4 Things That Can Go Wrong During Roadwork

Road construction and maintenance crews face a variety of unique challenges on the jobsite. From bad and careless drivers to stubborn dirt, here are four things that can go wrong during roadwork.

Traffic Disruptions

Construction and maintenance are essential for growing and maintaining a network of roads, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating for drivers who have places to be. When roadwork interrupts the flow of traffic, drivers can get impatient, and some may decide to take shortcuts by driving around safety cones or barriers into the construction area. This can damage any progress that’s been made and put workers at risk of being hit.

Poor Soil

Poor soil conditions can also cause issues during roadwork. Soils expand and contract depending on the weather and temperature conditions. If soil becomes too loose, too hard, too damp, or too frozen to work with, it can delay roadwork.

Low Visibility

On cloudy, foggy days or in the evening hours, roadworkers deal with low visibility. Low visibility makes it difficult for workers to quickly and correctly perform tasks, slowing down the pace of their work. It also substantially increases their risk of injury. Workers can fall into hard-to-see construction ditches or holes, be struck with equipment, or get hit by a car. Fortunately, hi-vis workwear and head lamps can help roadworkers be safer on low-visibility jobsites.

Weather

The weather is the final thing that can go wrong during roadwork we’ll discuss. While roadworkers can work in light drizzles, heavy downpours create wet conditions that can damage tools and machinery and make the soil unsuitable. Likewise, snow coats and freezes the ground, preventing work progress.

And if the temperature outside is too hot or too cold, it puts workers at risk of overheating or hypothermia. If this happens, a construction company may decide to keep their workers home to avoid injury. Basically, if the weather is anything but lukewarm and sunny, roadwork will likely experience delays.

Roadwork is rife with problems. And while not all road construction issues are avoidable, many are. Workers can do their part to keep the worksite safe and productive by keeping up to date with training materials, remaining alert, and reporting any potential hazards or disruptions to their supervisors. Meanwhile, construction companies can help by using technology to improve construction site safety. With digital software, they can make training resources readily available and communicate effectively with their teams to promptly resolve safety issues and holdups.