations can be removed, while additional programs should be included when specialized work creates additional hazards.

Asphalt Paving Safety

Asphalt paving operations combine moving equipment, hot materials, vehicle traffic, uneven surfaces, noise, heat, fumes, and continuously changing work areas.

Before paving begins, the contractor should evaluate:

• Traffic conditions
• Work-zone layout
• Equipment movement
• Dump-truck routes
• Employee positioning
• Pedestrian routes
• Material delivery
• Overhead hazards
• Underground utilities
• Weather
• Lighting
• Emergency access

Employees should understand the paving sequence and remain aware of moving equipment throughout the operation.

Hot Asphalt Safety

Hot asphalt can cause severe thermal burns.

Employees working around hot-mix asphalt should avoid direct skin contact and wear PPE appropriate for the task.

Protection may include:

• Long sleeves
• Long pants
• Gloves
• Protective footwear
• Eye protection
• Face protection when splash hazards exist

Employees should avoid positioning themselves where hot asphalt could splash or spill onto them.

Burns involving hot asphalt should receive prompt first-aid and medical attention as appropriate.

Asphalt Fumes and Vapors

Heating and placing asphalt may expose employees to fumes and vapors.

Exposure should be minimized through appropriate work practices, equipment design, ventilation where applicable, employee positioning, and other controls.

Employees should avoid unnecessarily positioning themselves directly in visible asphalt fumes.

Unusual odors, excessive fumes, equipment malfunctions, or employee symptoms should be reported promptly.

Paving Machine Safety

Asphalt pavers contain conveyors, augers, screeds, hydraulic systems, hot surfaces, moving components, and numerous pinch and crush points.

Only trained and authorized employees should operate paving equipment.

Before operation:

• Perform required inspections.
• Verify alarms and safety devices.
• Check guards.
• Inspect access steps and handholds.
• Check fluid levels and visible leaks.
• Inspect lights when required.
• Verify communication procedures.

Employees should remain clear of augers, conveyors, screeds, and other moving components.

Employees should never enter hazardous areas around moving components unless the equipment has been shut down and hazardous energy appropriately controlled.

Paver Operator Safety

Paver operators should maintain awareness of employees, trucks, equipment, traffic, and changing surface conditions.

Operators should:

• Use designated access points.
• Maintain three points of contact when mounting and dismounting.
• Keep platforms free of unnecessary materials.
• Avoid distractions.
• Maintain communication with ground personnel.
• Follow safe startup and shutdown procedures.
• Verify that employees are clear before movement.

Equipment should not be operated when visibility is inadequate unless appropriate controls are established.

Screed Operator Safety

Employees working around the screed may be exposed to hot surfaces, traffic, moving equipment, pinch points, and uneven walking surfaces.

Screed operators should:

• Maintain safe positioning.
• Avoid pinch points.
• Use designated walkways or platforms.
• Stay alert to paver movement.
• Communicate with the operator.
• Avoid contact with hot components.
• Keep work areas orderly.

Employees should not ride on equipment unless a safe position designed for employee occupancy is provided.

Asphalt Roller Safety

Rollers can create serious struck-by, caught-between, and rollover hazards.

Operators should:

• Inspect equipment before use.
• Wear seat belts when provided.
• Maintain visibility.
• Observe grade and edge conditions.
• Control speed.
• Remain alert to ground employees.
• Avoid unsafe operation near drop-offs, shoulders, excavations, and unstable surfaces.

Ground employees should avoid entering roller travel paths.

Communication should be established when employees must work near operating rollers.

Milling Machine Safety

Milling machines expose employees to moving machinery, conveyors, rotating cutting drums, silica-containing dust, noise, traffic, and heavy equipment.

Before milling begins:

• Inspect the machine.
• Establish traffic control.
• Identify employee work areas.
• Establish communication procedures.
• Verify required dust controls.
• Check alarms and warning devices.
• Evaluate overhead and underground hazards.

Employees should remain clear of cutting drums and conveyors while equipment is operating.

Servicing, clearing jams, or accessing hazardous components should be performed only after appropriate energy-control procedures have been implemented.

Silica Exposure During Milling and Cutting

Milling, cutting, grinding, drilling, and other activities involving asphalt pavement, concrete, masonry, or aggregate may expose employees to respirable crystalline silica.

The contractor should evaluate silica-generating tasks and implement required controls.

Controls may include:

• Water-delivery systems
• Dust suppression
• Local exhaust or vacuum systems
• Enclosed operator stations
• Appropriate work practices
• Respiratory protection when required

When applicable, the company should maintain a written Silica Exposure Control Plan and designate a competent person to implement the plan.

Saw Cutting

Paving contractors may use walk-behind saws, handheld cutoff saws, and other equipment to cut asphalt or concrete pavement.

Employees should:

• Inspect saws before use.
• Use the correct blade.
• Maintain guards.
• Use required silica controls.
• Wear appropriate PPE.
• Keep employees away from the cutting area.
• Maintain stable footing.
• Control hoses and cords.
• Follow manufacturer instructions.

Damaged blades should be removed from service.

Dump Truck Safety

Dump trucks delivering asphalt create significant struck-by, backing, pinch-point, and overhead hazards.

Truck movement should be coordinated with the paving crew.

Employees should:

• Stay out of truck blind spots.
• Avoid standing between trucks and paving equipment.
• Maintain communication with drivers.
• Remain clear of raised dump bodies.
• Keep unnecessary employees out of truck travel paths.
• Use spotters when appropriate.

Drivers should follow established routes and site traffic-control procedures.

Backing Safety

Backing vehicles and heavy equipment are major hazards on paving projects.

Whenever practical, work should be arranged to reduce unnecessary backing.

Controls may include:

• Designated travel routes
• Spotters
• Backing alarms
• Cameras
• Mirrors
• High-visibility apparel
• Restricted pedestrian areas
• Communication procedures

Employees should never assume that an equipment operator can see them.

Ground employees should make eye contact or otherwise establish communication before approaching operating equipment.

Internal Traffic Control

In addition to protecting employees from public traffic, paving contractors should control construction vehicles and equipment moving within the work zone.

An internal traffic-control approach may address:

• Equipment travel routes
• Dump-truck staging
• Backing areas
• Employee walkways
• Material delivery
• Equipment parking
• Blind spots
• Restricted areas

Separating workers on foot from moving equipment whenever practical can substantially reduce struck-by hazards.

Work Zone Traffic Control

Paving contractors frequently work adjacent to moving public traffic.

Traffic-control systems should be established before employees begin work in exposed areas.

Depending on the project, controls may include:

• Signs
• Cones
• Drums
• Barricades
• Channelizing devices
• Arrow boards
• Temporary barriers
• Flaggers
• Truck-entry controls
• Advance warning

Traffic-control devices should be inspected and adjusted as work conditions change.

Flagger Safety

Flaggers may be exposed directly to moving vehicles and should receive appropriate training.

Flaggers should:

• Wear required high-visibility apparel.
• Stand where they are visible to approaching motorists.
• Maintain an escape route.
• Avoid unnecessary distractions.
• Use approved signaling methods.
• Remain alert to traffic from all directions.
• Coordinate with other flaggers when required.

Flaggers should not position themselves where construction equipment or public traffic could trap them against fixed objects.

Working Adjacent to Live Traffic

Employees working near live traffic should remain inside established work areas whenever practical.

Workers should avoid turning their backs to traffic unnecessarily and remain aware of vehicles that may enter the work zone.

Equipment, materials, and employee vehicles should be positioned to minimize exposure.

Work-zone layouts should be adjusted when project phases or traffic patterns change.

High-Visibility Apparel

Employees exposed to vehicle and equipment traffic should wear high-visibility apparel appropriate for the work environment and applicable requirements.

Garments should be maintained so they remain visible.

Night work and low-visibility conditions may require additional consideration.

Heavy Equipment Safety

Paving operations may involve:

• Pavers
• Rollers
• Milling machines
• Motor graders
• Skid-steer loaders
• Compact track loaders
• Front-end loaders
• Excavators
• Sweepers
• Water trucks
• Material transfer vehicles
• Dump trucks

Only trained and authorized employees should operate equipment.

Operators should perform required inspections and follow manufacturer instructions.

Employees on foot should remain clear of equipment operating zones.

Blind Spots

Large construction equipment can have substantial areas around the machine that are not visible to the operator.

Employees should learn the blind spots associated with equipment used on the project.

Ground workers should:

• Avoid equipment operating zones.
• Establish communication before approaching.
• Wear high-visibility apparel.
• Avoid walking behind equipment.
• Never assume the operator can see them.

Operators should stop equipment when employee location is uncertain.

Caught-Between and Pinch-Point Hazards

Paving employees can be caught between:

• Pavers and dump trucks
• Rollers and fixed objects
• Equipment and barriers
• Vehicles and structures
• Moving equipment components
• Materials and machinery

Employees should avoid placing themselves between moving equipment and fixed objects.

Safe positioning should be emphasized during equipment training and pre-job planning.

Equipment Inspection

Mobile equipment should be inspected before use as required.

Inspections may include:

• Brakes
• Steering
• Tires or tracks
• Lights
• Horns
• Backup alarms
• Cameras
• Mirrors
• Seat belts
• Hydraulic systems
• Guards
• Access steps
• Handrails
• Fire extinguishers
• Fluid leaks

Defects affecting safe operation should be corrected before equipment is returned to service.

Equipment Maintenance and Lockout/Tagout

Maintenance and repair of paving equipment may expose employees to stored hydraulic pressure, moving components, electrical energy, elevated equipment parts, heat, and other hazardous energy.

Before servicing equipment:

• Shut equipment down.
• Secure against movement.
• Lower attachments when practical.
• Block or support elevated components when required.
• Control hazardous energy.
• Allow hot components to cool when necessary.

Employees should not work beneath unsupported raised dump bodies, screeds, beds, attachments, or other equipment components.

Fueling Safety

Fueling operations can expose employees to fire, explosion, spills, and vehicle movement.

Employees should:

• Shut down equipment when required.
• Control ignition sources.
• Avoid smoking.
• Use approved containers and fueling equipment.
• Clean up spills promptly.
• Maintain fire extinguishers where required.

Fuel should be stored and handled according to applicable requirements.

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE requirements should be based on the hazards associated with each task.

Common paving PPE may include:

• Hard hats
• Safety glasses
• Face shields
• High-visibility apparel
• Work gloves
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Safety-toe footwear
• Hearing protection
• Respiratory protection
• Other task-specific equipment

Employees should inspect PPE before use and replace damaged equipment.

Hearing Conservation

Pavers, rollers, milling machines, saws, compactors, trucks, and other paving equipment may produce hazardous noise.

The contractor should evaluate employee noise exposures and implement a hearing conservation program when required.

Controls may include:

• Equipment maintenance
• Enclosed operator stations
• Increased distance
• Limiting exposure duration
• Hearing protection

Employees should receive training in the proper use and care of required hearing protection.

Heat Stress

Paving employees may work in direct sunlight around hot asphalt and heat-producing equipment while performing physically demanding tasks.

Heat illness prevention should address:

• Drinking water
• Rest breaks
• Shade
• Acclimatization
• Work scheduling
• Employee monitoring
• Recognition of heat illness
• Emergency response

Supervisors should consider both environmental heat and heat generated by paving materials and equipment.

Sun Exposure

Employees working outdoors for extended periods may be exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

Employees should be encouraged to use appropriate protection such as:

• Work clothing
• Hard-hat shades when appropriate
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses compatible with required eye protection

Work practices should also consider extreme heat and prolonged direct sun exposure.

Hazard Communication

Paving employees may work with asphalt products, fuels, hydraulic fluids, solvents, paints, traffic-marking materials, concrete products, cleaning chemicals, and other hazardous materials.

The Hazard Communication Program should address:

• Chemical inventory
• Container labeling
• Safety Data Sheets
• Employee training
• Chemical storage
• Non-routine tasks
• Protective measures

Employees should understand the hazards associated with products they use.

Manual Lifting and Material Handling

Employees may manually handle:

• Traffic-control devices
• Asphalt tools
• Bags and containers
• Equipment parts
• Saw-cutting equipment
• Fuel containers
• Materials and supplies

Employees should evaluate loads before lifting and use team lifting or mechanical assistance when appropriate.

Work should be organized to reduce repetitive lifting and unnecessary carrying.

Hand and Power Tool Safety

Paving contractors may use:

• Cutoff saws
• Walk-behind saws
• Grinders
• Drills
• Impact tools
• Tampers
• Compactors
• Hand tools

Tools should be inspected before use and operated according to manufacturer instructions.

Guards and safety devices should not be removed or defeated.

Damaged tools should be removed from service.

Night Paving Operations

Night work can increase hazards associated with visibility, fatigue, traffic, equipment movement, and glare.

Night paving should include adequate illumination without creating hazardous glare for employees or motorists.

Planning should address:

• Work-zone visibility
• Equipment lighting
• Employee visibility
• Shadowed areas
• Traffic control
• Fatigue
• Emergency access

Employees should remain particularly alert to changes in traffic patterns and equipment movement.

Excavations, Trenches and Drainage Work

Some paving contractors perform drainage, curb, utility, or roadway work involving excavations and trenches.

Excavation hazards should be evaluated before employees enter or work near excavations.

Planning should address:

• Underground utilities
• Protective systems
• Access and egress
• Spoil placement
• Equipment location
• Water accumulation
• Traffic
• Competent-person inspections

Employees should not enter an excavation unless required protective measures have been established.

Overhead Power Lines

Dump trucks, cranes, material transfer equipment, lighting towers, and other equipment may create hazards near overhead power lines.

Power lines should be identified before work begins.

Required clearances should be maintained, and equipment routes should be planned to prevent inadvertent electrical contact.

Weather Conditions

Rain, lightning, high winds, extreme heat, cold, fog, and other weather conditions can affect paving operations.

Supervisors should evaluate changing conditions and modify or suspend operations when necessary.

Weather can affect:

• Equipment traction
• Employee visibility
• Motorist visibility
• Asphalt placement
• Walking surfaces
• Heat exposure
• Work-zone devices

Housekeeping

Work areas should be maintained to reduce slips, trips, falls, fire hazards, and interference with equipment.

Employees should control:

• Tools
• Hoses
• Cords
• Debris
• Packaging
• Traffic-control equipment
• Materials
• Waste

Walking routes and equipment access areas should remain as clear as practical.

Emergency Procedures

Paving projects should have procedures for foreseeable emergencies.

Planning may address:

• Employee injuries
• Traffic collisions
• Asphalt burns
• Equipment incidents
• Fires
• Fuel spills
• Chemical exposures
• Heat illness
• Severe weather
• Utility strikes

Employees should know how to summon emergency assistance and provide the project location to responders.

Job Safety Analysis

A Job Safety Analysis (JSA) can help paving contractors identify hazards and controls before higher-risk work begins.

JSAs may be appropriate for:

• Asphalt paving
• Paver operation
• Screed operation
• Roller operation
• Milling
• Pavement saw cutting
• Asphalt patching
• Dump-truck operations
• Equipment backing
• Flagging
• Work-zone setup
• Night paving
• Equipment maintenance
• Fueling
• Work near overhead power lines

The JSA should identify the steps of the task, associated hazards, and controls needed to perform the work safely.

Paving Safety Training

Employees should receive training appropriate to their assigned work and exposures.

Training may include:

• Asphalt safety
• Hot-material hazards
• Paving equipment
• Heavy equipment
• Struck-by prevention
• Blind spots
• Backing safety
• Traffic control
• Flagger safety
• Silica exposure
• Heat stress
• PPE
• Hearing conservation
• Hazard communication
• Lockout/tagout
• Emergency procedures

Training should be documented and updated when equipment, procedures, hazards, or regulatory requirements change.

Building a Paving Contractor Safety Manual

A Paving Contractor Safety Manual should be customized to the contractor’s actual operations rather than relying solely on a generic construction safety manual.

A contractor paving residential driveways and commercial parking lots may require a different combination of programs than a highway contractor operating milling machines, material transfer vehicles, multiple paving crews, traffic-control operations, and large fleets of heavy equipment.

The manual should reflect the company’s paving equipment, asphalt operations, milling and cutting activities, traffic exposures, maintenance operations, employee responsibilities, and typical project environments.

The completed safety manual should address the hazards employees actually encounter and provide practical procedures supervisors and employees can use in the field.

When properly developed, the manual supports OSHA compliance, employee training, hazard assessments, JSAs, inspections, incident investigations, project requirements, and the contractor’s overall safety-management system.