ATSSA Worker Protection Toolkit now available

ATSSA now offers a Worker Protection Toolkit that will help the industry prevent roadway worker injuries and be equipped to respond in case of an injury or death.

“The overarching goal is to protect the lives of roadway workers,” said ATSSA Vice President of Member Services Donna Clark. “That is why this toolkit was designed to provide assistance in properly training workers. We recognize, however, that tragedies can occur so we also provide a roadmap for employers in case the worst happens.”

The Worker Protection Toolkit is the result of efforts by the Roadway Worker Protection Council. The RWP Council grew out of a Roadway Worker Protection Summit held during ATSSA’s 2021 Convention & Traffic Expo.

The Toolkit is free to ATSSA members via digital download and available for online purchase by non-members. It currently includes six documents but is expected to expand as the RWP Council continues its work.

Documents currently include:

• Work Zone Training and Resource Guide – Excel chart for tracking the training of eight categories of employees: flagger, flagger instructor trainer (FIT), traffic control technician (TCT), traffic control supervisor (TCS), pavement marking technician (PMT), guardrail installer, utility operations and truck-mounted attenuator operator (TMA).
• Work Zone Terminology for New Employees – 12-page document with color images and illustrations designed for new employees and traffic control technicians.
• Incident Investigation Checklists – 11 pages of checklists and incident reports designed for crews/employees and managers/owners
• Emergency Response (Management) – Checklist designed for management to use as an emergency response resource
• Emergency Response (Additional recommendations) – Checklist of recommendations for management
• Emergency Scene Response (Field Document) – Steps for workers or management to use out in the field in an emergency situation

The checklists will be used to create an online training module that is expected to be developed next year.

The toolkit was unanimously approved during the Council’s Feb. 20 meeting at the Annual Convention & Traffic Expo in Phoenix.

The Worker Protection Toolkit and the work of the RWP Council are detailed in the Spring Issue of Roadway Safety magazine.