OSHA Issues Compliance Directive for Roadway and Highway Construction Work Zones

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a compliance directive to provide guidance to compliance officers for the safe inspection of work sites where workers performing construction work on and/or near roadways or highways are exposed to hazards from vehicular traffic. The directive also provides guidance on issuing consistent citations for violations.  It specifically focuses on the OSHA standards regarding the use of signs, signals, and barricades, which is incorporated by the reference of Part VI of the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) 1988 Edition, Revision 3, as well as the Millennium Edition (December 2000).  Additionally, the directive provides general enforcement guidance on issuing citations for § 5(a)(1) General Duty Clause violations. The AGC Safety and Health Committee is currently reviewing and analyzing the directive to identify any areas of concern regarding this inspection policy. For more information, please contact Kevin Cannon at (703) 837-5410 or cannonk@agc.org.