WORK ZONE TRAFFIC CONTROL PART 5

To you, the flagger:

You have been chosen as a traffic flagger because your supervisor feels you are physically able,

mentally alert, and sufficiently commanding in appearance to be obeyed by the motoring public.

You are an indispensable part of all maintenance and construction operations. We want you to

study the following instructions so that they become second nature. Your life, the lives of your

fellow workers, and the lives of highway users depend upon your alertness and on your ability to

control traffic with your stop-slow sign paddle.

Yours is an important position and is one to be carried out with authority and dignity.

Appearance:

When on duty you should present a neat appearance and be appropriately dressed for protection

from the sun, flying objects, and insects. A clean orange vest is mandatory. Remember - a neat

appearance gains respect.

Equipment:

You will be equipped with a stop-slow sign paddle and vest. A lantern or flashlight and other

special equipment may be furnished for nighttime operations.

Note:

Whenever possible, you will be notified the day before you are to be a flagger so that you may

dress properly and review flagging instructions.

The flagger and public relations:

When stopping traffic, you should advise the first motorist of the situation in a brief, courteous

statement, including an estimate of the delay.

Do not lean on vehicles or argue with the occupants. Keep your voice calm. Your job demands

full concentration. If any driver refuses to obey instructions, the vehicle description and license

number should be recorded and the circumstances reported immediately to your supervisor. If the

situation warrants, the State Police should be notified.

All work area signs required by Part VI, Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, must be

installed prior to beginning any operation. You should not be required to control traffic without

proper placement of these signs. The signs must be removed or covered when they are not

actually in effect.

Be courteous, friendly, alert, and helpful.