On Wednesday, December 4, Bill 2, the proposed road worker safety law was passed by the Manitoba legislature. The bill enables the province’s plan to make road construction workplaces safer for workers.

The new law, announced by Labour Minister Erna Braun on November 15, 2013, will enable regulations that:

• require clear signage that tells drivers entering construction zones exactly when they need to slow down and by how much;
• double regular fines for speeding in construction zones;
• establish strong requirements for traffic safety management in construction zones;
• specify when traffic control devices such as barriers and rumble strips are required to protect; workers.

The new road worker safety plan was announced after Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) President Kevin Rebeck issued an open letter to the Labour Minister in August calling for better safety rules. 

When the MFL spoke in favour of the new law at a legislative committee hearing, he said: “Road workers need drivers to slow down. Drivers need clear signs telling them exactly what speed limits are in effect. And employers need to know what is expected of them to operate a safe workplace. Bill 2 is a necessary step in accomplishing all of these things.”

Read the entire MFL presentation on road worker safety HERE.