Risk of Fatal or Catastrophic Transportation Accidents Involving Construction Trucks
Arguably, no one in the City of Chicago, Cook County, or the larger Chicago metropolitan area known as “Chicagoland” will remain untouched by the record-setting amount of road construction work zones that have been, and will continue to be established on our Illinois roadways as part of the landmark “Rebuild Illinois” plan. Just a few months ago, Governor Pritzker debuted a $41.42 Billion project to “build and repair infrastructure” which “…eclipses the previous record set last year and continues the momentum of the governor’s historic Rebuild Illinois capital program.” Read, “Gov. Pritzker Announces $41 Billion Multi-Year Plan, Largest in State History,” released by the Office of Governor JB Pritzker on June 14, 2024.
It is a massive undertaking, and for those within the construction industry provides all sorts of jobs and opportunities to work on large road projects that include 8.8 million square feet of bridge decks on the state system as well as 3214 miles of roadway.
For all these workers, the dangers of active construction road work zones cannot be underestimated. Of particular concern are the risks involved in all the powerful machinery and heavy equipment needed for these projects and the hazards of being hurt or killed in a work accident.
Of importance, a particular type of accident on our road work construction sites here in Chicagoland does not involve stationary heavy machinery or equipment, as discussed in our previous post, but instead involves the construction worker colliding with specialized construction trucks while on the job site. Read, Struck By or Caught-In-Between Accidents in Road Work Zones: Chicago Construction Dangers.
Road construction work zones are hectic, noisy, and filled with a surprising variety of work trucks that can be involved in a fatal or catastrophic collision with one or more construction workers on the job site.
Dangerous Trucks, Tractors, and Trailers on Road Work Construction Sites
Consider the following examples of the specialized trucks that will be rumbling around our Chicago road work zones, providing a consistent danger of injury to all the workers on the job:
- Asphalt Distributor Trucks (with Trailers): These trucks come with trailers that can range from 400 to 1000 gallon capacities, and are used for hauling, storing, and spraying asphalt used in the roadway construction.
- Concrete Mixer Trucks: Cement mixers, or concrete mixer trucks, are another type of specialty truck found on our Chicagoland road work zones. They not only move concrete to the worksite, but they mix the concrete as well in motorized, rotating drums that keep it moving at all times so it doesn’t harden.
- Dump Trucks: Most everyone will recognize all the dump trucks moving around on road construction projects. Workers need dump trucks to do things like move gravel or dirt as well as collecting debris. These powerful trucks have beds that raise and lower as needed to “dump” their contents onto the surface.
- Flatbed Trucks: Flatbed trucks are used to move big things that are needed in the road construction project like concrete sections, as well as heavy equipment and machinery including excavators, bulldozers, and cranes.
- Haul Trucks: Akin to dump trucks, haul trucks are used to transport materials to the site; however, haul trucks are made to handle heavier loads than dump trucks and have an ability to move over uneven terrain. Large and complex road construction projects may require the use of haul trucks in addition to dump trucks.
- Hydrovac Trucks: These are specialized vehicles that assist in excavation with an ability to dig trenches, etc., while minimizing the risk of harming underground utilities. To do this, they use water under very high pressure together with a vacuum system.
- Sweeper Trucks: Sweeper trucks help road construction workers to remove things as small as fine dust or dirt to small stones and other debris that builds up as asphalt is laid. They come with large brushes that rotate while suction is used to pull up everything on the surface, leaving behind a work surface free of waste and debris.
- Tractors: Large construction tractors (utility, compact, etc.) help construction workers move loads or equipment as well as assisting in the road building itself, in tasks like site prep and clearing.
- Tractor Scrapers: Tractor scrapers merge tractors with scrapers so the operator can move material from the ground surface; there are several types including single engine wheeled scrapers; dual engine wheeled scrapers; and pull scrapers.
- Trenchers: There are various types of trenchers (chain, wheel, micro) that may be used in road construction to help move large amounts of earth or soil and create trenches in the earth with level floors and smooth walls.
- Water Trucks: There may be more than one water truck on a large road project, enabling workers to keep all the dust manageable as well as helping hydrate asphalt and other materials. These trucks have large tanks that hold the water and spray the water as the truck moves along its path.
This is not a complete list of trucks that may be needed on one of the many different Chicago area road construction projects underway as part of “Rebuild Illinois.” These are just some of the commercial vehicles that are important and indispensable to road work where they bring with them not only control and efficiency, but dangers to road construction workers because of their size, weight, and power.
For instance, dump trucks are infamous for being hazardous. Read, “Preventing Dump Truck-related Injuries and Deaths During Construction: Guidance for Employers,” published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) 2023. Concrete mixer trucks on a road work zone also are well known for their risks of injury. See, “Ready Mixed Concrete Truck Drivers: Work-Related Hazards and Recommendations for Controls,” published by the Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety & Health.
Struck and Killed in Runovers and Backovers: Road Construction Accidents
The Federal Highway Administration warns that runover and backover accidents, where the construction worker is hurt or killed when the construction vehicle either runs over them while in operation, or backs over the worker victim during use, are the most common form of fatal or catastrophic injuries involving these types of vehicles. The FHWA confirms that historically, “…more workers were struck and killed by construction vehicles than by cars, vans, and tractor-trailers.”
All those with possession, custody, or control of aspects of the road construction site have legal duties of care and safety to protect workers from truck accident injuries. Read, Multiple Employers on the Construction Site: Who Is Liable For Construction Worker Accidents? and Who Can Be Held Liable for Construction Worker Accidents?
Road work zones should include the following protections:
- Proper planning that includes specific needs for specialized vehicles and how these behemoths will move through the work zone. What routes will be needed? Where will they be parked or stored? Where are the safest intersections for walking paths and traffic routes?
- Training of all road construction workers on the worksite itself, including not only the dangers that accompany each of the trucks used in the project but how best to work around or near to them.
- Having work zone schedules that are preventing contractor overlap and minimizing the number of trucks moving through the work zone as necessary, as well as the number of construction workers that will be at risk in areas where these trucks will be moving or in operation.
- Having routine inspections of all trucks to make sure they are all in proper working order. This includes pulling from service any truck in need of repair, maintenance, or replacement, regardless of the potential for delay.
- Making sure there are safety devices (think mirrors) as well as warning signs and warning labels appropriate for each truck before they are approved for service on the site.
- Providing the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all road construction workers near these specialized trucks. Things like reflective vests are particularly important when visibility is an issue due to working in bad weather conditions where visibility can be impacted (think rain, dark clouds, etc.).
- Having managers and supervisors alert to the road work environment at all times, to make sure that the hectic conditions of a road work zone are not being exacerbated by distracted workers, unnecessary noise, confused conditions, etc.
Justice for Workers Hurt in Chicago Road Construction Truck Accidents
Specialized trucks like dump trucks, concrete mixers, and flatbeds are all manufactured and sold with the goal of making the job of the road construction worker easier and faster. Sadly, these huge trucks are all too often the cause of permanent harm or death of workers in the road work zone in a preventable accident caused by a breach of duties in safety and care.
Victims of road construction accidents involving trucks in the work zone have remedies available to them under state and federal law. More than one company or individual may be legally liable for recompense to the worker and to their loved ones in legal claims outside of workers’ compensation.
For more, read:
- Asphalt Dangers to Workers in Chicago Area Road Work Zones
- Electricity Accident Dangers for Road Work Construction Workers in Chicagoland
- Reckless Driving in Chicago Road Work Accidents
- Workers Face Great Danger from Illinois Highway Road Work Construction Accidents
- Beware One of the Deadliest Dangers on Construction Sites: Struck-By Accidents
- The Reality of Widespread Industrial Work Accident Deaths in Illinois and Indiana: Warning to Our Workers
- Industrial Housekeeping and Construction Site Accidents.
The trucks that will be moving along and around the varied Chicagoland road work zones are impressive feats of modern engineering and technology. They are vital. And they are dangerous. Please be careful out there!
