12 Aug Traffic Control / Work Zones – JSA

Traffic Control / Work Zones Job Safety Analysis (JSA)

Job / Task

Establishment, operation, inspection, adjustment, and removal of temporary traffic control and work zones where employees may be exposed to public traffic, construction vehicles, mobile equipment, pedestrians, or changing roadway conditions.

Purpose

This Job Safety Analysis (JSA), also known as a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), identifies hazards associated with traffic control and work zones and establishes safe work practices and controls to prevent struck-by incidents, vehicle collisions, equipment-pedestrian conflicts, falls, and other injuries to workers and the public.

Personnel Qualifications

Employees performing traffic-control duties shall be trained and authorized for their assigned responsibilities. Flaggers and other personnel performing specialized traffic-control functions shall meet applicable training and qualification requirements.

Employees shall:

• Understand the approved traffic-control plan or applicable temporary traffic-control layout before work begins.
• Recognize traffic, pedestrian, equipment, visibility, weather, and work-zone hazards.
• Know the proper placement and use of signs, cones, channelizing devices, barricades, and other traffic-control devices.
• Perform flagging duties only when trained and authorized.
• Wear required high-visibility safety apparel and other PPE.
• Maintain awareness of traffic and avoid turning their back on approaching vehicles when exposed.
• Use designated access and egress routes for work vehicles and equipment.
• Stop work and notify supervision when traffic-control devices are displaced, conditions change, or the work zone cannot be maintained safely.

Required PPE

PPE shall be selected based on traffic exposure, work activity, and site conditions and may include:

• High-visibility safety apparel appropriate for the work and traffic conditions.
• Hard hat where head, overhead, or construction hazards exist.
• Safety glasses with side protection.
• Safety footwear with appropriate toe protection and slip-resistant soles.
• Work gloves appropriate for handling traffic-control devices and materials.
• Hearing protection where noise exposure requires it.
• Weather-appropriate protective clothing.
• Additional task-specific PPE required by the work activity or site.

PPE does not replace an effective traffic-control plan, positive protection, channelizing devices, safe work-zone layout, spotters, or other required engineering and administrative controls.

JSA – Job Steps, Hazards, and Controls

Step 1 – Plan the Traffic Control / Work Zone

Potential Hazards

• Inadequate traffic-control layout.
• High-speed traffic.
• Poor sight distance.
• Pedestrian conflicts.
• Conflicting construction operations.
• Emergency-access restrictions.

Required Controls

• Review the scope of work and approved traffic-control plan before setup begins.
• Identify roadway speed, traffic volume, intersections, curves, hills, driveways, pedestrian routes, bicycle traffic, and other site conditions.
• Determine required signs, channelizing devices, barriers, flaggers, lighting, and other controls.
• Coordinate traffic control with affected contractors, property owners, agencies, and emergency services as required.
• Modify the plan only through authorized procedures when field conditions require changes.

Step 2 – Inspect the Area Before Setup

Potential Hazards

• Live traffic exposure.
• Uneven terrain.
• Limited visibility.
• Overhead or roadside hazards.
• Unsafe parking or staging.

Required Controls

• Inspect the proposed work zone from a safe location.
• Identify safe staging, parking, access, and escape areas.
• Evaluate sight distance and approach conditions.
• Identify utilities, drop-offs, shoulders, medians, slopes, and other hazards.
• Plan setup so employees spend the minimum practical time exposed to live traffic.

Step 3 – Stage Traffic-Control Devices

Potential Hazards

• Struck-by incidents.
• Manual handling injuries.
• Vehicle movement.
• Devices falling from vehicles.
• Blocked visibility.

Required Controls

• Stage signs, cones, drums, barricades, and other devices in a safe location before deployment.
• Secure devices during transport.
• Use mechanical assistance when practical for heavy or bulky devices.
• Keep personnel clear of backing vehicles.
• Use a spotter when vehicle movement cannot be safely completed by the driver alone.
• Do not stage equipment where it obstructs traffic sight lines or pedestrian routes.

Step 4 – Install Advance Warning Signs

Potential Hazards

• Exposure to approaching traffic.
• Struck-by incidents.
• Slips, trips, and falls.
• Improper sign placement.
• Manual handling injuries.

Required Controls

• Install warning devices in the sequence and spacing required by the approved plan and applicable traffic-control standard.
• Whenever practical, work from the safest side of the roadway and face approaching traffic.
• Use a protective vehicle, shadow vehicle, spotter, or other controls where required.
• Do not step into a live travel lane without required protection.
• Ensure signs are stable, visible, properly oriented, and not obstructed.

Step 5 – Install Channelizing Devices and Tapers

Potential Hazards

• Vehicle intrusion.
• Employees struck while placing devices.
• Improper taper or spacing.
• Workers trapped without escape route.

Required Controls

• Place cones, drums, vertical panels, barricades, or other channelizing devices according to the approved plan.
• Maintain an escape route while placing devices.
• Minimize time spent on foot in or adjacent to live traffic lanes.
• Use vehicle-assisted placement methods where authorized and safer.
• Verify devices provide clear, continuous guidance to road users.

Step 6 – Establish the Activity Area and Buffer Space

Potential Hazards

• Vehicle intrusion into work space.
• Employees working too close to traffic.
• Equipment entering buffer space.
• Insufficient separation.

Required Controls

• Establish required longitudinal and lateral buffer spaces.
• Keep employees, equipment, materials, and vehicles out of buffer spaces except where specifically permitted by the traffic-control plan.
• Use barriers, truck-mounted attenuators, channelizing devices, or other positive protection where required or appropriate.
• Maintain sufficient separation between workers and moving traffic.

Step 7 – Perform Flagging Operations

Potential Hazards

• Flagger struck by vehicle.
• Driver confusion.
• Poor visibility.
• Inadequate escape route.
• Distraction or fatigue.

Required Controls

• Only trained and authorized flaggers shall direct traffic.
• Use approved STOP/SLOW paddles or other authorized signaling devices.
• Stand in a location with adequate visibility and a planned escape route.
• Remain attentive and face traffic while controlling it.
• Do not use phones, headphones, or engage in distracting activities while flagging.
• Coordinate with other flaggers using an established communication method.
• Never stand directly in the path of an approaching vehicle.

Step 8 – Control Construction Vehicle and Equipment Entry / Exit

Potential Hazards

• Collisions with public traffic.
• Backing incidents.
• Struck-by pedestrians or workers.
• Mud or debris tracked onto roadway.

Required Controls

• Use designated work-zone access and egress points.
• Use spotters when operators have restricted visibility or when entering congested areas.
• Coordinate vehicle movements with flaggers when required.
• Minimize backing whenever practical.
• Keep pedestrians and ground personnel clear of equipment blind spots.
• Remove or control mud, debris, and materials tracked onto public travel lanes.

Step 9 – Maintain Pedestrian and Bicycle Access

Potential Hazards

• Pedestrians entering work area.
• Trips and falls.
• Inaccessible detours.
• Bicyclist conflicts with vehicles or equipment.

Required Controls

• Maintain safe pedestrian and bicycle routes as required by the traffic-control plan.
• Provide clearly marked detours where normal routes are closed.
• Use physical separation where pedestrians could enter hazardous work areas.
• Maintain accessible routes where required.
• Keep temporary routes clear, stable, and free of unnecessary hazards.
• Do not direct pedestrians into live traffic or equipment operating zones.

Step 10 – Work Within the Traffic-Controlled Area

Potential Hazards

• Vehicle intrusion.
• Struck-by or caught-between injuries.
• Workers outside protected area.
• Equipment swing or backing hazards.

Required Controls

• Remain within designated protected work areas whenever practical.
• Do not cross live traffic lanes unless required and appropriately controlled.
• Maintain awareness of traffic even within the work zone.
• Use spotters and equipment exclusion zones as required.
• Keep workers out of equipment blind spots and swing radii.
• Do not rely solely on cones or apparel to protect employees from moving vehicles where additional controls are necessary.

Step 11 – Inspect and Maintain the Work Zone

Potential Hazards

• Displaced signs or devices.
• Changed traffic patterns.
• Poor visibility.
• Weather impacts.
• Nighttime hazards.

Required Controls

• Inspect the work zone at appropriate intervals and after events that may affect traffic-control devices.
• Immediately correct displaced, damaged, missing, or ineffective devices.
• Cover or remove signs that no longer apply.
• Adjust controls when traffic, weather, lighting, work location, or site conditions change.
• Ensure nighttime devices, lighting, and retroreflective elements remain effective.
• Document inspections when required.

Step 12 – Respond to Vehicle Intrusion or Emergency

Potential Hazards

• Worker injury.
• Secondary collision.
• Traffic congestion.
• Emergency responders entering work zone.

Required Controls

• Move to a predetermined escape area when a vehicle enters the work space.
• Do not attempt to physically stop an intruding vehicle.
• Call emergency services when required.
• Warn other workers and stop affected operations.
• Preserve emergency access and coordinate with responders.
• Inspect and restore traffic-control devices before work resumes.

Step 13 – Remove Traffic-Control Devices

Potential Hazards

• Struck-by incidents.
• Premature reopening of lanes.
• Manual handling injuries.
• Traffic confusion.

Required Controls

• Remove traffic-control devices in a planned sequence that maintains worker protection until exposure has ended.
• Whenever practical, remove devices in the reverse order of installation so advance warning remains in place while downstream devices are removed.
• Use protective vehicles, spotters, or other controls as required.
• Do not reopen a lane or route until workers, equipment, materials, and hazards are clear.
• Secure devices on transport vehicles before departure.

Step 14 – Final Inspection and Restore Normal Traffic

Potential Hazards

• Residual debris or hazards.
• Incorrect signs left in place.
• Workers or equipment remaining in traffic area.
• Unsafe roadway condition.

Required Controls

• Perform a final inspection before restoring normal traffic.
• Remove or cover temporary signs and devices that no longer apply.
• Verify lanes, shoulders, sidewalks, and access points are clear of tools, debris, and materials.
• Confirm pavement, temporary surfaces, covers, and other affected areas are safe for traffic.
• Notify the responsible party that traffic control has been removed or modified as required.

General Safe Work Requirements

• Temporary traffic control shall follow the approved traffic-control plan and applicable federal, state, local, and project requirements.
• Workers exposed to vehicular traffic shall wear required high-visibility safety apparel.
• Traffic-control devices shall be installed, maintained, and removed so they provide clear and consistent guidance to road users.
• Use positive protection, barriers, shadow vehicles, truck-mounted attenuators, or other protective systems when required by the traffic-control plan or conditions.
• Maintain escape routes for employees exposed to approaching traffic.
• Keep employees out of vehicle blind spots, equipment swing radii, and buffer spaces.
• Maintain safe pedestrian and bicycle routes when affected by the work.
• Inspect traffic-control devices and correct deficiencies promptly.
• Do not allow unauthorized personnel to direct public traffic.
• Stop work whenever traffic conditions, visibility, weather, or displaced controls create an uncontrolled hazard.

Training

Employees shall receive training appropriate to their traffic-control responsibilities. Training shall include work-zone hazards, traffic-control devices, high-visibility apparel, safe device placement and removal, equipment and pedestrian interaction, escape routes, emergency procedures, and stop-work expectations. Flaggers and other personnel with specialized traffic-control duties shall meet applicable training and qualification requirements.

References

• OSHA 29 CFR 1926.200 – Accident Prevention Signs and Tags.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926.201 – Signaling.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926.202 – Barricades.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart O – Motor Vehicles, Mechanized Equipment, and Marine Operations.
• Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), current applicable edition.
• Applicable state and local temporary traffic-control requirements.

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