Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission Meeting

Employees as well as the public are invited to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission Meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 1, are 8:30 a.m.

The meeting will be held at the District Office in Lee’s Summit, MO.

Staff vs Interns Kickball Game (Photo Gallery) Final: Staff 8, Interns 3

Safety Shout: The Safety-Fied Song

The Safety-Fied Song

Safety is not rocket science…it’s more a continuous stream of subtle reminders and small but important decisions. To that end, here’s a song (sung to the tune of “American Pie”). Was it worth butchering a Don McLean classic to make some safety points? You bet it was. If the tune gets stuck in your head, sorry, but it beats having a foreign object stuck in your head.

It was a long, long time ago, but I can still remember how those chip seals used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance, I could wear reflective pants, and maybe they could see me for a mile
But chemicals can make you shiver, so wear those gloves, protect your liver
Use three points on the doorstep, before you take one more step
I can’t remember if I cried when I mixed that toxic herbicide, the SDS will be my guide,
‘Cause now I’m Safety-Fied…And I’ll be singin’…

(Chorus) Bye, bye recordables high, wear your seatbelt in your Chevy ‘cause you don’t wanna die
And safety glasses keep stuff outta your eye, because all the safety rules will apply…
Yes, all the safety rules will apply…

Did you write the book of love and do you have faith in leather gloves, because your fingers tell you so
And do you believe in rock and roll, and never hit a power pole,
And can you teach me how to back real slow…
Well I know that you’re in love with him, ‘cause I saw the way you bucked that limb,
You both had safety shoes, man I dig those chaps you used
I was a lonely MoDOT bronkin’ buck, with a high-vis hardhat and a yellow truck
So use a spotter, don’t get stuck
‘Cause now, you’re Safety-Fied...And you’ll be singin’… 

(Repeat Chorus)

Helter skelter in a summer swelter, know your nearest tornado shelter
In case you need to get there fast…
Acetylene can cause a blast, if the tag says diesel don’t use gas
Or you’ll wind up on the roadside in a cast…
Well the rotten deer were sweet perfume, but snowflakes will be falling soon
When you get up to dance, please bring your Class E pants
But when the tow plows tried to take the field, those on their phones refused to yield
Terrible drivers were revealed, so you stay Safety-Fied…and keep on singin’…

(Repeat Chorus)

I met a girl who sang the blues, and I asked her for some happy news. She tarped her load and drove away
So I raised up the overhead door, and cleaned trip hazards off the floor
‘Cause I realize that work comp doesn’t pay…
And in the streets the work zones gleamed, the public cursed and the mowers screamed
But not a bone was broken, ‘cause none of us were chokin’
And the three things you desire most…the bacon, eggs and the buttered toast
They’ll see another morning roast, if you’ll just stay Safety-Fied…we’ll all be singin’…
Bye, bye recordables high, wear your seatbelt in your Chevy ‘cause you don’t wanna die
And safety glasses keep stuff outta your eye, because all the safety rules will apply…

And this won’t be the day that I die.

Apologies to Don McLean.

If you would like more information on this or any safety topic, contact district Risk Management staff.

Transportation Institute Students Visit MoDOT and KC Scout (Photo Gallery)

This is the 15th year the Kansas City Summer Transportation Institute has stopped by MoDOT in the hopes of becoming the next generation of engineers and leaders to better the infrastructure of the state.

The program is funded by the Federal Highway Association and began in 2003. It is a four-week long program that introduces the students to different career opportunities in transportation; water, air, land, and safety. 

The Kansas City Summer Transportation Institute provides the students with hands on learning and college experience to help them explore career fields in the transportation industry. 

Safety Shout: Flagger Safety Quiz

Time for a game of “Flag” Football! What’s your MoDOT safety IQ? See how many of these questions you can get right without peeking. Correct answers are below! 

1. Flagging is a good duty for employees on temporary modified duty: (TMD) due to medical restrictions because:
(A) No heavy lifting is required
(B) Flaggers can be observed and given frequent breaks
(C) Flaggers don’t operate equipment
(D) Flagging is not a good duty for employees on TMD

2. Flaggers must wear high-vis hardhats:
(A) At all times while flagging
(B) When traffic is approaching or present
(C) At night
(D) You’re allowed to wear any hardhat as long as you have a vest

3. Flaggers should be clearly visible to the first approaching driver for:
(A) 100 ft in daytime, 500 feet at night
(B) 500 ft in daytime, 1000 ft at night
(C) Easy application of the, “You’re Number One!” universal hand signal
(D) A reasonable distance determined by the local situation

4. Even though actual “flags” are only permitted in true emergencies and flaggers use paddles, flaggers are still called flaggers because:
(A) Out of tradition
(B) Because “paddlers” sounds sick, perverted and deviant
(C) Because flagging is historically synonymous with communicating messages
(D) All of the above.

5. Use of 3 cones to mark a flagger station/stopping point is recommended:
(A) Routinely
(B) When lane width is over 10 feet
(C) When lane width is 12 feet
(D) When flagging on a blind curve.

6. Flaggers have the authority to delay police on emergency responses:
(A) Anytime. Cops have to follow the same rules as everyone else.
(B) To the extent required to ensure oncoming traffic is clear
(C) To the extent required to ensure safety of crew and other motorists
(D) Never. They have guns and are on sugar highs from too many donuts.

7. When using a pilot vehicle, the following is/are true:
(A) At least 2 flaggers must be utilized
(B) An advance flagger must be utilized
(C) Flaggers are not needed because you have a pilot vehicle
(D) The operator must have a private pilot’s license, cool shades and be very arrogant.

8. How many lights are allowed to be out in the Arrowhead?
(A) One
(B) Two
(C) None
(D) Who cares, they’re gonna lose in the playoffs anyway. 

9. When determining the flagger location, you should consider:
(A) Hills, Curves, Toilets, Shade
(B) Hills, curves, shade, glare, color contrast
(C) Color contrast, cover, concealment, sight distance
(D) Seating position, snack machines, meth dealers

10. The following statement(s) is/are true:
(A) Flagger Ahead icon signs may be posted every mile up leading up to a work zone
(B) Only one Flagger Ahead icon sign may be posted per travel direction
(C) Okra is a disgusting substance and should be banned
(D) Since money is the root of all evil, MoDOT employees must be pretty darned good people.

Safety Quiz Correct Responses
1. Flagging is a good duty for employees on temporary modified duty: (D) Flagging is not a good duty for employees on TMD. Flaggers need to be able to see, hear and communicate well in an emergency, and to move quickly. Flagging is NOT the position for anyone taking medication, in pain or otherwise impaired in any way.

That could endanger both the flagger and the crew.
2. Flaggers must wear high-vis hardhats: (A) At all times while flagging. If allowed by your supervisor, other types of non-high-vis hardhats may be used for other duties in daytime, but never while flagging.

3. Flaggers should be clearly visible to the first approaching driver for: (B) 500 ft in daytime, 1000 ft at night 
4. Even though actual “flags” are only permitted in true emergencies and flaggers use paddles, flaggers are still called flaggers because: (D) All of the above

5. Use of 3 cones to mark a flagger station/stopping point is recommended (C) When lane width is 12 feet

6. Flaggers have the authority to delay police on emergency responses: (B) To the extent required to ensure oncoming traffic is clear AND (C) To the extent required to ensure safety of crew and other motorists. However, you must keep delays to an absolute minimum and clearly explain to the officer(s) why the delay is necessary.

7. When using a pilot vehicle, the following is/are true: (A) At least 2 flaggers must be utilized 

8. How many lights are allowed to be out in the Arrowhead? (C) None. If any lights are out in the arrowhead of a message board, take it out of service and replace the bad lights. In the case of the other Arrowhead, having lights out is actually helpful since grown adults aren’t supposed to cry and if it’s dark, nobody will see you mourning the latest gut-wrenching, spirit-crushing one point one-and-done loss. Alcohol helps. Sniff.

9. When determining the flagger location, you should consider: (B) Hills, curves, shade, glare, color contrast

10. The following statement(s) is/are true: (B) Only one Flagger Ahead icon sign may be posted per travel direction AND (C) Okra is a disgusting substance and should be banned AND (D) Since money is the root of all evil, MoDOT employees must be pretty darned good people.

What’s your MoDOT Safety IQ?
All 10 right without looking: You are unconsciously safe; a Jedi Master
8-9 right without looking: You are consciously safe; a worthy apprentice
6-7 right without looking: You are kind of a toad, but I mean that in a good way
Less than 6 right without looking: You are a hazard to yourself and others

What Would MoDOT do without the Financial Services Department?

It’s easy to overlook the work that is completed within a department outside of one’s own, so here is a look into the KC District Financial Services Department and why the department’s success is essential to MoDOT.

Really the question is what could MoDOT do without the Financial Services Department. There are so many factors that go into the work completed within the department along with the deadlines in which the work has to be completed. The common misconception is that the Financial Service’s Department only pays bills. According to the KC District Financial Services, the department is distributed into three divisions which consist of financial, payroll, and property damage claims. Without Financial Services there would be no funding for equipment, transactions or even payroll.

The Financial Services Department’s responsibility is to “serve the district controller function to ensure financial accuracy, internal control of assets, and accurate administration of employee compensation.”

Duties within the financial division ranges from managing invoices, to administering 170 purchase cards. The department also develops and manages the operating budget, which is roughly 57 million dollars for the fiscal year. The operating budget is used for paying company bills, managing invoices and administering payroll.

Responsibilities for the payroll division include managing the time reporting system, paycheck issues, vehicle commuter reports and uniforms. There are over 650 employees in the district, which varies often. When there’s a new employee, the payroll division ensures that the new employee is properly set up in the system. These are all duties that would not be completed without the devotion of the Financial Services Department.

Property damage is tasked with focusing on the property damages of MoDOT from external sources, property damage K numbers and correspondence. Financial services, maintenance and construction often work as partnerships to complete the specific tasks within the property damages division.

Joan Roeseler, Support Services Manager emphasizes that “The Financial Services Department’s main focus is customer service, to make sure that Financial Services is responsive to the needs of the District through all our areas of functional responsibility. To contact the Financial Services Department, use the email group, so if a particular person is out, some else can cover. ” 

The Financial Department is crucial to the success of MoDOT. Having an active intention to learn the purpose and need for each department will allow MoDOT to work in unity and continue on a successful path.