ATLANTA – The U.S. Department of Labor is joining with Georgia’s leading construction organizations to promote safety for people employed in work zones near moving traffic and encouraging industry employers to take a break to educate workers on how to protect themselves from harm during 2024 National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 15–19.

In 2021, the state of Georgia reported 306 traffic-related pedestrian fatalities, with construction employees in work zones among them. To help these workers avoid the dangers of passing vehicles, the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Georgia Struck-By Alliance are encouraging industry employers to provide safety training focused on preventing struck-by injuries at Georgia construction sites.

“The deaths of a worker setting up a roadside work zone on I-75 and the state trooper investigating the incident are stark reminders of the dangers of working near active roadways,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer in Atlanta. “As the busy road construction season begins, we’re asking construction employers statewide to pause work for safety stand downs during 2024 National Work Zone Awareness Week.”

To assist employers, the Associated General Contractors of America Inc. is providing employers with various resources, including guides for offering worker “Toolbox Talks” as part of their stand down activities.

“Safety stand downs remind employers and workers that if prevention and control standards of workplace hazards are not in place, catastrophic results can occur, a terrible result of ignoring risks. We want to avoid these tragedies and ask that drivers recognize their responsibility for protecting these workers’ lives,” Petermeyer added.

OSHA offers the following resources to promote the 2024 National Work Zone Awareness Week:

• Fact sheets for flagging and work zone safety tips.
• Facts about work zone safety from the GDOT.
• Suggestions to prepare for a successful stand-down.
• Georgia Department of Transportation videos on close calls and work zone safety.

OSHA encourages construction industry employers to show their commitment to safety and share how they’re making a difference by registering online for the Georgia Struck by Alliance Stand Down for National Work Zone Awareness Week.

For more information, contact OSHA’s Atlanta-West Area Office at 678-903-7301, the Atlanta-East Area Office at 770-493-6644, or the agency’s Savannah Area Office at 912-652-4393.