Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Texting is probably a greater problem than talking on a phone. In addition to the
reduction in mental concentration on driving, texting requires a person to divert
their vision from the road to the device. Texting by drivers creates pronounced
danger to the driver and everyone else in the vicinity of the moving vehicle. There
is no justifiable reason to do it.
Surveyors must be familiar with applicable safety laws and regulations which
govern working along roads and highways in their jurisdiction. Precautions
include wearing safety vests and deploying traffic cones and warning signs.
Surveyors working along a road must remain vigilant and always have an escape
route in mind, in the event an inattentive driver gets too close. Crew members
should never turn their back to oncoming traffic. The person running the instru-
ment is in particular danger because looking through the telescope in order to
accurately sight the target, requires concentration. In addition, the person's eyes
are not focused on oncoming traffic. If the instrument person must make meas-
urements along a busy road, another crew member should be standing next to the
instrument watching for traffic. Ideally, this person should wave an orange flag so
that drivers are aware of the risk and steer clear. The person holding a prism pole
locating evidence is similarly in a dangerous situation because he or she needs to
remain focused holding the pole perfectly steady and plumb until informed that
the shot has been recorded.
Surveyors are exposed to hazards even when working away from roads. When
surveying in the woods, it is easy to slip when climbing over a wet log. Cutting
survey lines through the woods requires using machetes, chainsaws and brush cut-
ters. Hardhats, gloves, safety glasses and hearing protection should be used. If
cutting trees is necessary, there are hazards from the tree falling or kicking out at
the cut. Chainsaws are very dangerous tools because they are difficult to protect
against. A chainsaw can seriously cut the user's leg in a spit second of inattention.
Machetes can glance off a tree and go into a direction unanticipated by the user—
possibly into the user's body. A strong blow with a machete into a rotten limb may
have enough remaining energy to continue until it hits the surveyor.
Members of the survey crew must become well acquainted with plant species.
Sometimes old deeds call for a certain type of tree as a boundary corner so a
surveyor must be able to identify it. Being adept at plant identification can also
eliminate a great deal of misery. A small number of plants growing in the woods
are poisonous and survey crews must be able to identify them. The alternative
is to become a casualty of the plant's poison. Poison Ivy, poison oak and poi-
son sumac release urushiol, an oil, from the leaves when touched. The oil causes
an allergic reaction of the skin called dermatitis, sometimes with severe itching.
In bad cases the skin can blister. A serious case can incapacitate a person leav-
ing them unable to work for days or weeks. Eastern poison ivy grows as a hairy,
ropelike climbing vine on trees or brush, but it can also grow on the ground
(Fig.
10.12
). It is a very common plant and it can be found nearly everywhere
in the woods, along fences, stone walls, along the edge of the road and even in
yards. Western poison ivy is not a climbing vine. An old saying about poison ivy
is “
leaves of three, leave it be
”.
