Safety Risk Analysis and Proposing Risk Mitigation Strategies for Operations and Maintenance Activities in Highways: A Qualitative Method

Abstract

Mobile operations and highway maintenance work is among the riskiest activities of state highway agencies. Over the past ten years, approximately 1,300 fatal and major injury crashes occurred in Iowa with 8,200 minor injury crashes, 11,400 possible injury crashes and 34,000 property damage crashes, as reported in the statewide crash database of Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). A literature review finds very few studies that have analyzed risk in moving operations and maintenance work using an integrated, system-level analysis. The study reported herein provides a broad examination of the different risks identified and assessed through qualitative analysis involving conducting interviews and national surveys to identify the critical factors with respect to their severity and likelihood of occurrence and developing suitable risk mitigation strategies. The analysis resulted in nine factors bearing catastrophic risk potential for maintenance and operations in highways that require immediate attention. These are (1) night time operations; (2) peak traffic hours; (3) absence of proper signage near the work-zone; (4) improper signs and signage at ramps and roadway intersections near work-zones; (5) work-zones on roads in hilly areas; (6) foggy-misty weather; (7) not using morning lights in the work-zone; (8) not imposing speed limit fines on public; and (9) lack of work safety and training programs.