“National Stand Down” Aims to Spotlight Struck-by Incidents in Transportation Project Sites

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and its safety allies are hosting a webinar series in English and Spanish next week to highlight the public health dangers and discuss strategies for significantly reducing the number of “struck-by” incidents of workers at transportation project sites.

The 3^rd Annual “National Stand Down” takes on added urgency with the expected proliferation of work zone sites related to the increased federal highway and bridge investment levels in the new, multi-year Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Recent federal data show more than 850 people are killed annually in roadway work zone crashes. And U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that as many as 120 roadway workers lose their lives each year in work zones, making struck-by incidents the leading cause of fatalities and injuries in the transportation construction sector.

“Imagine if your daily workspace was literally just feet away from traffic that speeds by at 65 miles per hour or higher,” says Brad Sant, ARTBA senior vice president of safety and education. “It’s inherently high-risk and underscores why the motoring public and private sector should be working together to help dramatically reduce the human toll of incidents at project sites.”

The webinars, held in conjunction with the April 11-15 National Work Zone Awareness Week, are a partnership of ARTBA with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR).

Featured national safety leaders include:

• Scott Earnest, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
• Laura Huizinga, Lindsay Transportation
• Martha Kapitanov, Federal Highway Administration
• Benjamin Colucci, Center of Technology Transfer in Puerto Rico
• Robert Harrison, MD, MPH, California FACE Program
• Carl Heinlein, American Contractors Insurance Group

Here are the dates and times (all Eastern) for the webinars:

• 1 p.m., April 11: Preventing Struck-by Incidents in Roadway Work Zones
• 3 p.m., April 11: Prevenci—n de Incidentes por Atropellos: Zonas de Trabajo, Equipos Pesados e Impacto de Objetos
• 2 p.m., April 13: What’s the risk? Best Practices to reduce the likelihood of struck-by injuries from heavy equipment and crane activities
• 2 p.m., April 14: Preventing Struck-by Incidents from Dropped Tools & Other Objects

To learn more about struck-by hazards and access handouts and planning materials, visit the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse: www.workzonesafety.org.

Established in 1902, the Washington, D.C.-based ARTBA is the U.S. transportation construction industry’s consensus voice on safety training and policy issues.