Reverse Signal Operations Summary

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.

Covered vehicles 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.

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 applies to all covered vehicles 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, front-end loaders, dump trucks;
• Boom trucks;
• Garbage trucks;
• Cube vans; and
• Tractor trailers.