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Reverse Signal Operations Summary

Introduction

Each department that owns or uses covered vehicles must ensure that all operators are trained in accordance with VOSH requirements for this program. This program applies to both general industry and construction vehicles, machinery, and equipment.

Scope

This program covers any vehicle where there is an obstructed view to the rear of the vehicle at ground level, including:

  • Structural members of the vehicle;
  • The load being handled;
  • Height (relative to ground level viewing);
  • Damage to windows or side mirrors used for rearview movement;
  • Restricted visibility due to weather conditions (e.g. heavy fog, heavy snow); and
  • Work being done after dark without proper lighting.

This program applies to all vehicles covered by the standard being operated by Virginia Tech personnel regardless of location, such as:

  • Pick up trucks and vans (depending on whether the rearview is likely to be obstructed or not)
  • Construction equipment, such as bobcats, track hoes, front-end loaders
    • Equipment that rotates (ex. mobile cranes) is generally not covered since the operator can rotate to see if anyone is in the path of travel before proceeding.
  • Dump trucks
  • Boom trucks
  • Garbage trucks
  • Cube vans
  • Tractor trailers

Background

Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) adopted this unique standard to address accidents involving vehicles or equipment that were not previously covered by existing standards. 

Construction work zone accidents involving fatalities from vehicles/equipment backing over people included dumpt trucks (majority of fatalities), cement trucks, fuel trucks, vacuum trucks, trackhoes, and similar equipment with an obstructed view by the operator to the rear.

General industry fatalities included vehichles such as tractor trailer trucks, logging vehicles, garbage trucks, and delivery trucks.

Some of the cases involved vehicles where reverse signal alarms were not operational, but other accidents occurred even with operational alarms. Employees apparently became de-sensitized to the sound of reverse signal alarms and other sounds in the work zone. 

Regulatory Info

Review the standard: 16VAC 25-97

Application

The program applies to any general or construction industry vehicle, machinery, or equipment capable of operating in reverse and which may have an obstructed view to the rear.  An "obstructed view to the rear" is anything that interferes with the driver's view to the rear of the vehicle at ground level. This includes structural members of the vehicle, its load, its height relative to ground level viewing, damage to windows or side mirrors, etc. used for rearview movements, restricted visibility due to weather conditions, or work being performed after dark without proper lighting.

Emergency Response Vehicles

Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) has the authority to monitor and inspect working conditions of covered employees engaged in rescue operations to make certain that all necessary procedures are being taken to protect the lives of rescuers. Where this rescue work is performed by the employer, VOSH standards apply.

Pickup Trucks

If the driver can see directly behind the vehicle at ground level by looking through a rearview mirror, or by turning around and looking out the rear window, then the view is not considered obstructed and the requirements would not apply.

However, if the pickup truck has a load that would obstruct the view when backing up, or if work is being done after dark without proper lighting, or if windows/mirrors are damaged, or if severe weather affects the view, then the requirements would apply. If the pickup truck has a camper shell, it must have a front and rear window so that the driver can see when backing up.

Exceptions

  • Vehicles covered by this standard with operable video or similar technological capability providing the driver with a full view behind the vehicle are exempt from the requirement to use a ground guide.
  • To the extent that any federal Department of Transportation (DOT) regulation applying to covered vehicles conflicts with this regulation, the DOT regulations shall take precedence.
  • Vehicles covered by this standard that did not have a backup alarm when manufactured, or were not later retrofitted with an alarm, are exempt from the requirement to have a backup alarm. Note: if the manufacturer offered the employer a backup alarm retrofit package at a reasonable and economically feasible cost, and the employer did not have the retrofit package installed, this exemption does not apply.

Requirements

Vehicles covered by this standard with an obstructed view to the rear shall not be operated in reverse unless:

  • The vehicle has a reverse signal alarm audible above the surrounding noise level;
  • Either the vehicle is backed up only when a designated observer or ground guide signals that it is safe to do so; and
  • Before operating the covered vehicle in reverse, the driver visually determined that no employee is in the path of the covered vehicle.