What should be done to ensure roadway workers are safe from trains?

The correct approach to ensuring roadway workers are safe from trains involves moving to a designated Place of Safety (PPOS) and occupying that area for a designated period before a train enters the work zone. This practice is vital as it provides a protective buffer between the workers and any oncoming trains, significantly reducing the risk of accidents. The 15-second occupation rule serves as an effective protocol to ensure that workers have ample time to move safely away from the tracks, allowing them to be in a secure location when a train approaches.

Establishing this practice is essential because trains can travel at high speeds and are capable of closing in on workers quickly. By maintaining a buffer through preemptive movement to the PPOS, workers maximize their chances of remaining unharmed in the presence of train activity.

Other options may contribute to overall safety, but they do not establish a direct protective measure that ensures workers are out of harm's way in a timely manner. For example, having no trains scheduled during work hours could be impractical or unreliable, while regular inspections on trains and multiple safety alerts, while important for safety management, do not mitigate the immediate risks to workers when trains are actively running in the vicinity.