ATSSA Signal July/August 2020

American Traffic Safety Services Association 6 COVID-19 Related articles: Members help amid virus battle, p. 9 Post-COVID outlook, p. 12 DOTs keep busy across country, p. 17 Town Halls, chapter meetings go virtual, p. 19 Virtual training option added, p. 37 Online respiratory coursepopular, p. 41 ATSSA members press on as COVID-19 upends lives The American way of life changed in mid-March as the federal government instituted guidelines to slow the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus. Schools closed, businesses shuttered, roadways emptied, and all but essen- tial workers were asked to stay home and separate from anyone besides their immediate families to practice the pandemic’s catchphrase of “social distancing.” As millions of people across the country filed for unemployment, ATSSA advo - cated for its members to be considered part of the essential critical infrastruc- ture workforce. President & CEO Stacy Tetschner sent a letter to the nation’s governors making that plea just days after the shutdown. Shortly afterward, he dispatched one to the lieutenant governors. “On behalf of the 1,500 members of the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), I urge you to deem road construction workers and the manufacturers of roadway safety devices and construction machinery as essential industries and workers in your state,” Tetschner wrote in his March 23 letter to governors. “ATSSA members manufacture, distribute, and install lifesaving roadway safety infra- structure devices such as traffic signs and signals, pavement markings, guard- rail and cable barrier, crash cushions, and work zone safety devices, among many others. It is critical that these sectors continue to be put to work for the safety of the traveling public and for the safety of emergency services and public safety personnel as we continue to fight this pandemic nationwide.” The U.S. Department of Homeland Secu- rity broadly defined “essential critical infrastructure workers” in guidelines issued March 19 and left states to inter- pret the term. Tetschner noted that each year more than 36,000 people are killed on U.S. roadways and that the work of ATSSA’s members directly relates to the safety of drivers and their passengers. “ATSSAmembersmanufacture and install the devices that drive these numbers toward zero. It’s critical that roadways are kept open and safe as our emer- gency services personnel and public safety officers ensure the safety and recovery of our nation,” Tetschner wrote. Thankfully, ATSSA members were deemed essential and were able to continue working for the most part, while implementing steps to address the health and safety of employees. A member survey conducted by ATSSA immediately after the federal guidelines went into effect found that nearly half of members—44 percent—remained on the job with regular operations. Another 16 percent were continuing with outdoor work. Others operated with amix of telework, staggered sched- ules, and other adjustments. Initially, some encountered confusion about whether their work was consid- ered essential. VDOT workers were on the job despite the pandemic, but took precautions, including maintaining a safe distance, using hand sanitizer, and wearing face coverings. (Photo courtesy of VDOT) By Pamela Gould, ATSSA Staff

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