Asphalt Review - Feb/March 2013 - Australian Asphalt Pavement ...

ASPHALT REVIEW
Pilot vehicles
used in NT to
enhance safety
Vehicle Couplings Warning
Every two months, AAPA holds a
teleconference with representatives of
each of its Branch’s Health and Safety
Committees. This hook-up provides an
opportunity for those involved in health and
safety to share information between states.
At the last teleconference, concern
was expressed about the condition of
some of the couplings on vehicles that
enter our worksites.
A visual inspection of some couplings
showed cracks or other failures. It was
also noted that some vehicles did not
have working warning devices to inform
a driver that the handbrake had not been
applied before they left the vehicle.
These comments prompted those
participating in the teleconference
to suggest the condition of vehicles
entering a worksite should be monitored,
particularly for visible defects such as
cracks in couplings and draw bars.
This warming has been sent to
all members of AAPA through its
newsletter. But it is a warning that
everyone involved with heavy vehicles
should be aware of and ensure that they
conduct regular inspections.
Safety is a feature of this edition of Roads/
Asphalt Review. It is worth highlighting what one
government department is doing to enhance safety.
The Northern Territory Department of
Infrastructure has implemented a requirement
to help protect workers and the passing traffic
adjacent to sealing works. This requires that while
one side of a road is closed for sealing, traffic
passing on the other side must follow a pilot or
escort vehicle.
Sealing sites can be up to four kilometres long and
each site is controlled by three traffic controllers.
One controller operates at each end of the sites
with the third driving the pilot vehicle. The traffic
controllers also take it in turn to drive the vehicle,
providing them with a break from the weather.
Vehicles are usually driven at around 60kph until
they approach the actual work site. They are then
slowed to about 25 kph.
This approach ensures that vehicles all slow to a
safe speed, reducing the risk to those working on
site. It also makes it safer and more comfortable
for the drivers as everyone is required to do the
same speed. All of us have had the experience of an
impatient driver sitting right on our tail wanting to
go faster as we drive at the posted speed limit.
Using pilot vehicles is not new, but it is a great
way of improving safety and should be part of
the worksite safety strategy applied wherever it
is practical.
AAPA/Austroads
Work Tips updated
AAPA and Austroads jointly prepare a range of Work Tips. These
contain practical information for people working in the flexible
pavements industry – they guide workers to help them achieve
the highest standards expected from asphalt and sprayed sealed
pavements.
Work Tips are developed by a joint AAPA/Austroads
committee with input from a wide range of technical experts
across out industry. They are also regularly reviewed to ensure
they remain current.
New and updated Work Tips are then approved by the AAPA
National Technology Committee and by the Pavement Task
Force of Austroads.
Once approved Work Tips are made available for free
download from the AAPA website. www.aapa.asn.au.
Two Work Tips have recently been updated and are now
available. These are:
Work Tip 15: Asphalt Production Process Control
This Work Tip provides a guide to the application of statistical
process control charts to the production of asphalt.
Work Tip 17: Air Voids in Asphalt
This Work Tip outlines the influence of air voids on the
performance of dense graded asphalt mixes, and emphasises
the importance of compaction in achieving intended service
properties.
A full list of Work Tips follows:
36 ROADS FEB/MARCH 2013