Flaggers work just feet from moving traffic, where one distracted driver can change lives in seconds. Staying visible, alert, and properly positioned can mean the difference between a close call and a serious injury. Review these tips to help flaggers stay safe in road work zones.
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April 20-24 is National Work Zone Awareness Week, a nationwide campaign reminding everyone that safe driving saves lives. The tips in the article above help flaggers and road crews protect themselves on the job — but drivers play an important role, too. When motorists slow down and stay alert, they help protect themselves and the people working to improve their roads.
Tips for drivers:
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Slow down and obey speed limits. Follow reduced speed zones and watch for doubled fines.
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Avoid distractions. Put phones away and focus on the road.
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Don’t tailgate. Leave extra space to prevent rear-end crashes.
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Merge safely. Follow signs and merge early or use the zipper merge when directed.
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Watch for workers. Stay alert for flaggers, crews, and equipment near the roadway.
For event details and free safety resources, visit www.nwzaw.org.
Workplace injuries can happen fast — but OSHA training helps workers recognize hazards before they become accidents. DWC’s OSHA-authorized 10-Hour Construction, 10-Hour General Industry, and 30-Hour Construction courses prepare Texas workers to identify the most common job-site dangers, understand OSHA rules, and build safer work habits.
Key details
- OSHA-10 Construction: Free.
- OSHA-10 General Industry & OSHA-30 Construction: $30 per person.
- Classes offered in English and Spanish.
- In-person, interactive classes.
- Photo ID and advanced registration required.
- Official OSHA class completion card provided within six to eight weeks after successful course completion.
Which OSHA course is right for you?
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Step 1: Pick your industry. If you spend most of your day building or remodeling, choose an OSHA Construction course. If you mostly work in or for a facility that is already built — such as plants, warehouses, healthcare facilities, offices, delivery routes, oil fields, or utilities — choose an OSHA General Industry course.
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Step 2: Pick a 10-Hour or 30-Hour class. If you are an entry-level or frontline worker who needs basic hazard recognition, worker rights, and job safety training, choose a 10-Hour course. If you are a supervisor, foreman, lead worker, or anyone with safety responsibilities who needs deeper training in hazard prevention, leadership, and OSHA compliance, choose a 30-Hour course.
Seats fill quickly — register early by clicking on a date below to secure your spot.
April and May 2026 classes
OSHA-10 Construction — Free
English:
Spanish:
OSHA-30 Construction — $30
English:
OSHA-10 General Industry — $30
English:
 Make safety a habit. Get the right training now to advance your career!
See the full 2026 training calendar here.
Congratulations to Pond & Company in Baytown, Texas, for earning its third Lone Star Safety Award. The engineering, architecture, and consulting firm first received the honor in 2018 and successfully renewed it in 2022 and 2026, reflecting its continued commitment to workplace safety and health. Its proactive safety culture — built on employee involvement, open communication, and continuous improvement — serves as a model for others to follow.
The Lone Star Safety Award Program recognizes Texas employers with outstanding safety and health performance. To nominate a company or learn how your organization can be recognized, visit the Lone Star Safety Program website or call 512-804-4665.
Congratulations to Global Animal Products in Amarillo for earning Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) certifications at both its 3701 Airway Blvd. and 11901 Washington St. facilities.
The Airway site earned its third SHARP certification, covering five years, and the Washington site earned its second, covering three years. These honors from the U.S. Department of Labor recognize small employers with safety and health programs that exceed OSHA requirements.
The company, which manufactures chelated minerals for livestock, worked closely with DWC’s Occupational Safety and Health Consultation (OSHCON) Program consultants Jerry Eaton and Binny Joseph to strengthen its safety systems and earn this distinction. SHARP participants also receive an exemption from programmed OSHA inspections during the certification period while continuing proactive safety efforts.
To learn more or request free, confidential onsite OSHA compliance assistance, visit www.txoshcon.com or call 800-252-7031.
In Texas, spring storms don’t knock politely — they hit fast, loud, and hard. Tornadoes, hail, lightning, and flash floods can turn a normal workday into an emergency in minutes.
The time to prepare is before the sky turns green. A quick review today can protect your workers, prevent chaos, and save lives tomorrow.
Tornado and severe thunderstorm safety
Go low. Go inside. Stay protected from debris.
- Review and update your emergency action plan for tornadoes, hail, and high winds.
- Set clear warning, shelter, and accountability procedures.
- Identify and mark interior shelter areas on the lowest floor.
- Choose small rooms or hallways away from windows and glass.
- Avoid large open spaces like warehouses, gyms, or cafeterias.
- Hold short drills so employees reach shelter quickly.
- Instruct workers to crouch low and cover their head and neck.
Flash flood safety
Go high. Stay out of water. Evacuate early.
- Review and update your emergency action plan for flash flooding.
- Monitor weather alerts and rising water conditions.
- Move employees to higher floors or higher ground — never basements.
- Avoid walking or driving through floodwater.
- Shut down utilities and equipment if safe to do so.
- Establish evacuation routes and meeting locations.
- Account for all workers.
- Train employees on safe cleanup and recovery hazards, including mold, debris, and electrical risks.
Recovery and training resources
When storms pass, new hazards appear. Use DWC resources to keep cleanup safe:
Quick takeaway
Plan it. Mark it. Practice it. Because when seconds matter, preparation makes all the difference.
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