CSCS SLG Roadworks key terms

The main UK law setting out the general duties of employers, employees and others to protect people at work. It requires work to be carried out safely and without risk to health so far as is reasonably practicable.

Regulations covering construction projects, including roadworks that count as construction work. They set duties for clients, designers, principal contractors and contractors to plan, manage and monitor the work so that risks are controlled.

The Act that governs works in the street, including work by utility companies. It sets requirements for signing, lighting and guarding, for reinstatement, and for working with the highway authority.

A careful look at what in a job could cause harm and what controls are needed to prevent it. Significant findings must be recorded, and the assessment reviewed when conditions or the work change.

The council or other body responsible for maintaining and managing a highway. It sets conditions for works, coordinates activity on the road network and can require changes to how a site is set up.

A utility company or similar body with legal rights to place and maintain apparatus, such as pipes and cables, in the street. It must follow street works rules whenever it works on the highway.

A trained person who sets up, checks and maintains the signs, lights and barriers needed to protect the works, road users and pedestrians. They must hold the relevant street works qualification for the task.

The person responsible for monitoring a street works site so that the signing, lighting and guarding, and the work itself, meet the required standards and the site stays safe.

Under CDM, the contractor appointed to manage a construction project involving more than one contractor. They coordinate the site, control access and make sure welfare and safety arrangements are in place.

Clothing or equipment worn to reduce the risk of injury, such as helmets, boots, gloves and eye protection. It is a last line of defence and must be suitable, well maintained and worn as instructed.

Garment made from fluorescent and reflective material that makes the wearer easier to see in daylight and in headlights. Roadworkers normally need at least Class 2 or 3 depending on the site.

A defined way of carrying out a task that keeps risks as low as reasonably practicable. It covers the sequence of steps, the equipment, the people involved and the controls needed.

A short briefing given to the team before or during a job. It covers the task, the hazards, the controls and any changes, and gives people the chance to ask questions.

A quick, ongoing check of conditions while work is in progress. It helps spot new hazards such as changing traffic, weather or site conditions so they can be dealt with before they cause harm.

A cone-shaped marker used to mark tapers, lanes, safety zones and closures. Cones must be the right size for the road, correctly spaced, upright and kept clean and visible.

A sign placed well before the works telling drivers what to expect, such as roadworks, a lane closure or a temporary speed limit. It must be visible, upright and at the correct distance for the road.

The angled line of cones that leads traffic from its normal lane into a new path past the works. Its length depends on the speed of the road being worked on.

A clear space kept between the works and the moving traffic, free of people, plant and materials. It gives road users room to pass and protects the workforce if a vehicle strays.

Hand-held signs used by trained operatives to control traffic through a single lane. One face shows STOP and the other GO, and the two operatives must stay in contact by radio or sight.

Temporary battery-powered lights used to control traffic through a single lane. They must be positioned, signed and timed correctly, with a plan for power failure or signal fault.

A rigid barrier that separates pedestrians from the works and from traffic. It must be continuous, stable and correctly positioned, and where required it should have a tapping rail for visually impaired people.

A lamp used to draw drivers' attention to the works, often mounted on cones, barriers or signs. It supports the signing and guarding but never replaces what the layout requires.

A document describing how traffic, pedestrians and the works will be managed on a site. It covers lane closures, signing, diversion routes, timings, speed limits and emergency arrangements.

Closing one or more lanes so work can be carried out safely. It needs the required approval, advance signing, a taper, cones and, where specified, warning lights and a buffer space.

A layout where traffic is routed in the opposite direction to normal on one side of the road, usually past major works. It needs careful signing, sturdy barriers and clear lane markings.

A signed alternative way for traffic to reach its destination while a road is closed or restricted. The route must suit the traffic that will use it, and its signs must be checked regularly.

A reduced speed limit put in place for the duration of the works and shown by speed restriction signs. It must be properly authorised, correctly signed and removed when the works end.

A plan showing the position of pipes, cables and other buried apparatus in the street. Drawings are only a guide and must be checked on site because they can be out of date or inaccurate.

Cable avoidance tools: a locator (CAT) and a signal generator (Genny) used together to detect buried services before digging. They cannot prove a service is absent, so careful hand-digging is still needed.

A small excavation made carefully by hand to confirm the exact position and depth of a buried service before machine digging. It is used alongside service drawings and locators.

Supporting the sides of an excavation to stop soil collapsing onto people working in it. The type and amount of support depends on the ground, the depth and the loads expected.

Filling and restoring the street after works so it is left safe and in proper condition. It covers the sub-base, surface, edges and any road markings, verges or footways affected.

An enclosed or partly enclosed place, such as a deep chamber or duct, where there may be a risk of lack of oxygen, poisonous gas or flooding. Entry needs special controls and normally a permit.

An area around plant or an operation where people are not allowed to stand, so they cannot be struck or crushed. It is agreed with the operator before the work starts.

A trained person who guides vehicle and plant movements, especially reversing, using agreed signals. They must stay visible to the driver and keep clear of the vehicle's path.

A signed, protected route for people on foot past the works. It must be wide enough, free of obstructions, separated from traffic where necessary, and lit and signed as required.

A road that is open to moving traffic, including the lanes next to the works. Working near one requires correct signing and guarding, high-visibility clothing and constant awareness of traffic.

An area around a vehicle or machine that the operator cannot see, even using mirrors. Workers must keep out of blind spots and never assume the operator has seen them.