GENERAL
- Crossing the carriageway on foot – this is a hazardous activity. It should be planned so that the location provides adequate sight lines and a place of safety at both sides of the carriageway. On no account should the crossing of more than four continuous lanes be considered. For further guidance refer to "Crossing high-speed roads on foot during temporary traffic management works "HSE Construction Information Sheet No. 53. See Section O3.5.
- Pre-placement – placing temporary traffic management equipment out in advance ready for erection, or delayed removal, may often be the safest, most efficient method for implementing temporary traffic management arrangements. In such cases, this should only take place as part of the ongoing temporary traffic management operations and equipment should be left in position for the minimum time practicable before erection or removal.
- Any temporary arrangements for pedestrians (including the provision of ramps) should be installed prior to the closure or diversion of footways. Meanwhile the placing of signs on or adjacent to footways should not prejudice passage by pedestrians. See also Section O3.13.
- Carriageway closure during installation and removal – consideration should be given at an early stage to the use of an approved closure technique to provide a safe working environment. This may be achieved either by use of police, traffic officers or any technique approved by the relevant Highway Authority, such as the Mobile Carriageway Closure technique described in Section O11.
- Storage of equipment – this should allow easy access and availability.
- Erection of signs – the sequence of erection should ensure that the first sign erected provides protection for the erection of the remaining signs. Consideration shall also be given to the associated manual handling implications; refer to paragraph O2.1.7. It is crucial to ensure that at all stages of temporary traffic management implementation and removal, the signs displayed do not conflict with the prevailing situation in such a manner as to create a hazard. When mobile lane closure operations are used to deploy static signs on the central reservation, it is imperative
to avoid any possible conflict between the static and mobile signs. Such conflict may sometimes be avoided by locating the mobile lane closure operation on the other carriageway.
- Construction of tapers – the detailed sequence in which this work is to be carried out should be clearly indicated.
- Placement of longitudinal cones – method of placement should be clearly indicated, either preplacement or directly placed from a vehicle.
- Maintenance regime – consideration should be given to access, and to the availability of a place of safety whilst carrying out maintenance tasks. Arrangements for remedial action and the replacement of damaged equipment should be considered.
- Contingency planning – the method statement shall cover contingency plans for foreseeable problems, e.g. the effect of the onset of inclement weather on the use of temporary markings and the time window available for completing the works, including the possibility of extending the works over more nights than planned or removing them prematurely.
- When a mandatory temporary speed limit is being imposed at the works site, the detailed enforcement regime to be put in place should be clearly indicated.
O2.4.6There are particular hazards associated with short-term temporary traffic management needed as part of the implementation of the main temporary traffic management. The design and implementation of such schemes therefore requires particular care.
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