NiSource : Watch Out for Work Zones When You’re on the Road

It's likely you've driven in a work zone. A clear way to tell? Orange cones, lower speed limits and warning signs for speeding tickets.

Our employees have experienced many work zone intrusions - vehicles and pedestrians entering our work zones despite barriers being in place. Each one can be serious, as when a vehicle recently narrowly missed one of our Columbia Gas field technicians.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 20,000 injuries occur annually on the highways and street construction. Whether it's due to distractions or entering unknowingly, this puts you and our employees in danger.

What you can do

A lot has changed on the road. There are more distractions than ever, and low gas prices lead to more people on the road more often. That's why we engaged leaders across NiSource to review our existing work zone policy and offer suggestions on ensuring your safety and the safety of our employees and business partners in and around work zones.

And, long-term we are looking at using data and virtual reality to make work zones safer. For now, these are some steps you can take as a driver to be careful around work zones:

• Minimize driving distractions. Don't use your phone while driving. We're living this, too. Last year we enacted a policy to ban all employees from using their phones while driving.
• Keep a safe distance. Stay away from other vehicles, traffic barriers and, of course, workers. Heed warning signs about driving slowly - one mistake can be costly.
• Keep calm. Work zones may seem like an inconvenience, but they're there for a reason - to help the community.