SUR/General/TBT-SUR-007

Setting Out in Live Traffic

Surveying & Setting Out › General › Setting Out in Live Traffic

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Setting out in live traffic involves surveyors working on or near carriageways with moving vehicles.
Surveyors are particularly vulnerable because the task demands concentration on instruments, not traffic.
Being struck by a vehicle is the primary risk, especially at speeds above 30 mph.
Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual sets requirements for signing and guarding at roadworks.
A traffic management plan must be agreed before any surveying takes place on live highways.
Surveyors often need to stand in fixed positions for extended periods, limiting their ability to move.
Hi-vis clothing must comply with BS EN ISO 20471 Class 3 as a minimum on live carriageways.
A banksman or lookout may be required to warn the surveyor of approaching vehicles.
Night-time setting out on live roads requires enhanced lighting, signing, and personal visibility.
The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 requires NRSWA cards for those working in the highway.

Prevent fatal strikes	Surveyors struck by vehicles on live roads suffer fatal or life-changing injuries. Focused instrument work reduces their awareness.
Legal compliance	The Safety at Street Works Code of Practice and Chapter 8 require protective measures for all highway workers.
Duty of care	Employers must provide safe systems of work and adequate traffic management before sending surveyors onto live carriageways.

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See also: Chapter 8 Signing and Guarding | Working in Live Carriageways

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