 In the construction and maintenance work areas on our highways, safety depends on cooperation among the motorists, the Department of Transportation, and the work crew. At the center of this cooperation is the flagger, cities, farm and range land, wide open country. Utah is a big state with thousands of miles of streets and highways. We are all motorists with places to go and schedules to keep. Because time is precious, we allow as little of it as necessary for travel, accustomed as we are to reaching our destinations without delays. Planned or anticipated stops usually fit in with our travel schedules. We accept them without complaint, or even look forward to them. But an unexpected delay always bothers us, whether it's a mechanical problem, bad weather, or road work. Although we realize that roads must be constructed, maintained and repaired, we all prefer that the work be done some of the time and place, not when and where we travel. So when we see those road construction signs, our reaction is immediate. Doggone it now, I'm really going to be late. This is disgusting. We're irritated knowing that our travel will be interrupted, our arrival delayed. It's no wonder then that those people up ahead holding stop-slow signs are targets for our hostility. They are symbols of the cause of the delay and of the most accessible representatives of the work crew. It's easy to blame them for the backup, detour, rough road, road oil, loose gravel, and so on. Although flaggers protect motorists and workers and keep the traffic flowing, they aren't given much credit. Little thanks for the hundreds of accidents they prevent, but certain blame for the occasional mishap. No, the flagger's job isn't easy, but it definitely is important. The responsibilities are great for lives and property at stake. This presentation was produced as part of the Utah Department of Transportation's Flagger Certification Training Program. The Department wants you to appreciate the importance of flagging, understand the responsibilities you will have as a flagger, be familiar with the tools and attire needed on the job, and know the correct flagging procedures for various road and job situations. So I'll cover these points, the qualities of the ideal flagger, the flagger's attire, flagging tools, the flagging station, using the stop-slow sign and hand signals, advanced warning signs, and different flagging situations you'll experience. So first, what kind of person is the ideal flagger? The answer is important because certain personality and character traits are essential to your success as a flagger. I'll go over them. The flagger's must be alert, always aware of the situation. That awareness includes both the work behind them and the traffic approaching them. Watchful is another word for it. At times it's easy to be lulled into thinking that nothing will go wrong. The proper advanced warning signs are up. The motorists seem to be paying attention, obeying the signs, following your signals, and proceeding cautiously. And the work is going smoothly. But there is always that departure from the normal, something that you'll react to in time only if you're constantly on guard. The motorist driving too fast as he approaches the work area, another one failing to see or heed your signal, a worker or a piece of equipment straying into the traffic lanes. Stay alert. You can't afford not to be. Important as it is, alertness by itself is not enough. Your good judgment is required too. For many situations we'll demand your quick evaluation and decision. When to stop traffic, when to release it, which lane to direct it into. And even when you're not pressed for a fast decision, you'll still have to use good judgment, always. Besides the physical signals you'll frequently use to tell motorists what to do, you'll often need to give them verbal information as well. This requires flaggers to be helpful. Sometimes you'll have to give motorists special instructions to get them through the work zone. Other times you'll need to give them a short but courteous explanations for the work underway and why it's delaying traffic, maybe in response to their questions. But maybe just because you want to be helpful. And that's my point. Flagging is a chance for real service. Good public relations for the agency or company you work for. It pays to be cheerful, polite, and informative. Of course there are those motorists who simply prefer to let off steam at you. Hey, you crazy people, always get in my way. Here it helps to be patient, as well as to keep you cool. Angry taxpayers are taxpayers nonetheless. So smile. And if your response is called for, answer in a positive and tactful way. Remember, you're responsible for their safety, no matter what mood they're in. Patience will see you through some other difficulties of flagging too, like the punishment of working in the hot sun. Cold wind or soaking downpour for hours on end. Or the tension of having heavy traffic swarm around you. Or even the loneliness of working on some low volume road, where there is little to break the monotony. Keep in mind that until you're relieved by another certified flagger, the flagger's station is your guard post. It's just that serious. Never leave your station until you're relieved by another certified flagger. And one final trait. Show that you're in command. As a flagger, you'll have a lot of responsibility, so look and act like you can handle it. I don't mean to strut around and bark like a drill sergeant, but be firm and clear in your actions. Motorists shouldn't be confused about what you want them to do. Good posture, eye contact with the drivers, and easily understood hand signals show the public who's in charge and protect both them and the workers from accident. So in summary, flaggers are alert, they use good judgment, they try to be helpful, they exercise patience, and they show they're in command. Now a few words about the flagger's attire, the clothing and safety gear you should wear. Every worker should be dressed properly and use the correct tools. Flaggers are no exception. I'll start with the regular clothing you wear to the job. Take this flagger, for example. Most long or short sleeve shirts or blouses are fine as long as they're comfortable and workman-like. But no tank tops or halters. They're just too distracting to motorists and workers to the point of causing accidents. And no bare chests either. Show off your muscles or get a tan on your days off. If you work for the Department of Transportation, the DOT issued orange shirts are very appropriate for flagging. As for pants, long pants only, no shorts of any kind. Wear sturdy work shoes or boots. Sandals are unacceptable, and tennis shoes won't give you much protection either. Don't worry about style, just about safety and comfort. Dress with your public image in mind. That's right, picture how motorists will see you. As a flagger who is responsible, prepared, and efficient, or is one who is unconcerned, unprepared, and lazy. In addition to your regular clothing, put on your safety attire. You must wear an orange hard hat. It not only protects your head, but also helps to draw the motorist's attention to you. You also must wear an orange vest. In daylight hours, you aren't required to wear the vest if you're wearing an orange shirt, jacket, or overalls. But it's a good idea to wear them both anyway. For night flagging, both the hard hat and vest must be reflecturized, so that approaching headlights will make you more visible to the motorists. Dress for the conditions at the work site, light clothing for summer, heavier clothing for the other seasons, rain gear for wet weather. One more point here, sun glare can be a real problem for flaggers, so sunglasses are sometimes needed. And there you have it. Dressing properly for the job is an important preparation for flagging. Now, tools. Your flagging equipment. I'm mainly talking about the 24-inch stop-slow sign, sometimes called a paddle. This is the only device you should use for actual flagging. It replaces the old red flags that tended to confuse motorists. Since it's your most important tool, be sure that the sign is a standard one, 24 inches wide, seven feet tall, eight-sided. And painted just like the one you see here. Colors, borders, right down to the eight-inch high letters. Make sure, too, that it's in good condition, not scratched up or dirty beyond recognition. For night flagging, a flashlight with a six- to eight-inch red sleeve is required. This wand is a valuable supplementary tool for alerting motorists. Other equipment related to flagging includes advanced warning signs, arrow boards, barrels, jersey barriers, combs, barricades, and, for night time flagging, flashlights to place on the advanced signs and working lights to illuminate the flagger station. Sometimes you'll need to use a walkie-talkie to communicate with other flaggers or some kind of a baton for the last car's driver to carry through the work zone. Anyway, that gives you the picture. Your main tool is the stop-slow sign, but your safety clothing is necessary equipment, too, as well as the required signs, warners, cones and barricades, and so on. Okay, you're properly dressed and equipped. So now what? The first thing is to get in position at your flagging station. Your main position is on the shoulder of the road, just outside the right traffic lane, or about three to four feet from the edge of the pavement. At this location, you're close enough to the road to be seen clearly by motorists, but far enough away to avoid being run over. Your flagging station must be approximately 100 feet in advance of the work site, but always be sure you'll be seen by motorists. If at 100 feet, you'll be in the shadow of a bridge or the shade of a large tree, move a few feet until you're clearly visible. To traffic approaching on two-lane highways, you must be visible for at least 500 feet, and on high-speed, high-volume roads, for at least 1,000 feet. Don't leave this station until you're properly relieved. Of course, when you work on jobs that move along the roadway, you'll occasionally have to move down the shoulder ways and reestablish your station at intervals. Your work station should be uncluttered, no obstacles to get in your way or distract motorists. Keep your thermos, launch, coat, and so on close by, but not underfoot, and no books, radios, chairs, or other distractions. Park your own car and any work equipment at least 100 feet from the station. This is for your safety as well as the public's. You'll obviously be more visible to motorists and you'll have clear paths of escape should you suddenly have to jump out of the way of some car or truck. All right, you're in position. You're where you have to be, but what do you do? How do you use the stop-slow sign plus hand signals to direct traffic safely through the work zone? Well, first, always face the oncoming traffic. Hold a sign vertically in your right hand so that it's between you and the road, and be sure the sign fully faces the motorists. When you just want to keep traffic moving slowly through the work area, show the slow sign. If drivers don't slow down enough, motion like this with your free hand. To stop traffic, turn the sign to stop. Look directly at the approaching driver and raise your free arm with the palm of the hand facing out. Do this when the vehicle is still far enough from you that he has time to stop normally, or else you'll have either a worried motorist running your stop sign or an angry one screeching to a halt to avoid running it. Don't move from your position until the vehicle stops completely. Then pick up the sign and walk in front of the vehicle and over to the center line. Keep your left arm up if more traffic is approaching behind the stopped vehicle. Be sure to stand where approaching motorists can see you and the stop sign clearly. Don't stand directly in front of the first vehicle where you'll be hidden. Stay in this position with both you and the stop sign facing the stop traffic. You'll often need to look over your shoulder to see what's happening, but never turn your back to the traffic. No, it's not bad manners. It's just totally unsafe to do so. When it's your turn to release the traffic and let it pass through the work area, first return to the shoulder of the road, then turn the sign to slow and motion the motorist forward with your free hand. And that's the basic procedure. But here's a slight variation. Suppose a motorist fails to stop in front of your station. Well, don't do this. Instead, back up to a point in front of his car, keeping the stop sign facing the traffic and your left arm upraised, and then move out to the center line. When you can do it safely, move back to your original position. Okay, you've seen the three most common hand signals already for slowing down the traffic, for stopping it, and for moving it forward. Flaggers should always use standard hand signals. The more uniform they are from flagger to flagger, the better. This is no place for personal style or inventiveness. Motorists need to know immediately and without doubt what they're supposed to do. You can communicate quite well with hand signals. Take the slow down signal. If you want the traffic to slow down slightly, you can use a motion like this. If a greater speed reduction is called for, increase your motion. And if an extreme slowing down is required, move that left hand with real emphasis. Getting motorists to slow down enough may often seem like the biggest part of your job, but holding up traffic is not your real purpose. Keeping the traffic moving is, moving safely of course. So because of motorists' rubbernecking, uncertainty about whether or not they're going to have to stop, or excessive caution, there are times that they actually slow down too much. When they do, you'll need to signal them to keep moving with the move forward signal. The same as when you release stop traffic. In certain situations, you'll have to indicate which lane the traffic should travel in. Use this hand signal. Make it clear and unmistakable. Do you know what this signal indicates? Well, it means that the deer flies are driving the flagger crazy. But it does go to show that you have to be careful about your gestures. The eyes of many motorists will be on you, looking for direction. In addition to using the stop, slow sign and hand signals, you'll sometimes need to pass on information verbally to motorists. Here's where the helpful attitude I talked about earlier is so important. More about this later in the program. A few minutes ago, I referred to the other equipment related to flagging. Well, I want to point out a few things about the three main advanced warning signs that aid you in your job. These signs catch the motorist's attention, prepare them for the road conditions ahead, and make them watch for you. Federal regulations require all advanced warning signs to be orange with black lettering. They're diamond shaped, and usually are 48 inches on each side. On roads carrying little traffic, or sometimes in urban areas, the signs need only be 36 inches on a side. The signs should be eight feet high from the ground stand to the top of the flag holding device. Each sign should have three attention flags inserted in the top. Sandbags on the stands may be used to keep the signs from blowing over, but not rocks or other hazardous objects. The first sign that the motorists see should be at least 1500 feet ahead of the flagger. It indicates that there is road work ahead, or perhaps it will say road construction ahead. The second sign should be 1000 feet ahead of the flagger. This second sign is occasionally identical to the first, but usually it gives added information. Lane change, truck crossing, detour, shoulder work, or utility work. The third sign is the flagger symbol sign set at 500 feet ahead of the flagger's station. At this point, the flagger should be visible to the motorists. Now on interstates or other high-volume, multiple-lane roads, these distances should be doubled, 3000, 2000, and 1000 feet ahead of the flagger. The 100 feet from the flagger's station to the work area should be maintained. These advanced signs are extremely important. Imagine having no advanced warning in the work area until the motorists reach your flagging station. Just 100 feet ahead of the work area, detour, or equipment crossing. The danger to the motorists, to work crews, and to you would be tremendous. Signing is the responsibility of the traffic engineer, project engineer, contractor, or station supervisor. Every flagging situation may be different, and you as a flagger are not required to say what signs are needed. But you do need to be sure every day that they are set up properly before any work begins. Notify your supervisor if the signs are not in their proper places, or if they blow over, lose their attention flags, or get dirty or illegible. You are further responsible for turning the flagger symbol sign away from the motorist's view whenever the work shuts down and no flagger is on duty. For example, during lunch hour. Other appropriate advanced warning signs, however, should stay in place, facing the traffic. The signs should only indicate what's actually ahead. So to repeat, turn the flagger symbol sign, or any other sign as appropriate, when no one is flagging. When work stops at the end of the day, take the advanced warning signs down, with the exception of the permanent signing indicating the situation ahead, such as road work ahead. When you take signs down, remove them and the bases away from the traveled portion of the road. If they're left too close, they can be a hazard to vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. But always remember, when work is in progress, never leave your station. When you have to be relieved, it must be by another trained, fully qualified flagger. To this point, I've covered the basics of flagging. However, to give one standard procedure that covers all flagging would be impossible. Each flagging situation is affected by the terrain, the type of road, the traffic, and the work itself. Construction, maintenance, utility, surveying. So now let's look at different flagging situations. For example, highway construction work is typically long-term, so the flagging situations for it often go on months at a time. Bridge deck repairs, new bridges, resurfacing, shoulder upgrading, roadway realignment, pipe installations, and so on. Road maintenance, on the other hand, usually is shorter term as our utility work and surveying. So the flagging situations often last for just hours or days. Operations move as potholes are patched, cracks are sealed, or pavements are leveled. So the flagging stations, as well as the advance warning signs, traffic cones, and so on, are moved too. Freeway flagging presents its own considerations, whether it's construction or maintenance work. Because of the high volume and speed of the traffic, the advance warnings must be given sooner. That's the reason for the 1,000-foot sign spacings I mentioned a few moments ago. It's also the reason for signing on both sides of the highway, and for proper channelization to move motorists safely into the lanes that remain open to traffic. It's also the reason for use of early-warner arrow boards to alert motorists well in advance of the work sites and get them to merge before they reach the lane closures. Some situations require an advance flagger. Advance flaggers are needed when there is limited site distance to the work area, or where special instructions must be given to motorists. So as an advance flagger, you are to slow or stop each vehicle as it approaches. And if necessary, give the motorist instructions for driving through the work area. In this case, a truck crossing. As motorists approach this truck crossing, they drive down a long steep grade, and around a sharp curve. Conditions that make that early warning by the advance flagger so critical, especially to heavily loaded trucks. And while I'm on the subject of truck crossings, let me make a few more points about these situations. They're quite common. Many truck crossings carry a continual flow of heavy equipment traffic across streets or highways. The operators of trucks and other heavy equipment need to keep moving. They can't easily or safely slow down, wait for a gap in the traffic, and then zip across the road. So they normally are given preference in crossing the highway. The flagger's purpose is to watch constantly for the trucks and stop the highway traffic to let them cross over. The flagger has to stay alert 100% of the time. Sometimes these are brief stoppages of traffic, and other times they're longer, as when the trucks remain on the road, or just off it, loading or unloading. Flagging at truck crossings involves the same basic use of the stop-slow sign and hand signals I showed you earlier. So let me review. You're just off the edge of the pavement, the sign held between you and the road. When it's time to stop the traffic, you turn the sign to stop and raise your left hand to bring the first vehicle to a complete stop. Then you move out to the center line where all the approaching motorists can see you. You keep an eye on the trucks at the crossing, and when it's all clear, you return to the side of the road, where you turn the sign back to slow and motion the traffic to proceed. Both you and the other flagger should be well synchronized with the stopping and releasing of traffic. Now another flagging situation, one way or alternating traffic. On two lane roads, where the work requires that one lane be blocked, the traffic can move in only one direction at a time and must alternate back and forth. When the two flaggers are hidden from each other, or they're too far apart to communicate by voice, there are three basic ways of alternating the traffic safely. One is by using a walkie-talkie to describe the last car through to the other flagger, who watches for that last car and then releases the traffic at the other end when it goes by. Another way is the use of a baton. The first flagger gives it to the last driver passing by with instructions to return it to the other flagger and then stops and holds all traffic after that. When that last driver reaches the other end of the job, he gives the baton to the second flagger, who then releases the traffic waiting there. And later gives the baton to the last driver going through from that end. The third way is a pilot car to guide motorists safely through the work area. Batons or walkie-talkies are not needed in such situations because the traffic goes through the work zone bunched up, staying right behind the pilot car. It's easy to tell when the last car comes by you're a flagging station. When the pilot car reaches the other flagging station, it pulls off, turns around, waits for the last car to go by, and then leads the waiting group of cars back through the work area in the opposite direction. These situations are opportunities for the flaggers to be helpful to the motorists and patient with them too. A good chance to explain what's going on and to help them understand that the procedure is for their safety and the protection of their vehicles. Here's another situation that's not nearly as common as the others I've shown you, but equally as dangerous. Blasting zones. The traffic must be stopped when the blasts are set off and held until all is clear. And remember this, two-way radios, hand-held or otherwise, cannot be used at certain times in blasting zones. The transmissions could set off explosions. Okay, daytime flagging poses enough difficulties of its own, but night flagging presents a whole new set of challenges. The problem, of course, revolves around visibility. And the main concern is for you and your sign to be seen by approaching motorists. So there are some additional requirements. First, your sign must be reflectorized, as well as your hard hat and vest. It's smart to wear light-colored clothing too. You're required to have a flashlight with a six to eight-inch red sleeve on it, as I mentioned early in the program. And there have to be lights to illuminate you and your flagging station to show your position on the roadway. Now let's approach the flagger station. The advanced warning signs must be reflectorized and can be illuminated or have flashers mounted on them. Car headlights will provide the rest of the needed lighting, but to avoid glare, the signs should be slanted a little toward the roadside. The flagging procedure is the same, except that you've got the flashlight in your left hand to wave and alert the motorists. This flagger is stationed at a truck crossing. Given the extreme darkness and the way those trucks barrel nonstop across the highway, the flaggers are indispensable in these cases. And one final situation, urban flagging. Heavy traffic and obstacles that limit sight distances are problems occurring in urban work areas. The spacing between advanced warning signs can be reduced because of lower speed limits, but the visibility of the signs will often be more difficult to ensure since typically there's more clutter along city streets and along shoulders of highways out in the open. Here the flagger isn't needed because of work on the street itself, but because of construction equipment entering and leaving a building site. The flagger follows the same procedures I've discussed before to ensure that the traffic gets through the work area safely and with as little delay as possible. So you've seen a few of the situations you're likely to encounter as flaggers. Your instructors will answer any questions you have on these situations, explain additional cases as well, and discuss other points necessary for your training as flaggers. Don't hesitate to ask any question. This is the time for it. Your questions will probably help your fellow trainees. Now let me summarize the important topics I've discussed with you. Your primary purpose as a flagger is to control traffic and provide safety for the motorists and workers. To do the job, you have to be properly dressed and equipped. You have to be in the right position, remaining alert at all times, day or night. You must handle the stop-slow sign correctly and give standard clearly understandable hand signals. You need to keep an eye on the advance warning signs and attention flags. In other conditions that affect safety in the work area. And you must do your best to ensure good public relations, whether you work for the state, a contractor, a city or county, or a utility company. Work with your public image in mind. Motorists will range from slightly irritated to outright angry at being delayed in their travel. Since you're the nearest representative of the people causing the inconvenience, they'll look to you to vent their frustrations. So don't give them any more reason to be upset. Stay alert and at your station. Use the stop-slow sign properly and give proper hand signals. Your attitude and actions can lessen or even prevent ill will by enabling you to help motorists understand and accept what's going on. Even your posture and facial expressions can affect the motorist's reaction. If you're slouching and not paying much attention, the drivers probably won't be too concerned either. And the less serious that the public takes the situation, the more serious the dangers actually become. So flaggers always perform as if you're the most important person on the job because when it comes to protecting lives, you are.