Who is responsible for the safety of workers and road users in a work zone?

The Traffic Control Supervisor holds the primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of both workers and road users in a work zone. This role involves developing and implementing traffic control plans, which are designed to manage traffic effectively while maintaining safety for those in and around the work area. The Traffic Control Supervisor is trained to assess risks, set up signage, barriers, and other safety measures, and ensure compliance with relevant safety standards and regulations.

While other parties, such as the construction crew, local government, and law enforcement, play important supportive roles in maintaining safety, the supervisor is specifically tasked with overseeing the implementation of safety protocols in the work zone. The construction crew focuses on executing the work as per the supervisor's guidance, local government provides the necessary permits and regulations, and law enforcement may assist with traffic management; however, they do not have the same level of direct responsibility for overall safety as the Traffic Control Supervisor does.