Development and Short-Term Evaluation of a Pretask Safety Briefing Tool for Highway Construction and Maintenance Crews

The high risks and dangerous environments inherent in construction work, particularly in highway construction and maintenance, make this industry a critical focus for safety training and regulations. Despite the unique hazards, safety standards and programs in this sector are still underdeveloped. Highway maintenance employees of the United States Departments of Transportation (DOTs) face distinct risks specific to their work environment, yet this sector has not received sufficient safety research or training, leaving many workers vulnerable to preventable hazards. To bridge this gap, a pretask safety toolbox was developed in collaboration with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), aimed at mitigating these risks. By thoroughly analyzing incident records and pinpointing frequent hazards and their causes, the toolbox offers targeted safety practices. The methodology included comprehensive data analysis of incidents, classification of maintenance operations, identification of common causes, and alignment of safety practices to address identified risks, culminating in the design and testing of a pretask safety toolbox. The study demonstrated that the toolbox was particularly effective in enhancing safety practices in mowing operations and road and shoulder repairs, largely due to its comprehensive coverage and relevance to the tasks performed. Supervisors reported high satisfaction, highlighting improvements in safety communication. Overall, the pretask safety toolbox significantly enhanced safety awareness among highway maintenance crews. This study provides vital empirical evidence on the effectiveness of safety practices in a less-researched sector, and contributes to the body of knowledge by offering a replicable, data-driven framework for developing and evaluating targeted safety interventions in highway maintenance operations.