Roadside worker safety the focus for Cone Zones initiative

Roadwork taking place this week in Prince Rupert on
McBride  Street along the block between 2nd and 1st Avenue west

The summer months make for a burst of activity when it come to road work in Prince Rupert and around the province, with many infrastructure projects getting launched in July with a deadline of Labour Day or before.

With those projects however comes increased danger for those doing the work along city streets and provincial highways, and for them, Work Safe BC has introduced a new information campaign for motorists urging them to slow down during transits of construction sites.

Statistics compiled by WorkSafe BC note that in the last ten years, 13 roadside workers have been killed while on the job with another 204 workers injured due to inattention or the outright disregard to advisories urging caution.

The Cone Zone program is designed to try and reduce those numbers to zero, with a mix of information and enforcement.

It works in concert with British Columbia's Slow Down, Move Over law, which was introduced in 2018 and has been put in place towards protection of a range of emergency responders and roadside workers.

As part of the Cone Zone campaign, a traffic enforcement blitz will occur at roadside work zones. Tickets will be issued for violations, such as speeding, disobeying a flag person, or using an electronic device while driving.

 Cone Zones are work areas set up by roadside workers to protect themselves and the driving public.

Road-maintenance crews, tow truck operators, first responders, municipal workers, traffic control persons, construction crews and other roadside workers all depend on drivers to respect the Cone Zone to keep their workplaces safe.

British Columbia Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Clair Trevena called attention to the message that the province wants to share with motorists.

“We’re asking drivers to slow down in the Cone Zone which will keep both workers and the public safe during the construction season. This summer it is expected a lot more B.C. residents will travel our roads and take advantage of the chance to explore our great province, as we are now into Phase 3. This includes the safe, smart and respectful return of travel and tourism within the province. Please respect the Cone Zones, slow down, and drive carefully through to keep people safe.”

You can learn more about the Cone Zone program here.

For a look at some of the infrastructure projects in Prince Rupert see our archive page here.