What is the role of flaggers in a work zone?

Flaggers play a critical role in managing traffic flow and ensuring safety in construction areas. Their primary responsibility is to guide vehicles safely through or around work zones while minimizing disruption. They use hand signals and flags to communicate with drivers, instructing them when to stop, slow down, or proceed, which helps prevent accidents and ensures that both motorists and construction workers remain safe.

In addition to controlling the immediate flow of traffic, flaggers are trained to be alert to their surroundings and may adjust their signals based on changing conditions, such as the presence of pedestrians or unexpected developments in the work zone. By maintaining this traffic control, flaggers help facilitate a smoother movement of vehicles and can significantly reduce the likelihood of collision, contributing to overall work zone safety.

While distributing information, maintaining construction schedules, and enforcing speed limits may be relevant to work zones, these tasks fall outside the primary duties of flaggers. Their focus is specifically on traffic control and safety rather than these additional functions.