Working while maintaining safety precautions on the public road is vital to handle traffic safety. If you’re an asphalt, road builder, road cleaner, or cable layer working on the road or alongside, you need to consider safety measurements. This article will discuss the rules and safety measures you must consider. 

What Are The Risks Related to Roadside Working?

You’d have to handle risks when you work on or off roads. So if you have been working roadside, you must focus on your safety. This is vital to protect the safety of your colleagues and the public. As there are many responsibilities related to working on roads and roadsides, you have to prepare yourself for it. 

If you want to maintain safety at work, you should consider the following things:

• Action window 
• Beacon light 
• Signal clothing 
• Traffic cone 
• Botsabsorber 
• Sheilds/Guide Beacons
• Traffic cone 

Traffic Cones And Working Along Public Roads

One of the best ways to work alongside public roads is to have traffic cones for safety. Using these cones, you can secure the area you want to work on without difficulty. Once you close off the area, you can work uninterrupted. 

It’s vital to focus on two factors when you are using these cones to secure the area: 

• Traffic cones have to be at least around 0.75m high. 
• Traffic cones should be in fluorescent color. 

Apart from these, it’s also important that these cones are actually cone-shaped. The traffic cones must have a square base plate. This ensures that the cones won’t fall over. This is why the base plate usually comes with 4 to 8 sides; 4 is the minimum. 

Guide Beacons/Signs And Working Along Public Roads

You can also use shields or guide posts to cordon off roads that you want to work on. These are 1.40m high on average and have diagonal white and red stripes. The road users get instructions on to pass these beacons and which side to take. 

Along with that, the signs and guide beacons have to abide by the requirements below: 

• The plane’s height of red and white stripes should be 1m.
• The plane’s height under it for the red and white stripes should be <0.25m. 
• The width for the red and white stripes should be 0.25m.
• The foot space’s width should be <0.50m. 

Action Frames And Working Along Public Roads

When working with action windows, you need to know the differences between the action windows. And they are:

• A small window with one road sign.
• A large window and two road signs on the vehicle. 
• An action window with two road signs.

All the different action frameworks have their own rules. Let’s check them out. 

Work vehicle: A small window with one road sign

An action framework with a small window and a traffic sign on a vehicle means a zero point for work that is short-term. For example, a roadside mover’s work might come under this. This action window can only be used if the work is beside the road or if it’s on cycle trails. Or sometimes, it can be used on really quiet roads with low intensity and speed. For example, it could be roads with real 60-km rides. 

A small window with one road sign consists of the following characteristics: 

• The board’s width, which is made of red and white reflective material, should be 0.20m. 
• The width and height are based on the traffic sign. So for a traffic sign with type 2, it’ll be 1.30m x 1.30m in dimensions. 
• The window will go along with D02 or J16 traffic signs. 
• The distance of the J16 traffic sign from the bottom should be a minimum of 1.20m, and the highest should be 3m. So the action window’s distance from the bottom to the ground should be at least 1m. 

There’s something vital about LED beacons in yellow. When considering a small frame with a traffic sign, you don’t have to focus on LED flashers for the action frames. This is only if the vehicle’s LED beacon offers enough visibility. 

But if you want to ensure safety on the road, it’s recommended. If placing flashers, make sure to adhere to the following rules:

• Keep them on the action frame’s quadrangles. 
• Be round
• It should have at least 180mm of diameter and a maximum of 200 mm diameter. 
• It must be in yellow. 

Action trolley: A large window and two road signs on it 

Compared to the small frame, this one is used as a zero point during driving offenses. This is used on urban roads and the ones with 80 km/h rules. If you are concerned about the placement of the frame, fret not. You can place it in the vehicle’s rear. But in practical scenarios, it looks nearly impossible because of its dimensions. Usually, we encounter large action frames along with LED flashers when it’s used in a trailer. 

A large frame with two road signs consists of the following characteristics: 

• The boards’ width should be 0.30m
• The width and height should be 1.70m and 3.30m, respectively. 
• The longitudinal direction is the only possible placement. 
• 4 round altering yellow lights with a diameter of at least 180 mm and a maximum of 300mm can be placed on the active window. 
• The sign’s distance from the bottom should be a minimum of 1.20m.
• A yellow flashing light must be on the vehicle. 

Work Vehicle: An action window with two road signs 

You can secure a certain area of the road using another option. So this is the 3rd option, which is used in the working vehicle — an action window with two road signs. In certain instances, this option might be used in working vehicles.

If you’re thinking about the characteristics, they are similar to the ones in the action window placed on a vehicle. The difference you’ll notice is the design. It’s less than 2.00m x 1.30m. And also, it has a 0.20m planking width. 

You can also place the frame in vertical and horizontal directions on the vehicle. This is allowed only on roads with blue and red indications mentioned in the layout of the road. Large action frames are for the orange roads. It’s important to have them in the outer built-up sections. 

It’s crucial to have this because of the road traffic’s intensity and speed. This could be placed on a tractor. However, this isn’t practical in real-case scenarios. For instance, if you are placing the action frame on your tractor along with a trailer, you’ll not be able to do it. It will only make your work challenging. 

Action frame transportation 

You should remember that when traveling to your desired destination in normal road conditions, you shouldn’t keep the action window visible on your vehicle. It should be visible when it’s temporary work.

LED flashers from us for safe roadside working 

It’s advisable to pair LED flashers with an action frame. When you have them, you can see the road surface and the ongoing work in better lighting.

Apart from this, the flasher helps place an arrow, or if you prefer any other signs to communicate. This will make things easy for road users.

They can decide the side they should take by looking at the sign. It also ensures that you have a safe working road when it’s dark. This is why it’s recommended to pair action frames with LED flashers. 

Orange LED flashing light and Working on Public Roads 

You know many ways to warn road users, but there’s more. Yes, we’re talking about the flashing light application. This application is for vehicles that might cause danger or a vehicle’s moving deposition.

Agricultural tractors transporting land are one of the best examples. If your vehicle is higher than 2.6m wide, you must add an Amber beacon (LED) to your vehicle. 

You must have a flashing light when the parking position of your vehicle is dangerous. If you are using a flashing beam or flashing light in a situation as such, you can warn the passing traffic. 

LED beacon must adhere to the following requirement: 

• The light should be amber.
• The flashing light must be visible from all sides. Road users can see the light from far and in all directions if it is used that way. 
• The electron torch must not be used if you are considering LED beacons. You can better use a flashing light. This helps road users to understand the distance between the moving barrier and the vehicle. 
• The placement of the flashing light should not surpass the vehicle’s height. As for the Vehicle Regulations, 4m is the legal requirement. 

Signal clothing and working along public roads

You can enjoy a lit workplace by following the rules mentioned above. But what about you? Have you taken all measures to ensure your safety? If you want to work on the road, you must wear the ideal signal clothing to be safe. Wearing this suit makes you visible to road users. 

You will not be thinking about anything else while working on your task. So you will mainly be focused on doing it than checking the oncoming traffic. So when you wear signal clothing, you are like the roadblock so that road users will see you.  

Working safely while wearing signal clothing 

The NEN-EN 471 standard is what sets the rules for the signal clothing. So your clothes must comply with that. This says that the clothing should be fluorescent material and retro-reflective.

These materials are used because they’ll be visible regardless of the time of the day. The fluorescent materials work well when it’s daylight. The retro-reflective stripes will provide an amazing light output when the headlight shines on them. 

Purchase your products with us to work safely on the roadside

Our top priority is traffic safety. Each and every day, we aim to offer the best services to our partners to get the brightest light. This will make them work better in good conditions. You can find various types of LED lights with excellent quality for a wide range of vehicles. We offer multiple barriers such as LED lights, flashers, beacon bars, and beacons for your traffic safety. Contact us if you want to know more about our products and service.