Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 122 | TAILGATE TALK Using Communication to Resolve Conflicts How you begin your workday lays the foundation for how the remainder of the day will pan out. For instance, introducing yourself to the client and shaking their hand builds a level of trust for the rest of the day. But what happens when personal conflict occurs at the jobsite? Trying to communicate in a stressful situation is never easy, especially when one of the parties will not listen. It is important to monitor your emotions in these situations and try to consider what could be causing the other party to be agitated. Listed below are situations you may encounter in the field and some recommendations on how best to handle them. T A I L G A SAFE COMMUNICATION Setting the Scene: Today you are working with a new Flagger Force Crew Member that has just completed their orientation and onboarding, and it is one of their first days on the job. They are a little nervous but also anxious to get the job started. You begin to review the job with them based on your pre-job brief with the client. The Crew Member, only half listening, immediately begins working to set up the work zone alone, without your direction. What do you do? In a professional manner, get the Crew Member’s attention and have them stop the setup. Remind the Crew Member of the process, the importance of a pre-job brief, and that for the safety of everyone, the crew always works as a team. You should always have your partner watch your back, especially on a high-traffic road. MANAGING MOTORISTS Setting the Scene: You and your crew have set up a lane closure on a busy roadway lined with many businesses and a school. The client is working near an entrance to a business. There are two entrances to the business on the roadway, one of which has been closed to protect the client while working. After the work zone is established and the client begins their work, a motorist enters the work zone and attempts to use the entrance to the business within the client’s work area. What do you do? Without losing your escape route, calmly introduce yourself and the job to the motorist. Take the time to explain that due to safety issues with the work being performed, they must use the alternate entrance.