Significance

• The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), states that 720 highway work zone fatalities took place in 2008. Crashes, or "struck-by" accidents, are the most common occupational accidents seen in highway construction.
  
  

Features

• For highway construction projects, the setup of work zone barricades, signs and flags is mandatory to alert highway drivers of the anticipated roadwork and to protect construction workers' lives. OSHA has regulations for flagger visibility and requirements for sign shape and size. For example, flaggers must be visible at a minimum distance of 1,000 feet to give drivers an adequate amount of time to prepare for upcoming construction.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Construction workers can minimize injuries on the highway by wearing personal protective equipment. For example, reflective work vests protect workers during nighttime projects, when illumination is a concern. The FHWA says that highway construction workers should wear fluorescent colors because they enhance visibility.