With America's infrastructure in the process of receiving a much needed facelift, there is also a growing need for more highway and roadside workers. Even while highway worker fatalities have decreased each year since 2007 (from almost 1,250 to nearly 750) safer work zones are absolutely necessary to keep this positive trend.
Fundamental issues for increasing highway worker safety include:
trained workers - for engaging in high-traffic and setting up control devices
planning - routes, spotters and utility areas to avoid
speed control - flaggers, postings, law enforcement
lighting - for working at night
separation devices - use based on speed and alignment of traffic pattern
hi-visibility apparel - for differentiation from traffic, equipment and at hard to see times (dusk and dawn)