Flagger Hazards

May 13

*A flagger is positioned wearing reflective clothing.*

Date Posted: 05/11/2024

Flagging traffic is both a critical and a potentially hazardous part of providing a safe work zone for workers, the general public, and motorists. According to an OSHA Fact Sheet, “transportation incidents and workers struck by vehicles are responsible for the highest number of fatal work injuries,” according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. WAC 296-155-305, defines a flagger as “a person who provides temporary traffic control.” Flaggers are only able to be used when other reasonable means of traffic control will not adequately control traffic in the work zone. The flagger’s primary responsibilities are to protect workers’ lives, guide traffic safely past the work zone, and protect themselves. Flaggers are at particular risk of injury or death due to the hazardous nature of their work. The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) states that flagger hazards include aggressive drivers and motorists driving at high speeds.

What Sort of Training Does a Flagger Need?

Flaggers should be trained by persons with the qualifications and experience to instruct the employee effectively in the fundamentals of flagging and directing vehicular traffic. Qualifications for flaggers include communicating specific instructions, maneuvering quickly to avoid danger, controlling signaling devices to provide clear guidance, understanding and applying safe traffic practices, recognizing dangerous situations, and warning others.

In the State of Washington, flaggers must be certified and have (in their possession) a valid Washington State traffic control flagger card. A qualified person should administer this training and include safe work practices and traffic control procedures from WA State requirements and the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

Primary Hazards

High-Speed Traffic: When cars are traveling at high speeds, it takes a significant amount of time to bring them to a complete stop. For example, a vehicle traveling 60 miles per hour will need an estimated 400 feet to stop completely. When working near high-speed traffic like this, driver inattention or other factors can quickly result in an accident. In such cases, the flaggers who work closest to this traffic can be severely harmed, so implementing proper flagger safety strategies is crucial.

Angry or Aggressive Drivers: When roadwork causes severe delays, or drivers are impatient to reach their destinations, they can become agitated and act recklessly. In these cases, angry or aggressive drivers may try to drive around flaggers or even harm them directly.

Hazard Control for Flaggers

In the face of these dangerous workplace hazards, organizations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and others have developed safety measures for flaggers to put into place. These include the following:

Wear high-visibility clothing: To ensure drivers can see them from far away, sources recommend flaggers wear red, orange, yellow, or green vests during the day and retro-reflective vests at night.

Wear protective equipment: If an accident occurs or roadway debris strikes a flagger, they are encouraged to wear a hard hat, a long-sleeve shirt and pants, and other weather-appropriate gear.

Plan an escape route: Flaggers are encouraged to plan an escape route in cases of emergency. For example, in cases where inattentive drivers don’t brake soon enough or aggressive drivers express intent to harm, flaggers can quickly follow these routes to get to safety.

Treat motorists with respect: By treating drivers courteously and not responding to angry outbursts or picking fights, flaggers can better ensure their safety on the job site. In cases where motorists are aggressive, they should notify local law enforcement.

Strategize your location: Flaggers should stand alone and in clear view on the shoulder of the road. This way, instructions will be more precise for drivers, and they will be better able to avoid the flaggers as they pass.

Stay alert and focused: To stay as safe as possible, flaggers must remain vigilant. Since traffic moves fast, hazards can appear quickly. By being aware of their surroundings, flaggers can identify them when they occur and prevent them successfully.

Location and Placement of Flaggers

Locate the flagger station far enough in front of the work zone to give motorists time to recognize construction activity, slow down, and stop. When choosing the flagger station location, consider road speed, visibility, and other road conditions. Advanced warning signs must be spaced and sized according to the road conditions and speed. Place stations out of the way of moving construction vehicles to avoid backing accidents. Locate stations where vehicles accidentally running through the area can have access to an escape route. At night, light the flagger station.

When a driver violates the flagger's warnings and trespasses flagging stations, the flagger must warn the workers ahead of him. A warning signal should be established for the work area crew in an emergency.

General Safety Precautions for Flaggers

Pay attention to the surrounding conditions and be ready for conditions to change.
Adequate warning must be given to the motorists so they have time to interpret the warning and respond appropriately.
Drivers and pedestrians should be guided clearly throughout the work zone.
Use barriers whenever there is a need for positive protection.
Periodically inspect the devices. Repair or replace any damaged or missing devices. All devices should be clean.
To stop traffic, stand safely on the shoulder of the road, away from moving traffic.
Always ensure that the flagger and the paddle are visible to the drivers of all stopped vehicles.
Do not wave the paddle around; it creates a confusing message.
Do not use verbal or hand signals that conflict with the message on the paddle.
Never stand in the path of oncoming traffic.
At night, flagger stations should be well-illuminated.
A flagger should never turn their back to traffic.