Getting your certification is only your first step to working as a flagger. Once you’ve been hired for a job, the next step is to mentally and physically prepare for your first day. Just like any new job, it’s normal to feel nervous, but there is plenty you can do to help yourself feel calm and confident.

When working with one or more flaggers, coordination and communication are essential for maintaining smooth and safe traffic flow. Here's a guide to effectively working as a team while controlling traffic.

Learn what it takes to succeed as a work zone flagger, from getting up early to having the right equipment.

Wilson’s thoughtfulness and dedication in pursuing education for himself and his peers led Evergreen Safety Council to select him as the winner of the 2024 Governor John D. Spellman Safety Award.

Regulations excerpted from the OSHA regulations for Powered Industrial Trucks. (1910.178)

According to federal regulations, there are five key things that operators need in order to become officially "certified." (Even if your state has its own Health and Safety department, the OSHA standards for forklift operation are still the highest as far safety in this arena.)

When the weather gets cold, it affects both your vehicle and the roads you drive on. If you live in a place with lots of ice and snow, the roads are likely salted, sanded, or plowed, and you likely put studded tires on your vehicle in the wintertime. If snow and ice are less frequent where you live, then driving in snow and ice can be much more dangerous, and you’ll need to be extra careful when those conditions occur.

I see a lot of people asking about becoming pilot drivers, so I thought I’d share the journey I took to get here. This path isn’t easy, and I’ve picked up some valuable lessons along the way. Here’s what worked for me—and what new pilots should be prepared for in this industry.

Flagging is a challenging and hazardous job that requires strong mental and physical abilities, and takes place in tough work environments. Wearing the right combination of hi-visibility apparel and workwear is one of the keys to keeping yourself safe in the work zone.

One of the most important skills you’ll use when working as a flagger is signaling with the STOP/SLOW paddle. Here are a few tips to get you up to speed, while slowing traffic down.

Flagging is a challenging and hazardous job that requires strong mental and physical abilities, and takes place in tough work environments. Wearing the right combination of hi-visibility apparel and workwear is one of the keys to keeping yourself safe in the work zone.

The Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), and the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) all require that workers who are on foot in a work zone and may be exposed to vehicles or equipment wear high-visibility apparel.

Part of defensive driving is remembering you share the road with others. This includes pedestrians, who are vulnerable to vehicles and other hazards drivers may not think about.

Circular intersections come with their own set of rules, and can be a bit tricky to navigate if you’re not used to them.

It takes teamwork, communication, to help ensure that the load you’re moving reaches its destination without incident. That’s why every Oversize Load move must begin with a pre-trip meeting.

Box breathing helps your body and mind return to a neutral state, regulating your heart rate and nervous system and helping you to think more clearly.

Evergreen Safety Council sits down with Allen Taylor, the safety guy! Learn more about his experience with our training courses.

To reduce the risk of collision, it’s safest to stay 3-4 seconds behind the car in front of you. To measure this, pick a stationary object on the side of the road. Note when the car in front of you passes it, then count the seconds until you do.

Many P/EVOs who have realized the importance of insurance have had the unfortunate experience of being sold insurance that is not adequate to cover activities performed as a P/EVO.

Maybe you’ve seen offers like this and thought, "Well, that sounds to be to be true." That's because in this case, it is. The most blatant red flag is that forklift operators do not need a license, but a certification to be OSHA-Compliant.

New pilot/escort vehicle operators (P/EVOs) are responsible for acquiring their own equipment, unless supplied by an employer. The following supplies are recommended by Evergreen Safety Council, based on our Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operator Certification curriculum and the recommendations of the National Pilot Car Association. Please keep in mind that your state or jurisdiction may have additional requirements.

Powered industrial trucks (like forklifts) are invaluable tools in the workplace, but like humans they need fuel to perform. And like elite athletes, they need the correct fuel to perform their best.

Collisions between trains and Oversize Loads are more common than you think. If your permitted route takes you over railroad tracks, including urban light rail crossings, your team will need to assess them and plan ahead in order to stay safe.

The time you may save by speeding is never worth the potential consequences that may result from a speed-related collision.

Depending on the height of the load, the front P/EVO may need to run with a high pole. A high pole is a measuring device, mounted on the front of the lead vehicle, that is used to measure the height of obstructions along the route. The use of a high pole may be mandated on the permit(s). But even in cases where it is not required by the permitting agency, the carrier or transport team may decide that it is a good idea to run with a high pole in order to ensure the safety of the load.

Evergreen Safety Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Chason Coelho, Ph.D., CSP, CFI to its Board of Directors.

Evergreen Safety Council’s Board of Directors recently said goodbye to retiring members Rick Gleason and Todd Williams.

When you begin work as a Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operator (P/EVO), you’ll need to become familiar with industry-specific terminology. This glossary includes official terms, as well as more informal lingo, that you can expect to hear and use while on the job.

Although your P/EVO course will cover all of the information you will be expected to know on the exam, we still have students ask if they can take a “pre-test,” or sample test, so they are familiar with the format and types of questions they’ll be asked. The following sample questions may give you an idea of what to expect from the exam.

Heat-related illnesses can occur at any time, but workers are especially at risk during the warmer summer months. Whether you work outside or indoors, it’s important to learn to recognize signs and symptoms of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and other heat-related illnesses—especially when temperatures rise.

National Work Zone Awareness Week takes place each year during the beginning of “construction season” to remind road users to be mindful and use their best judgment when encountering work zones. The theme for this year’s event, hosted by the Michigan Department of Transportation, is “Drive Safe. Work Safe. Save Lives.”

Tipovers are dangerous and preventable. Remembering these key points while operating your forklift can help mitigate the risk of a tipover.

There’s a chill in the air, it’s getting dark earlier, and stores are advertising holiday sales. This can only mean one thing: winter—and potentially bad weather—is coming. Whether you’re planning a holiday road trip or just commuting to and from work, it’s never a bad idea to take stock of your vehicle and make sure it's ready for the winter ahead.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month is the time to recommit to safe driving habits. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving was responsible for 2,841 deaths in 2018 alone. This number includes drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

You might be tempted to buy into these popular misconceptions about online learning. It’s true that, just as with in-person learning, online learning can have its drawbacks. But when done correctly, online learning provides many of the same benefits as–and can even be superior to–in-person instruction.

You may have seen road and construction workers dressed in fluorescent (often referred to as “high-visibility” or “hi-vis”) safety gear such as hard hats and vests. You probably know that these bright colors help flaggers and other road workers stand out in situations where their safety is at risk. But do you know why hi-vis colors seem to glow the way they do?

When a vehicle or its load is too large to pass under a bridge, a bridge strike occurs. These strikes, or hits, result in millions of dollars in infrastructure damage each year and can be hazardous—even fatal—for those responsible for the collision, other drivers on the road, or bystanders. 

Evergreen Safety Council’s new online safety training for Powered Industrial Truck (forklift) operators makes compliance quick and easy. Our program lets you learn at your own pace on your computer or mobile device from the comfort of your home, office, or virtually anywhere with an internet connection.

A bridge hit happens when a load is too large to fit under a structure, and part of the load strikes the bridge. A study of bridge hits in the last decade found that the average cost of a bridge strike is approximately $300,000 in infrastructure and property damage claims. When including the cost of route obstructions, injuries, fatalities and other losses, the cost of bridge strikes increases significantly.*

Evergreen Safety Council is now approved to offer the Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operator (P/EVO) training program online. Previously this course was only available via in-person training with an authorized instructor at a limited number of locations. Our new live online training program allows students the convenience of taking the certification training via computer at home, work, or virtually anywhere with an internet connection.

Find out where you can use your Pilot Car Certification! Colorado, Washington, Utah, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia...

Pilot/Escort vehicles, also known as pilot cars, escort vehicles, flag cars, and chase cars, accompany Oversize Loads to help protect them and others on the road during transport. They play a critical role in protecting lives and preventing costly accidents.

The National Pilot Car Association (NPCA) welcomed Evergreen Safety Council President, Jeffrey Vaughan to address their membership in their July 2019 conference call.

The Monty C. Lish & Stanley O. McNaughton Scholarship for Safety and Health Careers was developed to encourage more college students to consider safety and health professions as viable and worthwhile careers.

The annual John D. Spellman Safety Award was created in 2006 to recognize ESC member organizations and individuals that have demonstrated outstanding safety achievements or have shown they are actively pursuing and reinforcing a positive safety culture in their workplace.