2023 has already been marked by one of the deadliest work zone crashes for transportation workers. This spring's Work Zone Awareness Week includes emphases on training staff, reminding the public to use caution in work zones, and remembering those whose lives have been lost.
Work Zone Awareness Week 2023:
Monday, April 17 - Work Zone Safety Training Day
Our national association - NLTAPA - hosts a multitude of Tailgate Talks to give you a guide for short, focused training that can be a part of an employee meeting, morning conversation, monthly safety meeting, or working lunch.
The Center for Construction Research and Training has some great resources, too.
Tuesday, April 18 - National Kickoff Event
This year's Kickoff Event will be hosted by MODOT in St. Louis. A livestream will be available from MO DOT.
You can host your own local event. A department open house is a great way to connect with the public and teach them some work zone basics as well.
Wednesday, April 19 - Go Orange Day
Encourage your crew to wear orange and share the meaning of it on social media. Use a local press release or social media to encourage the public to think about work zone safety by wearing orange, too.
Thursday, April 20 - Social media storm
Organizations, companies, institutions and individuals are asked to share messages and use hashtags #NWZAW and #WorkZoneSafety throughout social media. The NE LTAP FB page will have posts you can share.
Friday, April 21 - Moment of Silence
As a crew, take a moment of silence to remember those whose lives have been lost in work zones - transportation professionals and the traveling public.
The NWZAW Event Planning Guide is a comprehensive guide for all individuals and organizations planning to host NWZAW events in their community. The guide includes event setup guides, sample invitations, examples of opening and closing remarks, a sample schedule for the kickoff event and more.
Each year the Work Zone Awareness Week is coordinated by ATSSA and a host of sponsoring agencies and organizations. Learn more at https://www.nwzaw.org.