What to Know About PVC Traffic Cones Placement
Road workers use PVC Traffic Cones every day to help guide drivers through potentially hazardous construction areas. But while this is a common practice, many beginners overlook one aspect of the process - the idea of strategic cone placement. How we choose to deploy these tools on the job site can greatly affect how drivers and the rest of the team respond to traffic. So this is something every worker should be aware of during site setup and demolition. Here's what to know about cone placement and its overall importance in establishing a safe workspace.
Importance of PVC Traffic Cones Placement
Believe it or not, traffic safety cones aren't that effective on their own. While their presence on the job site is enough to show passing drivers that work is in progress, placement is what allows them to direct the flow of traffic. Positioning them strategically makes it easier for road construction professionals to clearly tell drivers where to go – and to do so in the safest way possible. Therefore, this combined with the indication of traffic signs ultimately improves safety in and around the work area.
Considerations for Placing PVC Traffic Cones
But it's not enough to understand the importance behind conscious cone positioning. In fact, it is also important for road construction professionals to understand the different factors that influence the optimal location. After all, no two job sites will be the same - it's up to you to identify key differences and how it affects your processes. These are a few key considerations for placing PVC Traffic Cones around a job site.
Workspace size
If you're going to be working on a larger construction site, you'll naturally need more cones to accommodate it. However, it also means that you need to rethink how you lay out the cones. As a general safety standard, the first few cones need to be placed approximately 250 feet from the official start of the construction site. These cones are placed in a tapering fashion, slowly forcing traffic into the lane furthest from the work being done. If your site is larger than one channel, this mode also needs to take this into account.
flow
The amount of traffic and driving speeds in your area can also affect how you place your viewing cones. This is because the cones themselves are often closed to suit the speed of the road and the driving environment. For highways, crews must use cones taller than 28 inches with higher reflectivity on the collar to ensure that the cones provide greater visibility at night to inform drivers. It also means placing the cones in a way that provides extra buffer space and gives drivers more time to slow down or stop.
Additional Tips for Placing Traffic Cones
However, the most important thing about cone placement is how it is actually done. Although you need to adhere to certain standards, it is only through practice that you can effectively set them for yourself. Here are some tips for you to keep in mind.
Use a tapering strategy
As mentioned earlier, the tapered cone pattern is essential to block the lane while giving the driver an early indication. This helps them notice that their driveway is disappearing and gives them more time to deal with it. To do this, walk about 40 steps from the edge of the construction site and place the first cone along the shoulder. Step back 10 steps toward the site, then walk 3 feet into the road if it is safe to do so, and place the second cone. Repeat this process, taking each cone a few more steps on the road, until you have the last cone on the edge of the lane.
Cones of space are equal
When you're done with the tapered cones, go back and make sure they're evenly distributed. Doing this ensures that you create a consistent barrier to traffic behind and that there are no gaps where they could erroneously squeeze into the work area. The optimal distance is about 20 feet from one cone to the other. It is important to maintain the distance between the cones, even over the entire length of the site.
Check your work from the driver's point of view
You'll also want to go back and check your cone layout from the driver's point of view before actually getting to work. Is the transition clear enough for them to understand? Does the tapered arrangement match what your construction signs say? Asking yourself these questions from the driver's perspective will allow you to pinpoint any problems with cone placement and patterning before they become a problem. It's important that your taper alignment makes as much sense as possible so the driver isn't confused and more likely to follow it.
Reposition them throughout the day
However, the work did not end there. This is because you should still check your cone position regularly throughout the day. It is common for cones to be worn down by traffic or weather, knocked over and pushed wrong. So it's up to you and your team to get them back to the right place. Otherwise, communication between your whistleblower and passing drivers may be disrupted. Marking ahead where certain cones will be placed can greatly help with this problem by telling you where they should be without having to remeasure.
Traffic cones and their locations are an important part of any type of job site. That's why at Traffic Safety Zone, we seek not only to provide our clients with quality construction traffic cones, but also the knowledge to use them most effectively. Each of our products meets all official OSHA standards and is durable enough to withstand the stress of several jobs ahead. For more information on our extensive inventory of traffic safety items, please do not hesitate to give us a call.