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Home › News Room › News releases › 2004 › Fact sheets ›

Road crews and general public safer because of standardized training say road builders and the WCB

September 28, 2004, Penticton, B.C. — The workers who construct and maintain B.C.'s highways and streets can work more confidently knowing that the training developed by the Safety Network and the Workers' Compensation Board for traffic control persons is a success.

Traffic control persons play an important role in road work safety by controlling and coordinating the direction and speed of traffic through worksites. The risk of injury or death resulting from moving traffic or equipment is significant. On average there is one traffic control fatality each year.

Since July 1, 2003 more than 4,800 people from all regions of the province have received training and a ticket that allows them to work as traffic control persons in B.C. Prior to July 2003, while training was required, there was no standardization of training, centralized data base of those who had completed the training or photo identification on the traffic control person's ticket. This led to inconsistency in safety standards and more risk for workers and the driving public.

Tom Johnson, Chair of the Safety Network and Vice-President, Engineering and Technical Services with the JJM Group Ltd., said, "The Safety Network was very happy to take on this training and certification responsibility. Our role is to bring the best information and practices to companies so they can ensure the safety of their worksites." Johnson made his comments at the fall conference of the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association in Penticton today.

Steve Barnett, Vice President of the Program Design Division of the WCB said, "The WCB appreciates the initiative shown by the Safety Network in first developing and then managing this program. Because the Safety Network is the health and safety association for the road building industry, it knew what training was required and worked with our staff to create a course that fully complied with the B.C.'s health and safety regulations."

Currently in B.C. the Safety Network is the only organization that has developed a comprehensive, standardized training curriculum for traffic control persons that meets the requirement for acceptance under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. Any trainer, agency or business that wants to offer traffic control training "acceptable to the Board" may pay a fee and submit its course for review and certification by the WCB. If the course is found to be acceptable that trainer will also be able to issue tickets for traffic control persons.

Brian Litster, President, Island Traffic, said, "Industry and the general public are better served when companies employ traffic control persons who have successfully completed the standardized course. Since they have all taken the same course they understand each other better, the road crews know they can rely on them and the general public who needs to move through a repair or new construction zone can be more confident that they will do so safely."

Serving approximately two million workers and more than 173,000 employers, the Workers' Compensation Board of B.C. is a provincial statutory agency governed by a Board of Directors. The WCB is committed to a safe and healthy workplace, to providing return-to-work rehabilitation and legislated compensation benefits to workers injured as a result of their employment, and to being responsible, accountable and financially sustainable.

For more information please contact:
Gladys Johnsen Public Affairs Manager Prevention Division 604 214-5441 or toll-free in B.C. at 1 888 621-7233, local 5441 or by cell 604 908-0876	Steve Torrence Executive Director Safety Network 604 436-0232