Pedestrian and equipment safety on construction sites

An operator waits for a signal, a truck arrives earlier than expected, and someone crosses the area to deliver a tool. Each person may be doing their assigned task yet meet in a space where nobody should be standing. Safe maneuvers begin with planning site movements and depend on keeping that plan consistent with actual conditions at the work front.

For site engineers, supervisors, and students, we propose treating the interaction between equipment and people as a problem of space and work organization. Asking only whether everyone wears a high-visibility vest leaves out routes, access, sequencing, and communication. The aim is to reduce encounters before depending on someone reacting in time.

Internal traffic needs its own assessment

NIOSH distinguishes public traffic control from an internal plan coordinating vehicles, equipment, and people within a work zone (Trueblood et al., 2024). Its guidance concerns U.S. roadway construction. The principle raises a useful question for other projects: who has assessed movements within the operating area and the conflicts they could create?

We suggest preparing a phase-specific plan showing access points, pedestrian routes, equipment circulation, unloading areas, and waiting locations. It should represent real conditions, including places where adequate separation has not yet been achieved. Those conflicts require a defined solution; drawing two colored lines does not demonstrate that people are protected.

Start with Mexican requirements and the actual equipment

NOM-006-STPS-2023, published in March 2024, sets safety conditions for machinery-based storage and materials handling, including procedures, circulation areas, and communication (Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social [STPS], 2024). PLATIICA lists it as current at this review date (Secretaría de Economía, n.d.). Review its application alongside other provisions relevant to the activity.

The plan should reflect the machinery and loads that will actually be used. Review dimensions, planned paths, operating limitations, and manufacturer instructions with the responsible person. Changing equipment or work fronts can change those conditions. Planning needs to recognize the change before an old procedure continues to be used simply through habit.

Separate movements before relying on warnings

NIOSH’s hierarchy of controls prioritizes eliminating or reducing hazards through more effective measures before relying on administrative controls and personal protective equipment (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [NIOSH], 2024). In route reviews, first explore whether simultaneous occupation by people and machinery can be avoided or reduced.

For a planning exercise, compare a route crossing an unloading area with another that reaches the same destination without entering it. If no viable alternative exists, the team must develop and communicate specific controls. The solution should address the entire operation rather than place responsibility solely on a pedestrian’s attention.

Barriers need to match their intended function

Identify which elements merely inform or delineate an area and which provide the protection required by the site assessment. A ribbon or cone should not automatically be described as physical vehicle containment. The responsible person needs to select an appropriate solution and check that its installation does not create access, evacuation, or operating conflicts.

Also investigate why shortcuts appear. A blocked path, closed entrance, or unscheduled delivery can make the planned route impractical. Treat those observations as planning information: correct the conditions and communicate the change, instead of limiting the response to repeating a general instruction.

Resolve maneuvers with restricted visibility

OSHA 1926.601 contains requirements for reversing when the operator’s rearward view is obstructed (Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], n.d.). It is a U.S. reference, rather than a Mexican rule adopted automatically. The site procedure needs to determine how a maneuver will be avoided or controlled and how the controls will be checked.

Before an operation, establish who directs communication, which signals will be used, and which condition requires a stop. If several people are involved, the operator needs an unambiguous communication arrangement. The position and actions of anyone assisting the maneuver must also be evaluated so that the assistant does not become another exposed person.

Technology can be included in the assessment, but its presence alone does not demonstrate safe operation. Check that devices work and understand their limitations according to the equipment documentation. If a device fails or planned conditions change, the responsible person must determine how the activity is suspended or reorganized before continuing.

Include suppliers and new arrivals

NIOSH emphasizes communicating the internal plan to site workers and arriving drivers, and updating that communication when the plan changes (Trueblood et al., 2024). For a Mexican construction project, we suggest an arrival instruction identifying a waiting point and an authorized contact before entering the operating area.

A site visit or student placement requires the same coordination with the responsible person. Prepare the learning route around that day’s phase and operations; previous authorization does not remove the need to review changes. The activity can focus on observation from authorized areas and understanding how equipment and pedestrian interfaces are organized.

A classroom exercise can use a fictional site plan to identify conflicting routes and compare sequencing options. Students should explain which information they would need from the operator, supervisor, and supplier before recommending a change. This keeps the exercise educational and avoids testing an improvised traffic arrangement around operating equipment.

Review the plan as the project changes

At shift close, identify a conflict found, the action taken, and any modification needed for the next shift. At the next briefing, confirm that the plan and instructions reflect that modification. A useful circulation plan is recognizable in the field: people understand where to travel, who coordinates maneuvers, and when to stop.

Sources and recommended reading in APA 7 format

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2024). Hierarchy of controls. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hierarchy-of-controls/about/index.html

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). 1926.601—Motor vehicles. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.601

Secretaría de Economía. (n.d.). NOM-006-STPS-2023. PLATIICA. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://platiica.economia.gob.mx/normalizacion/nom-006-stps-2023/

Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social. (2024, March 7). Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-006-STPS-2023, Almacenamiento y manejo de materiales mediante el uso de maquinaria—Condiciones de seguridad en el trabajo. Diario Oficial de la Federación. https://diariooficial.gob.mx/normasOficiales/9412/stps/stps.html

Trueblood, A., Fosbroke, D., Papariello, R. R., Romano, N. T., Breloff, S., Earnest, G. S., & Trout, D. (2024, April 10). Using internal traffic control plans to prevent construction worker injuries and fatalities in work zones. NIOSH Science Bulletin, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/bulletin/2024/struck-by.html

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