Page 10 - Work Force April 2022

CSEA continues push for safer As work zone season begins union reminds motorists to be During National Work Zone Awareness Week which will be held from April 11-15 this year motorists are are reminded that ‘work zones
are are a a a a a sign to to slow down ’ For the thousands of CSEA members working on on or or or or or or near highway or or or or or or roadside work work work zones
going to work work every day can be hazardous As state and and local government highway crews work to to to repair roads and and and bridges motorists are reminded to to to be patient slow down and and and move over for emergency and and construction vehicles if safe to do so The statistics about work zone incidents are sobering Since CSEA began keeping records in in in in in 1983 our union has lost 57 members members due to work zone intrusions and numerous more members members have been injured Of these 57 members 28 of the the CSEA work zone fatalities occurred due to operational hazards within the work zone For members who are working in in in work work work zones
always remember that employers must have a a a a a a a a a a temporary traffic control plan before the the start of the the job Use spotters when backing up Never ride on a a a a a a a a bucket or or vehicle unless it’s designed for that specific use and be sure flaggers have a a a a a a a a a means of escape from aggressive drivers Highway work is one of the most dangerous
professions in the United States The Bureau
of of Labor Statistics reports that between 2003
and 2019 (the latest year available) 2 2 2 103 workers have died while working in in in or or or near road construction sites averaging 124 deaths per year year CSEA has fought for years to address work zone injuries and fatalities including by raising awareness through our union’s Don’t Zone Out campaign Our union also helped successfully fight for the the expansion of the the ‘Move Over’ Law to include work zones
Violations can result in in fin in fines and points on on on on your driver license CSEA also campaigned for and won legislation
‘You have to be looking over your shoulder all the time’
As we head into spring and and roadwork season CSEA members who work work on on on or or or or near state and and local highways are urging motorists to to continue using extra caution while traveling in in in in in in work work zones
zones
For union members in in in in work work zones
zones
a a a a a a a day on on on on on the job can be be be especially perilous between risk of injury and and and and death — and and and and far too many close calls “People see the cones and and and and signs and and and and don’t don’t notice or or don’t don’t care ” said Niagara Department of Transportation Local President Jimmy Jones a a a a a a a a a a highway worker “It’s very hard to do your job when a a a a a a a a a car is going by you you at 60 miles an hour ” Town of West Seneca Blue Collar Unit President Brian Cummins shared similar thoughts to driving that they they don’t notice the the the construction zones
they’re approaching or entering “We have so many close calls in in in our attenuator trucks ” Jones said “People see us us late and almost run into us us Sometimes we have a a a a a a a trooper stationed up there but it doesn’t even help ” Cummins reminded motorists that the the the highway workers are on the the job “Put yourself in in in the the worker’s position and think how it it it would would feel to have your your safety in in in in in jeopardy ” he he said “ If I’m driving I I I would would think of it it as if that other person is me me A car can be a a a a a a a a a a killing machine If that was you you you and someone flew by you you you how would you you feel?”
In the the Town of Brookhaven on on Long Island Michael Catalano a a a a a a a a a a a a road repair worker for the the town narrowly escaped becoming a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a work work zone danger statistic when a a a a a a a a car sped past him while on on the job from where Catalano and his colleague Heavy Equipment Operator Michael Ryan were working “Not only are are you you trying to to perform a a a job but you you you have to to be looking over your shoulder all the the time ” said Cummins a a a a a a working crew chief at the the town’s highway department Cummins echoed Jones in in in saying the biggest potential risk to highway workers in work work zone is is is distracted drivers Cummins “Right after Hurricane Isaias I I was working on a a a a a a a a a a cleanup project and a a a a a a a a a a a car almost hit me as I walked in the road ” said Catalano “The driver had no no regard for my safety ” The driver could have killed or injured Catalano simply because they wanted to to get to to their home which was two houses away “I smell weed in in people’s vehicles all of the time ” ” said Ryan “We know know what that can can do ” ” Marijuana is known to to have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a significant impact on on on motor skills and reaction time which are two abilities that need to to be fully functional while driving While adult consumption of marijuana
is is now legal legal in in in New York it is is illegal to operate a a a a a a a a vehicle while under the the the influence of the the the drug “We “We want want to to do our jobs and help the the the public as as as safely as as as we can ” said Ryan “We “We want want to to to make it it home home in one piece to to to to our families just as as as as much as they want to to to make it it home home to to to theirs ” — Mathew L Cantore and Wendi Bowie
“People are talking or texting on on on on on their their phone phone ” Cummins said “Even if they they aren’t on on on on on on on their their phone phone they they just just don’t pay attention They just just have tunnel vision ” Jones and Cummins agree that that much of the problem may be that that people are so conditioned
Catalano “We need people to to be aware of their surroundings ” said Ryan “Stop texting speeding and looking down while you’re driving ” Compounding an already big problem with general carelessness by drivers highway workers are are increasingly noticing that drivers smoking marijuana
is is causing issues Ryan 10 The Work Force
April 2022