FHWA Report Recommendations for Contractors’s Safety

According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), heavy construction, mainly trailers, trucks, and buses, has caused a third ratio of fatal crashes in construction zones.

NHTSA has reported a ratio of 29% of similar crashes due to heavy equipment since 2020 till now.

However, contractors’ continuous efforts to meet safety compliance have resulted in a 2% decrease in fatal crashes currently.

The recent report of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in association with NHTSA represents the strategies for heavy construction equipment owners to adopt to create a secure workplace.

Additionally, it includes different factors to consider and mitigate to reduce fatal crashes by heavy machinery operating in the construction zones.

As per the recent data, we do see a decrement in fatal crashes by heavy machinery. However, these machinery still have a high fatal crash ratio in work zones as compared to their usage in non-work zones.

52% of the fatal crashes by heavy machinery have been reported on the interstates, with the ratio divided as per data collected from urban and rural construction zones.

However, as per the incident causes, 46% of the crashes are the result of rear-end collisions.

Though there are several reasons behind these heavy machinery collisions. Mainly the reasons are the physical constraints that operators face during roadway construction projects. Under the same light following are the main obstacles that make navigation hard for heavy construction equipment on construction sites;

• Lane closures 
• Lateral clearances with restricted width of lanes 
• Shotrebed merge 
• Diverge construction surrounding 

The Safety Improvisations As Per The FHWA Report

The existing regulations for using heavy machinery have covered a basic outline for protecting workers on site.

Conversely, the FHWA reports aim to directly quote the prompt voluntary actions that can add up to increasing workers’s safety from fatal crashes by heavy machinery;

As per the report, the most essential component is engineering. Now what comes under engineering is the analysis, relevant design, and implementation of a layout that prevents crash cases. This also includes the conduction of staff training.

Advise all contractors to train workers about safe exits in case of a mishap. The design plan must follow easy access points.

Additionally, reckless or ignorant worker’s behavior toward compliance must not be tolerated at any cost.

How FHWA Promotes Heavy Machinery’s Driver Safety?

Training the driver is the foremost step to prevent fatal heavy machinery crashes. Keeping in mind that drivers are the main heroes and victims of these fatal incidents FHWA promotes educating driver campaigns.

According to the FHWA safety report, the driver’s educational session must cover;

• Safety campaigns for a positive behavioral approach
• Development and announcement of public service messages for the safety of people in the vehicle and on the road 
• The training targeted drivers of all age groups 

Moreover, FHWA strictly abides contractors to follow all the driver safety regulations. If found guilty, contractors or fleet owners will be charged with serious penalties. As a penalty, you have to bear;

• Driver license cancellation
• legal notice against the owner
• hefty penalty charges

In addition, before hiring any truck or trailer driver the company must go through their driver’s license and similar training certifications.

Further Recommendations By FHWA Report

All and all the FHWA report emphasizes planning approaches that are project engineers and drivers to create a safe zone. The report recommends the adoption of the project-by-project basis principle.

Through this principle can discuss acceleration/deceleration points on the roadway.

It will further serve as a helping aid to ease and promote awareness among drivers about safe entry and exit zones.