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ATSSA was awarded a four-year, $11.9 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on Sept. 15, 2006 to provide roadway safety training nationwide for workers and others who make their livelihood on America’s roadways.

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STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The purpose of this grant is to support the Work Zone Safety Grants Program.

LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

The SAFETEA-LU Section 1409(a) of Public Law 109-59, authorizes " ... a work zone safety grant program under which the Secretary may make grants to nonprofit organizations and not-­for-profit organizations to provide training to prevent or reduce highway work zone injuries and fatalities." The Grants may be used to (1) provide training for construction craft workers on the prevention of injuries and fatalities in highway and road construction; (2) develop guidelines for the prevention of highway work zone injuries and fatalities; and (3) conduct training for State and local government transportation agencies and other groups implementing guidelines for the prevention of highway work zone injuries and fatalities.

BACKGROUND

Work zones remain a dangerous element of the transportation network, representing over 1000 fatalities annually (1068 for 2004). The work zone related injuries and fatalities involved motorists traveling through the work zone, as well as workers working on roadway construction/maintenance/utility projects. The trends of growing traffic, increased road construction, and public frustration with work zones have contributed to the growing intensity of work zone safety impacts on workers and traveling public. The impacts call for urgent need for guidance and training for work zone workers, publics, and transportation agencies and groups towards prevention of highway work zone injuries and fatalities.

FHWA has been working closely with its stakeholders on work zone safety improvement. Efforts include the development of the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Final Rule and implementation guidelines, work zone training for law enforcement personnel, Work Zone Safety for Young Drivers training material, and other training materials and work zone products. In addition, FHWA funded the establishment of the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse, and has been sponsoring and participating in the National Work Zone Awareness Week. FHWA will continue collaborative efforts for work zone safety improvement.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the Work Zone Safety Grant program is to provide assistance for highway work zone safety training and guideline development towards the improvement of highway work zone safety.

STATEMENT OF WORK

ATSSA shall perform tasks within the following work areas: 

1. Highway Work Zone Worker Safety Training;
2. Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines Development; and 
3. Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines rating.

General descriptions of each of the three work areas are presented below.

AREA 1. Highway Work Zone Worker Safety Training

There have been many highway work zone worker safety-training programs sponsored by organizations and government agencies. The Work Zone Safety Grants will provide much needed funding for the continuation and expansion of existing training programs, and for the development of new training programs. The objective for this area is to award funding to qualified applicants to conduct training nationally for a wide range of work zone worker populations on the prevention of injuries and fatalities in highway and roadway work zones. The recipient shall:

• Establish national level training program(s) that will provide safety training for one or more of the worker groups listed below. The training program should cover multiple regions/States. Activities for this task may include, but are not limited to, identifying gaps and needs, selecting/developing training curriculums and materials, and recruiting trainees. The trainees should include workers and employers of private sector, and workers and supervisors of public agencies. 
• Implement and conduct the worker safety-training program. 
• Develop and carry out an outreach plan for the training course(s). 
• Develop a training evaluation plan and conduct evaluation of effectiveness of the training offered.

The FHWA anticipates that the grants be used to provide training for the following highway work zone worker groups on elimination of major occupational safety and health hazards posed to work zone workers for injuries, fatalities, and health problems: 

1. Safety training for "craft" workers and other related disciplines involved in highway and road survey, construction, and maintenance activities; 
2. Safety training for work zone traffic control workers, including those who set up traffic control and worker protection devices and those who direct traffic in a work zone; 
3. Safety training for utility workers who perform utility work activities that result in partial or full closure of a roadway; 
4. Safety training for highway work zone law enforcement personnel and responders to work zone incidents.

AREA 2. The Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines Development

Many rules/regulations, policies, and standards for work zone safety and operations have been issued by regulatory agencies as efforts to improve safety in highway work zones. Agencies and groups often face tough tasks to implement and comply with those rules and standards. The objective of this Area 2 is to develop guidelines that will assist State and local government transportation agencies and other groups achieve the prevention and reduction of work zone injuries and fatalities by implementing and attaining compliance with work zone safety and operations rules/regulations, policies, and standards.

ATSSA shall develop guidelines on a national scale ready to be adapted/customized to a State or local application. ATSSA may develop guidelines in a format of best practices, handbook, and/or recommended processes and procedures, etc. Guidelines should address work zone safety and operations issues and practices including, but not limited to, the following highway and road construction strategies: accelerated construction, full roadway closure and lane closure, night work/off-peak work for highway construction, maintenance, and utility projects. In addition, the guideline or set of guidelines developed for each of the strategies should cover all elements of a construction project including, but not limited to, work zone planning and programming, work zone design and construction, work zone safety design and management, work zone impact assessment and mitigation, work zone law enforcement, and work zone public information and outreach.

ATSSA shall perform the following tasks as a minimum: 

• Identify Federal, State, and local work zone regulations and policies, as well as available guidelines 
• Identify and assess gaps and needs for work zone safety guidelines 
• Identify intended users/audience for the developed guideline(s) 
• Develop guidelines according to the needs identified, which will assist agencies and groups towards the prevention and reduction of work zone injuries and fatalities 
• Develop an outreach plan and materials to promote the use of developed guidelines 
• Develop a training plan and materials for the training on implementing the developed guidelines 
• Develop an evaluation plan for evaluating the effectiveness of developed guidelines and training activities

AREA 3. Highway Work Zone Safety Guidelines Training

The objective of this area is to provide training to State and local transportation agencies and other transportation groups/organizations on implementing work zone safety guidelines and to promote best practices to prevent work zone injuries and fatalities. The Recipient shall focus on training for implementing existing Federal and/or State regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines for highway work zone safety and mobility improvement practices such as nighttime work, work zone full closure, positive protection, variable speed limits, work zone road safety audits, ITS uses in work zones, pedestrian accommodation, work zone impact analysis, work zone performance measures, work zone law enforcement, and work zone public information and outreach.

ATSSA may use or modify existing guideline training materials or develop new training materials, and shall perform the following tasks as a minimum: 

• Establish national work zone safety guideline training program(s) by identifying and assessing gaps and needs, selecting/developing training curriculums and materials, as well as identifying and recruiting trainees. 
• Implement the training program(s) to conduct work zone safety guideline training. 
• Develop and carry out an outreach plan for the training activities and course(s). 
• Develop a training evaluation plan and conduct evaluation of the effectiveness of the training offered.