Spring Sees Changes for Road Construction Safety

It’s construction season, and safety is of paramount importance.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation and the Associated General Contractors are working together to craft a new series of safety rules to keep workers and drivers safe as projects begin to kick into gear this spring. The natural concern is to not contribute to the spread of COVID-19. The possibility is real but that cannot be allowed to affect the already short season they have to get things done.

Many of the initial measures taken between the state entities look very familiar: workers should maintain 6 feet of social distancing while working on projects, employees and crews will be asked to clean and sanitize their equipment, stay home if they’re sick, use virtual meetings or hold meetings outdoors, keep groups to 10 people or less, minimize the direct hand to hand exchange of contract documents, and stagger breaks. There can be no margin for error.

WYDOT is also planning on possible contract issues relating to completion dates in the event of coronavirus situations and delays. Project engineers and contractors will document any delays or work stoppages, which will be used in determining any time extensions on projects. But hopefully, it won’t come to that.