Respect the Zone: A Commitment to Work Zone Safety
It only takes a second. One glance at a phone, one moment of distraction, one wrong move—and a life can be lost in a work zone. Every year, road workers risk their lives to maintain and improve the infrastructure that keeps our communities running. And while we’ve made progress—work zone fatalities dropped 7% between 2021 and 2022—even one death is too many.
That’s why National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) has been raising awareness for nearly 30 years, reminding all road users to “Respect the zone so we all get home. ”The 2025 commemoration, scheduled for April 21 to 25, will emphasize the critical importance of work zone safety through events such as a National Kickoff Event, “Go Orange Day,” and a powerful Moment of Silence honoring lives lost in work zone incidents.
Work zones create complex and potentially hazardous conditions, such as altered traffic patterns, reduced lanes, closed sidewalks, and active construction equipment. Safely navigating these areas is crucial for municipal employees, first responders, and school transportation professionals—not only for their own safety but also for the well-being of their coworkers, residents, and the road workers who depend on them to drive responsibly.
Shared Responsibility, Collective Action
CIRMA is committed to helping its members reinforce a culture of safety. Through expert-led training and cutting-edge resources, CIRMA Risk Management provides compliance guidance and practical strategies to promote safe driving.
CIRMA members are encouraged to access the following resources:
- U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Highway Administration Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets & Highways
- CIRMA Chronicles: Chronicle #18 – Work Zone Safety for Law Enforcement (available on CIRMA’s e-Learning platform)
- Hot Zone Series for Fire Services: Traffic Control Program Safety Topic
- Roll Call Topics: Work Zone Safety for Law Enforcement* and Work Zone Safety
- Tail Gate Topics: Tail Gate Topics II – 80+ Topics for Improving Workplace Safety and Traffic Control
Public entity leaders like you understand the importance of leading by example, supporting one another, and preventing unnecessary tragedies. Have you ensured that your entity takes full advantage of CIRMA’s valuable and exclusive member safety resources?
Visit CIRMA.org to access robust training options that feature awareness and statistics of vehicle accidents and provide best practices for safe driving operations. Contact your CIRMA Risk Management professional to get started today and set up an e-learning account. CIRMA e-learning is complimentary for CIRMA members and their employees.
Contact your CIRMA Risk Management representative today to get started. Because when we respect the zone, we all get home.
In Connecticut, occupational exposure to tick-borne diseases is a recognized hazard. Outdoor workers must protect themselves in the spring, summer, and fall when ticks are most active.
School and Parks & Rec departments should be hyperaware of the danger to students and children participating in summer camp or other outdoor sports activities.
Those who are at particular risk include:
– Parks and recreation employees,
– Public works employees,
– Summer camp counselors,
– Animal control officers,
– Athletic coaches and teachers, and
– Police officers and firefighters
Ticks in Connecticut can carry a variety of disease-causing agents, including bacteria, protozoa, rickettsia, and the rare but fatal Powassan Virus.
Tick-Borne Diseases Identified in Connecticut:
– Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi),
– Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum),
– Babesiosis (Babesia microti),
– Ehrlichiosis(Ehrlichia chaffeensis),
– Rocky Mountain spotted fever (Rickettsia rickettsii),
– Powassan encephalitis(POWV), and
– Hard-tick relapsing fever (Borrelia miyamotoi).
While the number of human cases of these diseases in Connecticut remains low, the infection may have serious consequences. Without preventive measures in tick-infested areas, contracting a tick-borne illness in Connecticut, particularly Lyme disease, is entirely plausible.
All public sector employees required to work in tick-infested areas should know how to protect themselves and their coworkers from tick bites and the signs and symptoms of Tick-borne Disease. For information on workplace controls and Lyme Disease symptoms, download NIOSH Fast Facts. In addition, CONN-OSHA’s Safety and Health Consultation Program is available to help Connecticut employers with this initiative.
Read more about this issue in the CONN-OSHA quarterly.
Download CIRMA’s Tail Gate topic on Ticks and Lyme Disease.
Access CIRMA’s online portal for more important employee training and education tools and resources on relevant seasonal topics.
The home office has become a coveted commodity. Unfortunately, not all homes offer dedicated office spaces. Because of this, kitchen counters, dining tables, living rooms, or bedroom spaces are doubling as home offices.
CIRMA’s latest whitepaper, Creating a Home Work Environment That Works for You, identifies best practices for employees working from home who face the dilemma of creating a workstation that allows them to be productive and incorporate proper ergonomics. In this whitepaper, we share achievable and straightforward guidance to help you maximize comfort and reduce risks while working from home.
Adopting healthy behaviors outlined in this helpful resource and knowing what to look for when choosing the right space for you can improve your overall well-being and maximize productivity while working remotely.
Creating a home workspace does not require extraordinary upgrades to your home or even purchasing fancy office equipment. Setting up a workspace with basic ergonomic strategies in mind is beneficial in many ways, including promoting productivity and focus and helping to avoid discomfort and social isolation.
Helpful Resources for CIRMA Members:
Take me to the full whitepaper
Download CIRMA’s latest Workplace Safety Works Ergonomics poster