Page 28 - FY Annual Report 2017-18

Leaving their mark:

STRIPING CREWS ARE

ALL ABOUT SAFETY

Like most jobs, no two days are the same for those who work on
the LUT Operations and Maintenance (Ops) road maintenance
crews. Road conditions, traffic and sometimes the job duties are
as variable as the Oregon weather.

Summer typically means longer days and shorter weeks. Many
maintenance crews work four 10-hour days. Shifts start at 6:30 a.m.
to avoid the hotter parts of the day and to minimize the number of
days the crews need to mobilize.

Crews meet for daily briefings with their supervisors before head-
ing out. In summer 2018, Kellie Dimmitt, Traffic Maintenance Worker
II, served as the interim operations supervisor for the striping crew.

“Safety is our number one priority,” said Dimmit. “Our crews always
wear appropriate safety gear and in the summer, we make sure
they’re conscious of heat-related issues. Crews work long hours in
the sun, so it’s essential they stay hydrated.”

When striping, two crew members are “taggers,” who attempt to
keep motorists off the freshly painted lines.

“That’s the hardest thing,” said Carmen Eckman, Utility Worker.
“The more cars that drive over the lines, the less paint there is. And
the less paint there is, the harder the lines are to see. That makes
it more challenging for drivers, especially at night.”

Continued on page 27

Carmen Eckman, Utility Worker (in truck); Juston Bell, Medium Equipment Operator;
Pedro Orozco, Traffic Maintenance Worker II; Isidro Andrade-Tafolla, Utility Worker LUT Annual Report FY 2017–18 Partnering for the Future | 26