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Driving can be dangerous, as we all know. And it is most dangerous where traffic is disrupted in unfamiliar ways. And, of course, the most obvious situation of this nature is where the road is being dug up for utilities work, traffic patterns are changed to facilitate construction, or the road is simply blocked by a crane lifting its load onto an adjacent building site. Motorists are thrust into unexpected and unfamiliar driving patterns and they, pedestrians and workers on the job site causing the disruption are all placed at risk.

This risk has been addressed in the Motor Vehicle Act by requiring that signs be erected warning of works on a highway and requiring motorists to obey 'flaggers': traffic control persons on the highway to direct traffic.

The danger to workers is addressed in the regulations to the Workers' Compensation Act. Part 18. This is the foundation for proper traffic control and the authority for requiring worksites on the highway to be protected by proper planning. And Section 18.3 requires that traffic control meet "the requirements of the latest edition of the Traffic Control Manual for Work on Roadways (the "Traffic Control Manual") issued by the Ministry of Transportation". In British Columbia the source of authority and the standards to be met are to be found in Part 18 of the WCB Regulations and in the 'Traffic Control Manual'.

"traffic control" means the use of signs, flashing arrow boards, sign boards, buffer or shadow vehicles, barricades, cones, barriers, detours, traffic lights, traffic control persons (TCPs) or other techniques and devices to manage the flow of traffic;

"traffic control person" or "TCP" means any person designated or assigned by the employer to direct traffic.

Section 18.4 requires the employer to ensure that the Traffic Control Person "is adequately trained in a manner acceptable to the Board and effectively performs their role in the traffic control arrangements and procedures for the work". Adequate training has come to mean a person who has passed the TCP course offered by the Construction Safety Network. These are commonly referred to as 'Flaggers' or TCP's.

The Traffic Control Manual sets out various typical scenarios for traffic disruption around obstacles and stipulates the use of TCP's in several of these scenarios. If the obstructions or traffic patterns are more complex than is covered in the Manual the use of TCP's is almost considered mandatory. And of course, they are used in conjunction with signage and other traffic control devices such as flashing arrow boards, barricades, cones and the like.