How to be Chapter 8 compliant

Have you ever heard of Chapter 8 regulations but not sure what they mean and how it might apply to your business? Here is a breakdown of exactly what Chapter 8 traffic regulations refer to and what that means in practice.

The regulations form part of road safety protocol designed to keep workers safe when they are carrying out works involving street lighting, signage and repairs on any highway or public road. To ensure street and roadworks are safe for workers and the public, there are certain standards which must be met. When there are any roadworks or obstructions or changes to layout, all users such as drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders should be able to see it in good time before reaching it.

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Forming part of the guide for traffic management and signs, the regulations were made by the Department for Transport. The chapter 8 part of the guide is divided into 3 sections covering design, operations and a 2016 update to the policy. This section of the regulations covers road work measures and appliances, such as:

• Bollards
• Traffic cones
• Traffic and pedestrian barriers
• Gates
• Signage

Both the design and operation parts include information on what is expected when  designing and installing temporary traffic management measures. This could include planned road repairs, for example. One of the stipulations is that vehicles associated with such work should display reflective chevrons on the rear of the vehicle. For more information on Chapter 8 chevrons, go to Vehicle Chevrons

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A vehicle that needs to stop on a highway or high speed road to carry out work, should meet these requirements in order to comply with chapter 8 guidelines:

• The colour of the vehicle should be easily visible, such as yellow or white and have reflective stripes of no less than 50mm width across the length of said vehicle.
• Labels to clearly show highway maintenance or motorway maintenance
• Red coloured reflective door stripping on the rear facing door edges and guardrails.
• Yellow and red reflective chevrons on the rear of the vehicle to cover as much of the rear as possible.
• Where a device is attached to a vehicle that could obscure the reflective chevrons, these chevrons should also be placed on the device.

The majority of vehicles only need a standard chevron kit to comply. However, there are some vehicles that might need further signage. Reflective adhesives that are more visible at night are available for vehicles working through the night or fall into one of the following categories:

• Equipment or personnel carrier for traffic management and maintenance on high speed roads.
• Vehicles for the removal or installation of equipment.
• Vehicles that provide impact protection.

Be sure to choose a reputable supplier to ensure that the chevron kits comply with Department for Transport guidelines. The kits are easy to apply, long lasting, reliable and easy to handle. They will ensure your business is compliant and help to keep workers safe in what can be an extremely treacherous job!