- All Forest Service, Including Engineering, Recreation, and Safety
- Fire and Aviation Management
- Law Enforcement and Investigations
Part II—Mitigations
Whether engaged in everyday work activities or emergency operations, employees working along public roadways risk injury from moving vehicles. At times, wearing a high-visibility vest will be the only necessary mitigation. Other situations may require more extensive temporary traffic control measures such as signing, traffic cones, barricades, or road closures. This section of the guide is designed to help you decide what mitigations are needed and also to help you find more detailed information. The MTDC safety training module "Basic Roadside Safety" is a valuable resource for Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management employees (http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/php/library_card.php?p_num=1351%202F01). The presentation is available in HTML media format. If you are unable to view it, a DVD (1351—2D01—MTDC) can be ordered from MTDC. Please call 406–329–3978 or email wo_mtdc_pubs.
All Forest Service, Including Engineering, Recreation, and Safety
General guidance for mitigating the risks associated with roadside work activities is found in FSH 6709.11. The handbook is a quick reference for determining broad needs related to specific work activities. For example, workers engaged in sign installation or maintenance are required to post warning signs and/or traffic control devices (TCDs) when working in areas exposed to motorized traffic (figure 7). Specific guidelines are found in the MUTCD, Part 6— Temporary Traffic Control and in the "Sign and Poster Guidelines for the Forest Service" (EM–7100–15).
Figure 7—Traffic control devices should be used in addition to
high-visibility garments when exposed to motorized vehicles.
Typical work activities where a high-visibility vest should be worn:
- Changing a flat tire or other roadside emergency
- Trailhead maintenance
- Cone collecting along roadways
- Physical fitness training—running, walking, biking
- Bridge inspection
- Road maintenance
- Sign installation/maintenance
- Surveying
- Heavy equipment operator's helper/signal person
- "Manned" road closures
This list is not all-inclusive. All work activities should have an associated JHA identifying required PPE (figure 8).
Remember: the MUTCD requires workers on public roadways to wear high-visibility safety apparel.
Figure 8—Employees participating in on-the-job physical fitness
activities along a public roadway wear high-visibility apparel.
Situations where temporary traffic control is required:
- Sign installation and maintenance
- Road maintenance
- Surveying
The extent of temporary traffic control required is task and site specific. At times, a simple warning sign is sufficient. Other situations require more extensive traffic control measures. Consult the "Sign and Poster Guidelines for the Forest Service" (EM–7100–15) and the MUTCD for information on establishing traffic control measures for NFSRs.
Although firefighters engaged in fire suppression activities are exempted from the high-visibility garment requirement, they still can be at risk from moving vehicles and equipment. Other means should be considered for mitigating these hazards. Mitigations will vary widely, so incident personnel will be required to make decisions based on the specifics of the situation. This section provides some information on requirements and options firefighters have for mitigating hazards along roadways.
As stated in Part I of this guide, firefighters working on or in the right-of-way of a public roadway should wear high-visibility safety apparel unless directly exposed to flame, fire, heat, and/or hazardous materials. Firefighters are not required to wear high-visibility garments in these situations because:
- Firefighters could be put at greater risk, particularly if the garment is not made of flame-resistant material.
- The high-visibility garment may hinder access to equipment, such as a radio or fire shelter.
Firefighters must make a judgment based on experience and observations of current and expected fire behavior to determine if they will be directly exposed to flame, fire, or heat. When the hazard exists, agency-approved wildland fire clothing meets regulation requirements.
All other roadside firefighting activities, such as installing road signs or directing traffic, require high-visibility safety apparel (figure 9). Firefighters may wear a vest that complies with either ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 or ANSI/ISEA 207-2006. Firefighters should avoid wearing a fireline pack over high-visibility apparel. Doing so will decrease the effectiveness of the garment. When circumstances prevent firefighters from wearing high-visibility apparel, traffic control measures such as those outlined in the next three sections should be utilized.
Figure 9—Firefighters need to wear high-visibility apparel when
performing fire support activities, such as installing signs.
A variety of ANSI 107- or 207- compliant vests are available for purchase at GSA Advantage! Web site. Choices among vests include solid or mesh fabric, zipper or Velcro front closure, breakaway or non-breakaway, adjustable or non-adjustable, and with or without pockets. A mesh-style vest would be the better choice for firefighters who want to minimize the amount of heat stress caused by wearing an additional garment.
The "Sign and Poster Guidelines for the Forest Service" (EM–7100–15) provides basic guidance for fire incidents. All incidents and associated management activities that impact roads or require direction of motorized traffic require temporary traffic control. Temporary traffic control for incidents on roads and highways should be set up by initial responders within 15 minutes of their arrival onsite.
Signs warning of fire activity are not required for operations lasting less than 30 minutes if the incident vehicle uses activated, high-intensity rotating, flashing, oscillating, or strobe lights. The signs also may be omitted if the incident vehicle or activity is behind a barrier, more than 24 inches behind a curb, or more than 15 feet from the edge of any roadway. Incidents lasting longer than 30 minutes may require temporary traffic control.
Two Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) publications are available to help incident managers select, procure, and use signs to promote traffic safety: the "Incident Sign Installation Guide" (1251–2820P–MTDC) and the "Incident Sign Ordering Catalog" (1251–2821P–MTDC).
Signing needs vary depending on an incident's location, complexity, and management level. Decisions about when signs are needed and how sign posting will be accomplished should be made at the local level before fire season begins (EM–7100–15). Initial attack vehicles should carry an appropriate number and type of high-visibility garments and a basic set of rollup signs and portable sign stands (figure 10). Local caches should develop an inventory of TCDs to use on initial attack and extended attack incidents. Sign kits designed for Type 1 and Type 2 incidents are available in 2011 from the National Interagency Support Caches (NISC). The National Fire Equipment System (NFES) Incident Road Sign Kits (NFES 1026) are available. Individual signs and mounting hardware are available for purchase through the GSA Advantage! web site.
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Figure 10—Portable warning signs should be carried in initial
attack
vehicles.
Posting warning signs may not adequately mitigate the hazards in situations where visibility is limited due to smoke or increased traffic flow. Other traffic control measures, such as using electronic sign boards or posting road guards or flaggers, may be necessary. Road guards and flaggers must wear high-visibility garments and should be working in an area away from high heat and flames. Flaggers must be certified in safe traffic control practices and public contact techniques by a State or Federally approved training and certification agency. For further information, refer to the "Incident Sign Installation Guide." Flagger training is available online at <http://www.onlineflagger2.com/index1.htm>. The cost per person for flagger training varies from $45 to $65. Flagger training also may be available through a local Department of Transportation or the Local Technical Assistance Program at <http://www.ltap.org>.
There may be times when protecting firefighters and the public requires closing a road. High speeds, roads with low visibility, a lack of room for firefighters to work safely, curious roadway users who are distracted by the fire or fire operations, or a combination of these factors may lead to a road closure. Road closure requirements vary by jurisdiction. If a road must be closed, contact the local law enforcement or highway patrol agency (or the agency with jurisdiction over the road) for further information. As a general rule, Forest Service employees only have the authority to close NFSRs. Refer to the "Incident Sign Installation Guide" for information on establishing an emergency road closure.
Law Enforcement and Investigations
Due to the nature of their jobs, law enforcement personnel have unique requirements. Section 6D.03 of the MUTCD notes where exceptions are granted to the general rule requiring high-visibility apparel.
When not to wear
As stated in Part I of this guide, high-visibility safety apparel should be worn any time law enforcement personnel are working on or in the right-of-way of a public roadway. The exception is when personnel are engaged in an adversarial or confrontational role, such as at traffic stops or when pursuing and apprehending suspects. Standard operating procedures in these situations do not require high-visibility apparel because of the additional risk that may be involved.
When to wear
Any other roadside activities, such as directing traffic, investigating crashes, and staffing checkpoints, or handling lane closures, obstructed roadways, and disasters, require high-visibility safety apparel. Law enforcement personnel may wear a vest that complies with either ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 or ANSI/ISEA 207-2006.
Signing, Flagging, and Road Closures
Law enforcement duties often require employees to be responsible for temporary traffic control. Additional guidance concerning these activities is found in the fire and aviation management section of this guide.
