I was an instrument person today on a three man crew. My boss out in the field today was setting traverse points alongside state route 78 today here in ny. this route has steady traffic with plenty of tractor trailers. I don't want to be a whiner but I feel uncomfortable being only a couple feet away from big rigs and cellphone drivers. the benefit of having control in the pavement is nice, easy to find and generally doesn't move until they repave. my boss doesn't seem to act like there is a safety risk and usually does this on every job. Am I just being a pu#$y about this? look at the pictures and let me know what you think. I didn't wanna say anything because I mostly just wanna shut-up and do my job. I attached a couple pictures of the setup.
That's a State Highway? Gadzooks, man, you'd never get away with that out here on the left coast.
There are definitely safety protocols missing here - check NYDOT. I'm thinking that in my stealthiest setup on a long, lonely stretch of road, I would have a LOT more cones out at a minimum {they can be early warning detectors, don't you know}.
Everywhere I've been employed, a setup like that would get you fired immediately, no exceptions, no regrets. I have seen rod men fired the same way because they stayed that close to traffic as it went by.
For me, that is a bad setup.
On pavement with highest vibration effect from wind and traffic.
I would set my hubs where the right tires of the truck are or farther away from the paved surface to where my tripod feet would all be sunk in sod.
:totalstation:
If you're not uncomfortable with that arrangement, you should be. Those 2 itsy-bitsy cones are hardly sufficient to put drivers on notice. At least park a vehicle upstream from traffic on the shoulder as a barrier with enough lighting to be seen from space. You have every right to be concerned about your personal safety IMHO.
The wind and vibrations from passing traffic make that a dubious point to occupy with the instrument at the very least.
Setting control along busy roads, the number 1 priority has to be the safety of those that will need to use it, period.
Are you doing private surveys, or DOT. Those cones will not meet NYSDOT standards.
Tell the boss more setups may take longer, but equal safer work area. You need to setup off the shoulder, else you need traffic signs showing closed shoulder.
Warren Smith, post: 361009, member: 9900 wrote: That's a State Highway? Gadzooks, man, you'd never get away with that out here on the left coast.
There are definitely safety protocols missing here - check NYDOT. I'm thinking that in my stealthiest setup on a long, lonely stretch of road, I would have a LOT more cones out at a minimum {they can be early warning detectors, don't you know}.
yes i do. I have had a car hit a cone and the cone flew up in the air right over my head. bout soiled myself, had my back turned,
I'm not sure if that qualifies as safe for a dead end cul-de-sac.
I would at least have 3X3 signs up that say 'SURVEY CREW AHEAD', more cones, park the truck with safety lights flashing, etc.
I would definitely rather have the points off the pavement, stick a 5/8 rebar in the ground, flag it up. The farther of the pavement the gooder!!
leegreen, post: 361014, member: 2332 wrote: Are you doing private surveys, or DOT. Those cones will not meet NYSDOT standards.
Tell the boss more setups may take longer, but equal safer work area. You need to setup off the shoulder, else you need traffic signs showing closed shoulder.
private boundary surveys are all the work we do.
That setup is frightening. Traverse points are not worth dying for.
smitty, post: 361007, member: 11387 wrote: I was an instrument person today on a three man crew. My boss out in the field today was setting traverse points alongside state route 78 today here in ny. this route has steady traffic with plenty of tractor trailers. I don't want to be a whiner but I feel uncomfortable being only a couple feet away from big rigs and cellphone drivers. the benefit of having control in the pavement is nice, easy to find and generally doesn't move until they repave. my boss doesn't seem to act like there is a safety risk and usually does this on every job. Am I just being a pu#$y about this? look at the pictures and let me know what you think. I didn't wanna say anything because I mostly just wanna shut-up and do my job. I attached a couple pictures of the setup.
If you're on a State Highway your permit will tell you EXACTLY what signage you need. There is a safety risk anywhere in the highway right-of-way. If your HR person won't address this contact your DOT. They will remedy the situation...
Jim in AZ, post: 361019, member: 249 wrote: If you're on a State Highway your permit will tell you EXACTLY what signage you need. There is a safety risk anywhere in the highway right-of-way. If your HR person won't address this contact your DOT. They will remedy the situation...
this thread is gonna help remedy the situation. no reason to get government involved. Its very easy to get complacent to danger, we just need to wake up, pay attention and make better choices and this forum is going to help the "wakeup" process.
Looks pretty wide open so I see no reason to be on the road bed. It looks like they got the RP and and CP transposed, I would prefer to be occupedo on a hub out by the flagging and paint up the road a bit to help find the point.
When you set up next to next to a wall, edge or path of travel set the legs in such a way that a side of a the triangle formed by the tripod is adjacent the obstruction or hazard, you can get the gun closer but keep the legs further clear that way, in the pictures the tripod as a foot toward the road which puts it more in hazard.
The cone on the fog line is poor form also, can get kicked up and hit the legs, the whole operation should be shifted.
I do not have a lot of faith in cones or signs, I think it is good to be skeptical of their efficiency.
That said you should use them and use them in a way that makes sense to protect from an incident and after to establish liability should one occur.
The only surveyor I have known to get hospitalized by a car was in the cross walk with the walk sign on downtown.
At the end of the day, you need to take ownership of your safety regardless of what your foreman, his boss, or people on the internet have to say about it, if you feel it is not safe, do not do it. I know sometimes it is easier to say that kind of thing than to really act on it, but if your employer does not respect your safety there is nothing about them to respect and you should move on, it's a good tell of a bad show in my experience.
Min 6 meters clearance from any road with a speed posted of 60 km (that's ~40 mi) for any station setup, or if any safety/police/boss sees you it's a fine and a large stack of paperwork.
Nearly impossible to keep the gun steady under such conditions. Semi truck wind blasts will do you in, accuracy-wise.
We do that sort of thing all the time on back roads with little traffic. But, real highways with real traffic are a completely different situation.
Its not safe.
I'd never set up that close to the road when there is plenty of room off the edge of the gravel shoulder. I'd also set those cones down the road 50 to 100 feet to give the cars a chance to hit the cones before the instrument. It's just not worth the chance. I'd be pi$$ed off if I saw my crew set up that close to the road. It's not just the crews life either. This could cause an accident by someone not noticing until last minute and over correcting right into on coming traffic.
The shoulder ain't no place to be...it's hardly EVER really safe to be there.
That driver hauling that mobile home isn't expecting a surveyor to be on the shoulder. On the same token, that surveyor never expected a trailer house to come up the road.
I see PLENTY of room, down in the grass. I had a Static observation GPS L-1, LOCUS run over. It was ACROSS a ditch, and the guy came for it. (magnetized!)
Be careful.
N
Those cracks you see in pavement are from expansion and contraction. That means the asphalt pavement moves which means your PK nails are moving.
You would be better off sinking a rebar on level ground away from the edge of pavement.
You might cite the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for proper signage on your jobs. http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
Who knows when OSHA might pay a visit?
