(An excellent example of a crew working safely within vehicle backing zones. Photo: Jan Thomas)

See the ready mix truck on the left?  Thirty years ago, I did a fatality investigation of a worker on foot who was run over by such a vehicle.  Virginia averages two fatalities per year involving what has become known as “reverse operations.”   Sure, there are multiple causes to all such fatalities but it’s still accurate to say that we’ve been running over workers for decades because we have made pedestrians mainly responsible for their own safety. 

The OSHA standards (except for an exception in logging) have used what I call the “one solution” approach to keeping workers safe in a vehicle’s backing zone.   Up until now, it’s pretty much been about back-up alarms or maybe a flagger.  Three years ago, VOSH threw down the flag and started the public process to develop Virginia-specific Reverse Signal Operation Safety Requirements.  The new rule uses a multiple-strategy approach and requires action from drivers, ground guides as well as all workers on foot.  Emphasis is placed upon employee training!

VOSH starts enforcement on September 18, 2009, but don’t panic if you didn’t know about this.  The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry has developed and published excellent outreach and training materials and promises to use a phased-enforcement strategy.  When to use a designated observer or ground guide can be a complex and confusing issue but VOSH has already gone a long way to helping us understand when to flag and when to train.  Start here http://www.doli.virginia.gov/vosh_enforcement/reverse_signal.html .

By the way, a big Hi-Vis Fluorescent Yellow star goes to the contractor whose crew is shown above (I believe this is Jack L. Massie Contractors out of Williamsburg, Virginia).  Even their yellow hard hats give the drivers one last chance to spot the workers on foot.