Keeping your crew safe and healthy on the job site is vital for a successful paving project. If not handled properly, asphalt can lead to serious injuries and even death. Ensure your workers are safe and your company does not lose time or money with these road construction safety tips. 

Wear the Proper Equipment

While on the job, all construction workers should wear personal protective equipment (PPE). When working with asphalt mixtures, they should wear the following gear:

• Thermally insulated gloves, long-sleeved shirts, and pants to protect their skin from asphalt burns
• Face shields and safety glasses to protect their face and eyes
• Safety boots to protect their feet
• Respiratory protection, if necessary, to protect against overexposure to asphalt fumes

Know the Asphalt Mixture You’re Working With

Professional asphalt pavers should always know the type of asphalt mixture they are using. They should review the product label or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) to see what’s in the mix.

Be aware that rapid-cure asphalts have solvents that are more of a fire risk, and make sure the asphalt fumes from the ingredients are within the permissible exposure level (PEL) set by OSHA.

Load and Unload Equipment Carefully

Even on solid, even ground, paving equipment is at risk of machine roll-over. Therefore, workers should take extra precautions to load and unload equipment correctly.

Make sure your construction workers practice safety by:

• Clearing enough room on the job site for loading and unloading
• Ensuring the paving equipment is centered on the ramp before moving
• Keeping people away from the sides of the equipment during loading and unloading
• Using a spotter for guidance

Secure the Paving Area

Use signs, cones, barrels, and barriers to designate construction sites and zones. These markers will alert oncoming traffic to slow down and be aware of construction workers on the side of the road.

You should also ensure your crew has proper lighting so they can work productively and safely. Encourage workers to stay in areas of high visibility rather than unlit areas.

Prevent Fires

Hot asphalt is a fire and explosion hazard, so make sure your crew understands to keep water, open flames, sparks, and electricity away from this mixture. Even something as small as a cigarette butt can cause a fire when paving new asphalt.

To prepare your asphalt workers for fires, give them thorough training on how to handle the fire and make sure they have access to the right type of fire extinguisher while using asphalt.

Keeping Your Crew Safe

Remind your crew of these safety measures daily to avoid accidents and injuries on the job. You can never discuss road construction safety practices too often with your team.

Ensure your workers have access to the tools and equipment they need to create a productive and safe work site. Shop for asphalt equipment for sale or find pavement equipment rentals from Asphalt Care Equipment today.