Safe roadside work

Working safely along public roads is very important to ensure safety in traffic. If you are a road builder, paver, cable layer or road cleaner, it is important to know the rules that apply if you want to work safely along the road. In this blog, we take you through the options for cordoning off the road and the rules that apply here.

Risks when working at the side of the road

Working on and alongside the road involves risks. It is therefore very important to stay alert with regard to your own safety, that of your colleagues and maintaining order on the public road. Working safely along the road involves several responsibilities. It is therefore wise to be well prepared.

If you want to work safely along the public road, it is good to at least consider the following supplies:

• Traffic cone
• Guide beacons/shields
• Action window
• Collision absorber
• Flashing light
• Signal clothing

Working at the side of the road with traffic cones

A good way to cordon off the road is to use traffic cones. By using these cones, you can easily close off part of the road. This allows you to get to work undisturbed.

When using traffic cones, it is important that these cones are at least 0.75m high and of fluorescent colour. In addition, as the name suggests, the cone should be cone-shaped. The footplate should be square so that it cannot roll over if it falls over. Therefore, the footplate has a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 sides.

Working safely at the side of the road with guide beacons/signs

Another method of cordoning off the road is to use guide beacons or shields. These guide beacons are on average 1.40m high. The beacons feature angled (conductive) red/white stripes. These instruct road users on which side to drive past the beacons.

The guide beacons must also meet the following requirements:

• The height of the flat with the red and white stripes is 1m;
• The height below the flat with the red and white stripes is <0.25m;
• The width of the flat with the red/white stripes is 0.25m;
• The width of the foot space is <0.50m.

Safe roadside work with action fencing

With action fencing, we distinguish three variants: a small action fencing with one traffic sign on the work vehicle, a large action fencing with two traffic signs on an action vehicle, and an action fencing with two traffic signs on the work vehicle. Below, we will explain the various designs of action frames and their rules.

Small action window with one traffic sign on the work vehicle

A small action framework with one traffic sign on the work vehicle serves as a "starting point" for short-term work, such as roadside mowing. This variant of the action frame may only be used for work alongside roads and on cycle paths. In some cases, however, the action framework may be used on very quiet roads with low speed and low traffic volume, for example on 'true 60 km/h' roads.

A small action window with one road sign has the following characteristics:

• The width of the board with the white and red reflective material is 0.20m;
• The road sign determines the height and width. This means that for a type 2
  traffic sign the dimensions are 1.30 m x 1.30 m;
• The action window can be equipped with the traffic sign J16 or D02;
• The distance from the bottom of the traffic sign J16 to the ground must be at least 1.20
  m and a maximum of 3 m. The distance from the bottom of the action window to the ground is
  therefore at least 1 metre.

Note! For a small action frame with one traffic sign, if the yellow LED beacon on the vehicle is clearly visible, the LED flashers on the action frame are not necessary. However, if you want to work safely on the road, this is recommended. When flashers are placed on the action frame, they should be placed on the quadrangles, be round, have a minimum diameter of 180mm and a maximum diameter of 200mm. They should also be yellow in colour.

Large action window with two traffic signs on an action vehicle

Unlike the small framework, the large action framework serves as the starting point for a moving barrier on busy roads within built-up areas and on roads outside built-up areas where the speed limit is 80 km/h. Regarding the placement of a large action frame, it is theoretically possible to place it on the rear of the vehicle. In practice, however, this is almost never feasible due to its dimensions. Therefore, in many cases we see a large action frame with LED flashing lights being placed on a 12V semi-trailer.

The large action framework has the following features:

• The width of the boards is 0.30m;
• The height is 3.30m and the width is 1.70m;
• May only be placed lengthwise;
• The action window must have four round yellow alternating lights with a minimum diameter of 180mm and a maximum diameter of 300mm;
• The distance from the bottom of the sign to the road surface must be at least 1.20 m;
• The vehicle must also carry a yellow flashing light.

Action frame with two traffic signs on the work vehicle

The third method of cordoning off the road with an action window is by means of an action window with two traffic signs on the work vehicle. Under certain conditions, an action window can be placed on the work vehicle. The characteristics that apply here are similar to the conditions when using an action window on a vehicle, the only difference being that the dimensions must be smaller than 2.00m x 1.30m, and the plank width is 0.20m. The framework can be placed either horizontally or vertically on the vehicle. This application is allowed only on roads marked as red and blue in the road classification.

On orange roads outside built-up areas, it is compulsory to use a large action frame at all times. This is necessary because of the high speed and traffic density on these roads. It is allowed to attach this action frame to a tractor, although this placement method is often difficult to implement in practice. This is because it is not possible to attach any other shape of semi-trailer to the tractor at the same time, which can make carrying out work difficult.

Transport of action frames

Keep in mind that when driving to your destination under normal road conditions, the action windows should not be visible on the vehicle. They should only be visible during temporary works.

Safe roadside work with LED Traffic Advisors from TRALERT®

Working safely by the side of the road with an (orange) LED beacon

Another effective way to warn other road users is to use a beacon. Place a flashing light on a vehicle of a moving barrier or when the vehicle could potentially cause danger. Consider an agricultural tractor transporting landing. If the agricultural vehicle's width exceeds 2.6m, it is mandatory to fit an Amber LED beacon to your vehicle.

Another situation where a flashing beacon can be used is when a vehicle is necessarily parked dangerously. In this case, you can use the flashing light (or even a beacon bar) to warn passing traffic, such as during emergencies. A good example of this is an ANWB vehicle, which is deployed when someone along the motorway has car trouble.

The regulations for an LED beacon are:

• The flashing light must display amber light;
• The flashing light must be clearly visible from all sides of the vehicle so that road users from all directions can see the beacon from a distance;
• When using LED beacons, the use of "electron flashing light" is not recommended. A flashing light is more beneficial when used. It allows road users to judge the distance to the vehicle and the moving barrier much better;
• Flashing lights may not be placed higher than the maximum height of a vehicle, as prescribed in the Vehicle Regulations. According to the legal regulations, this is four metres (4m).

Working safely by the side of the road using signal clothing

If you follow the above rules carefully, you are already well on your way to a well-lit workplace. The only aspect not yet properly lightened is you yourself. If you want to work safely along the road, it is also highly recommended to wear signal clothing. This clothing ensures that you yourself are also highly visible. As you can imagine, you will mainly be busy doing your job. As a result, you may be less aware of approaching traffic. By being highly visible along the road, road users are more likely to notice you and understand that you belong to the roadblock.

Product requirements for signal clothing

Signal clothing must comply with the NEN-EN 471 standard. According to this standard, signal clothing should always be made of retro-reflective and fluorescent material. These materials are prescribed because they provide good visibility both during the day and at night. Fluorescent materials stand out in daylight, while retro-reflective bands provide good light reflection when a vehicle's headlights shine on them.

Safe roadside work starts with TRALERT®.

At TRALERT®, road safety is a top priority. Every day, we strive to provide our partners with the clearest lighting so that they can carry out their work under optimal conditions. Our range includes high-quality LED lighting for different types of vehicles. For the above-mentioned shapes of barriers, TRALERT® offers a wide range of LED flashers, LED beacons and LED beacon bars. Wondering what else the TRALERT® product range can offer you? Take a look at the entire product range on the TRALERT® dealer portal.

Also interesting: what is the maximum width of a semi-trailer?