A screen shot from the situation awareness module of NAPA’s new CrewSafety web-based work zone safety training module.
The National Asphalt Pavement Association has started out 2020 with three programs to help the asphalt road construction industry.
The initiatives consist of a series of web-based work zone safety training modules, a podcast with interviews of industry leaders, and a survey to measure the use of in-place recycling technologies for pavements.
Training to reduce work zone injuries, deaths
NAPA’s new “CrewSafety: Work Zone Training” is a series of web-based work zone safety training modules for the asphalt road construction industry. It was developed with the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) to help reduce injuries and deaths in road work zones.
The tool includes a “Fundamentals of Internal Traffic Control” module, along with modules for equipment operators, drivers, laborers and supervisors.
“These intuitive and easy-to-use training modules empower road construction crews to recognize and mitigate work zone hazards,” said Dr. Howard Marks, NAPA vice president of environment health and safety. “Employee training using CrewSafety helps to reinforce a company’s safety culture and its commitment to ensure the safety of its employees.”
More information about “CrewSafety: Work Zone Training” can be found at www.AsphaltPavement.org/Safety.
The association will also present a hands-on demonstration of the tool at ConExpo March 10-14 at booth GL20703.
‘Pave It Black’ podcast
NAPA’s biweekly podcast “Pave It Black” presents discussions and interviews with asphalt industry leaders on the major topics facing the industry.
The podcasts are hosted Brett Williams, NAPA director of engineering and technical Services, and Dr. Richard Willis, NAPA vice president for engineering, research and technology.
“Podcasting is a great way to open a window on the industry and give a platform to the voices of the people who build roads and further innovation in road building,” said Williams. “They are at the plants, on jobsites and involved in research and development. They are all focused on building the best asphalt pavements possible, and ‘Pave It Black’ lets us help people understand what it takes to get that job done.”
The first season, consisting of 10 episodes, focuses on innovations in asphalt pavement mix and how the asphalt pavement industry is addressing the labor shortage. New episodes air every other Monday. Listeners can subscribe through iTunes, Google Podcast, SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn; links can be found at www.AsphaltPavement.org/Podcast.
Asphalt recycling technology survey
NAPA is partnering with the Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association (ARRA) to survey contractors about their use of recycled materials in asphalt paving during the 2019 road construction season.
The confidential survey, commissioned by the Federal Highway Administration, is geared to all contractors engaged in hot in-place recycling, cold in-place recycling, cold central plant recycling, and full-depth reclamation of asphalt pavements.
“These in-place recycling technologies are an important part of the toolbox, particularly for local agencies,” says ARRA Executive Director Rick Church. “By quantifying the use of these technologies, we can help state and local officials better understand the widespread acceptance of in-place recycling, as well as quantify its sustainable benefits.”
“For more than a decade, NAPA has tracked the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement and other recycled materials in new asphalt pavement mixtures. With this survey, we hope to better quantify how 100 percent recyclable asphalt pavements are being used and reused nationwide,” says Brett Williams, who is administering the survey.
To participate in the survey, go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/2019_IPR_Survey.
Results will primarily be reported at the national level, NAPA says, and regional results may be reported, if sufficient participation from each region is received to ensure the data remain anonymous.
