Posted By Ron Hunter Presumably this is a high speed road (dual carraigeway or motorway)? The operation should be provided with some protection by intial signing and a taper of cones at the start of the works (this initial taper should be set up using a suitably conspicuous and sign bearing vehicle as a barrier) Safety at Street Works Code of Practice gives further guidance. Try this link too:http://www.streetworks.fsnet.co.uk/redbook.htm

Posted By Merv Newman I work with motorway (autoroute) employees who do this kind of thing routinely. The first thing they do is park one or two very heavy lorries with flashing lights and arrows at the start of the zone. Then they drive along in a van with a sliding side door with one man in the back laying out the cones. Pick-up is done in reverse. The man in the back doesn't wear a harness of any kind but does have a grab handle. Driving speed is around 10mph. If you are driving past this kind of operation your speed limit is reduced from about 8Omph to 60mph. Very occasionally some idiot manages not to see the guard lorries. They do not usually survive the experience. (evolution in action)

Posted By Dennis Bray The code of practice for safety at street works and road works give good general advice. Our traffic wardens use a converted vehicle which has top mounted flashing amber lights illuminated, rear vehicle conspicuity marking and directional (L or R) road traffic signs attached to rear of vehicle. Operatives are seated and/or harnessed to anchorage points inside vehicle and drop traffic cones onto roadway from the side of vehicle. Found to be very effective even when collecting the corns after the event. If the above system cannot be operated you could treat the operation as a series of static operations and manually handling a small number of cones to and from from a static vehicle but same vehicle controls would still apply. Give me a email if you want further details. Dennis Bray H&S Manager Avon & Somerset Police