Tiger team innovation sets safety expectations
for short-duration operations

The Highway Leadership Team recently approved the implementation of a tiger team innovation that will standardize safety expectations for routine maintenance activities.

The innovation outlines different temporary traffic-control recommendations and requirements during short duration operations, or preplanned project activities that last between one hour and one day. 

“We needed to better define the department’s safety expectations for our crews and the work we do,” D1 Operations Engineer Jerry Wilson said. “The tiger team came together to determine what those expectations should be and to make sure that our crews have the equipment in each shed to meet them.”

While crews have always established a temporary traffic-control plan before working on a project, the new SDO TTC Plan form and options table (below) suggests what could be used, should be used and must be used based on the type of activity and roadway.

Although the plan is approved by a foreman, a traffic control supervisor or an engineer before crews get to work, an on-site signature is required to verify that temporary traffic control was set up correctly per the plan before starting any project work.
   
Currently the form will be available on the intranet page, and the operations manual will also be updated to include it.

At the request of the same tiger team, the HLT also approved a $1.14 million budget request for road equipment in FY20.

“This tool is useful for everyone, not just new employees,” Wilson said. “It’s another step toward embracing our safety culture.”

Tiger team members also include Tony Rigby (D4), Jerry Bauer (D5), Derek Noyes (D6), Ryan Lancaster (HQ) and Mel Fisher (D1). Mark Borkowski (ETS) and Janet French (ETS) also participated.

 

Published 08-31-18