Flagger Force President and CEO Mike Doner and Vice President of Risk & Safety Luke Lazar, CSP, recently joined the Infrastructure Technology Podcast to discuss how the company uses virtual safety observations to identify potential risks, strengthen coaching, and reinforce its Safety-Driven® culture.
During the conversation with Roads & Bridges Staff Writer Jessica Parks, Mike and Luke explained how forward- and rear-facing cameras installed on company vehicles provide a real- or near-real-time view of work zone activity. These virtual observations complement traditional job site visits by helping Flagger Force review more work zones and observe everyday practices that may be difficult to capture during an in-person visit.
Topics discussed during the episode include:
- How virtual observations provide greater visibility into driving practices and critical work zone setup and teardown procedures.
- Why identifying and addressing behaviors before an incident occurs supports a more proactive approach to safety.
- How video provides supervisors with real-world examples they can use to deliver meaningful, behavior-based coaching.
- How trends identified through observations can inform field support, employee communications, and safety-focused microlearning.
- The importance of evaluating technology based on how it supports trained professionals and strengthens human performance.
- How artificial intelligence may create future opportunities to identify potential risks and enhance safety coaching.
Flagger Force conducts approximately 30,000 work zone observations annually. By adding virtual observations to its established field-observation practices, the company has increased that volume by approximately 30 percent—helping safety and operations teams identify trends and provide focused support to employees.
Throughout the conversation, Mike and Luke reinforce that technology is most effective when it helps people perform their work more safely. While cameras, telematics, and emerging artificial intelligence tools can provide valuable insight, the experience, communication, and situational awareness of trained traffic control professionals remain essential to protecting employees, clients, and motorists.
Listen to the full Infrastructure Technology Podcast episode.