ROA/General/TBT-ROA-001

Road Construction Safety Awareness

Road Construction & Surfacing › General › Road Construction Safety Awareness

Presenter		Project
Location		Date

Road construction involves sub-base preparation, asphalt laying, kerbing, drainage, and surface finishing operations.
Hot asphalt is delivered at temperatures above 150°C causing severe burns on contact with skin.
Fumes from hot asphalt contain bitumen vapours that irritate the lungs, eyes, and skin with prolonged exposure.
Heavy rolling and compaction plant operates in close proximity to laying gangs — segregation is essential.
Road planing and milling machines generate extreme noise and silica dust requiring hearing and respiratory protection.
Working near live traffic during road construction is a major hazard — traffic management must be in place before work starts.
Manual handling of kerbs, edgings, and ironwork causes musculoskeletal injuries among road construction teams.
Road construction often takes place at night to minimise traffic disruption, adding fatigue and visibility challenges.
Surface dressing and micro-surfacing operations use hot or cold applied materials that can cause skin irritation.
Coordination between the paving machine operator, roller drivers, and laying gang is critical for safe, quality work.

Prevent burns	Asphalt at 150°C causes instant, severe burns — correct PPE and safe handling procedures are essential.
Traffic risk	Road construction near live traffic exposes workers to vehicle strikes — traffic management must be in place at all times.
Health protection	Bitumen fumes and silica dust cause long-term lung disease — exposure controls and RPE protect your health.

Don't

Wear thermal-protective gloves, long sleeves, and safety boots when working with hot asphalt.
Position yourself upwind of hot asphalt fumes wherever possible during laying operations.
Maintain physical separation between rolling plant and the laying gang at all times.
Wear hearing protection and RPE during road planing and milling operations.
Ensure traffic management is fully installed before starting any roadworks activity.
Use vacuum lifters or team lifts for handling kerbs, edgings, and heavy ironwork.
Follow fatigue management procedures during night shift road construction operations.
Coordinate movements with the paver operator and roller drivers using agreed signals.
Apply barrier cream and wear correct PPE when handling surface dressing materials.
Check all temporary traffic management remains intact throughout the shift.

DON'T handle hot asphalt without thermal gloves and protective clothing.
DON'T stand downwind of hot asphalt — bitumen fumes cause respiratory irritation.
DON'T work in the path of rollers or compaction plant without physical barriers in place.
DON'T carry out planing or milling without hearing protection and respiratory equipment.
DON'T start roadworks without confirmed traffic management fully installed and checked.
DON'T manually lift heavy kerbs or ironwork when vacuum lifters are available.
DON'T work excessive hours on night shifts without following fatigue management rules.
DON'T move into the paver or roller's path without confirming the operator has seen you.
DON'T ignore skin irritation from bitumen or surface dressing materials — report it.
DON'T leave damaged traffic management equipment in place — repair or replace immediately.

See also: Asphalt Laying Safety | Road Planing & Milling Safety

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