Re: Does Your Company MANDATE White-Line Protocol ?

[rreschran]

In light of California's FSP operator killed several days ago, I'm perplexed why the message of white-line safety hasn't reached towers working in highway environments.

 

This preventable death was very much the same as was ACSC's, Jabar Issa's death, January 2015, where he and technician Mark Larrison were conducting a tire change on a high-speed highway in San Diego County. This fatality counts the eighth US highway fatality this year and the second FSP related incident.

 

That being said, how often do you tow owners and tow bosses openly talk about the dangers of working on the highway even when towers are there for a service-type calls? 

 

I personally believe there are no routine calls, and especially when towers are parked on a highway's shoulder and traffic's full speed ahead. I might add that for operators serving as FSP, Rangers, Heroes, DOT, Texas NTTA, or other roadside entities, the work you do increases your risk and exposure.

 

I remind towers that they're only as safe when staying-off the white-line of traffic. All towing related tasks have a higher level of protection when worked away from traffic. While I understand that your work (and vehicle code laws) oftentimes places you in harm's way, YOU have to make the conscious choice to work away from traffic whenever possible. If there's one best practice towers learn, I pray that you and your operators know this one.   R.