Ohio Maintenance Operations Manual

Transcription

1 Ohio Department of Transportation Ohio Maintenance Operations Manual Currently Under Revision Produced by: The Office of Maintenance Operations 1980 West Broad Street, 3 rd Floor, Columbus, OH Revised: 12/31/12

2 Table of Contents 100 Foreword & Business Rules 200 General 300 Emergency Procedures 400 County Work Plan (CWP) 500 Maintenance Condition Rating (MCR) 600 Maintenance Quality Assurance Review (QAR) 700 Information Systems 800 Vegetation Management 900 Snow and Ice

3 100 Foreword & Business Rules Ohio Maintenance Foreword The ODOT mission is to provide easy movement of people and goods from place to place by taking care of what we have, making our system work better, improving safety, and enhancing capacity. Maintenance is the work needed to keep the highway system functioning as it was originally designed and constructed to do. Maintenance work activities insure the highway system operates efficiently, extend the life of a pavement or other highway system component, and reduces life cycle cost to the agency. The Maintenance Manual has been developed to facilitate the maintenance of a safe, efficient, accessible highway system that fosters economic growth and personal travel. ODOT S Organizational Structure: ODOT continues to refine its table of organization to streamline operations and better align the functions of the department. While the current structure consists of a central office with distinct divisions and 12 district offices, an overall sense of transparent boundaries, strong interaction and teamwork supports and encourages interdepartmental cooperation. The Office of Maintenance Administration resides in the Operations Section under the Assistant Director of Field Operations and is responsible for establishing state wide initiatives, measurements, and goals for maintenance activities. The 12 District Deputy Directors form the Highway Management Section and are responsible to identify the transportation needs for their respective areas and initiate and construct projects to meet those needs. In addition, they assist local entities with guidance on the implementation of local highway projects and provide oversight for all transportation projects within their region. The Transportation Administrator is responsible for daily maintenance of the highway infrastructure and for providing snow and ice removal with their coverage area.

4 100 Foreword & Business Rules Ohio Maintenance

5 100 Foreword & Business Rules Ohio Maintenance District Deputy Director Business & Human Resources Administrator Construction Administrator Highway Management Administrator Planning & Engineering Administrator Transportation Administrator Transportation Manager Maintenance Funding: Beginning in fiscal year 2013, ODOT implemented zero-based budgeting. Zero-based budgeting is a process through which an organization no longer uses prior years spending as a basis for developing its proposed budget but instead the budgeting process starts at zero and funds are allocated based upon planned work activities and identified expenditures. This process requires each work unit develop a detailed work plan identifying specific road repair projects, equipment purchases, material needs, land and building improvements, etc with an estimated cost for each. After other expenses such as wages, fuel, salt, utilities, etc are factored in, the annual budget allocations are determined by a statewide budget committee for each of the 12 districts and central office. County Manager Training: The Office of Employee Development, in partnership with the Division of Highway Operations, has developed the County Management Training Program (CMTP), which is designed to bridge knowledge gaps that occur when a new or newly promoted employee enters a County Manager position. The identified need for a uniform, structured training program for County Managers, combined with the potential turnover based on retirement eligibility of the current county management workforce, supported moving forward with the development and implementation of the CMTP. The program's curriculum is built around objectives which are specific to the skills required of County Managers and Transportation Managers. Each course will provide a wide variety of activities and

6 100 Foreword & Business Rules Ohio Maintenance discussions that will include round table discussions, case studies, and on-site activities. Also included in the program is a full-scale mentorship process which will follow the participant from the program's start to its finish. The program participants will be assigned a mentor and the mentor will provide one-on-one training and facilitate introductions to build internal and external networks. Ongoing, the mentor will meet with the new or newly promoted County Manager to answer questions, provide guidance, and act as a post-course reviewer. Environmental Evaluation Process: County Managers and Transportation Managers will be educated on basic environmental restrictions as set forth by both federal and state laws and regulations applying to streams, wetlands, and tree cutting. Managers within Highway Maintenance will conduct a site evaluation on projects that may require environmental clearance. The Highway Management Environmental Impact Assessment (HMEIA) should be completed before undertaking any work affecting any ditch, waterway, culvert, channel, stream, river, tree cutting or potential drainage of a wetland. This manual supersedes previous policies, procedures, directives, and guidance. Compliance with current ODOT policy requires managers and employees to ensure they are utilizing the most recent version of the manual (see web-address below). Modifications to the manual will be communicated to all administrators and managers in Highway Operations by . Revision dates for modified pages or sections will be listed on the Website.

7 100 Foreword & Business Rules Ohio Maintenance TMS Business Rules Governing Maintenance Activities The Business Rules governing ODOT maintenance activities were established by a statewide Business Rules subcommittee, and voted on, revised and adopted by the group. The following rules govern the selection of TMS Program Activity codes for ODOT maintenance activities: 1. Labor that contributes directly to achieve the accomplishment of the item (as described in the Activity Guideline) should be charged to the item s Program and Activity Code (PGAC). It is intended that we capture all work effort, inclusive of layout, mobilization, final clean up, etc., that contributes directly to achieve the accomplishment of the item and that it be charged to the item s Program Activity Code. Training/Meetings (ex. tail gate safety talks, seat time, etc.) that do not exceed 30 minutes in duration are to be absorbed/reported to the work being performed that day. 2. The act of supervising is NOT labor that contributes directly to the achievement of an item, and is NOT chargeable to the item s PGAC. The duties of labor foremen are NOT classified as supervision. However if a supervisor is performing work that directly contributes to the activity, i.e. driving a snowplow, then the supervisor should charge to that activity s direct charge. 3. Each District shall develop a process to ensure that all labor hours are entered into TMS or EMS. All staff should have 80 regular hours reported per pay period. 4. Employees transferred or reassigned to another work unit must be moved to the receiving work unit location within the EMS/TMS system. 5. TMS information will be reported on an M&R 502 form each calendar day that work is performed, regardless of the time of day the individual(s) begins their shift of work. For example, if a person s shift begins at 10:00 p.m. and ends at 6:30 a.m. the next day, two M&R 502 forms must be completed for this individual, due to the fact that two calendar days are involved. When an electronic format becomes available, this will replace the paper format. TMS daily data will be entered into the mainframe computer system within 2 regular business days following the day the work occurred. 6. The M&R 502 form must be reviewed, approved, signed and dated by a supervisor or manager. After the supervisor or manager has signed the M&R 502, any individual, other than the supervisor or manager who signed the form, making a correction(s) or adding information to the M&R 502 must line through each incorrect item, write the correct data within close proximity to the original entry, and place their initials next to each corrected or added item. The individual making correction(s) to an electronic M&R 502 must make the correction(s) and then save the file to a shared network location. When an electronic M&R 502 is printed it will fall under the rules that apply to a paper M&R 502. Note that if changes are made to the printed electronic M&R 502, the electronic M&R 502 file must be updated to reflect changes. All of the above mentioned items should occur prior to the TMS data entry, but no later than 14 calendar days after work was performed. Note: A district may require that the M&R 502 form be completed, signed and dated by the person performing, overseeing or directing the work in addition to the requirements mentioned above.

8 100 Foreword & Business Rules Ohio Maintenance 7. All project specific work orders will be closed at the completion of the project. All other work orders will be closed at the end of the Fiscal Year. All work associated with natural disasters (i.e. flooding, tornadoes/high winds, severe snow and ice conditions), will be reported to a specific work order established for that event. If multiple reporting locations are involved in this same relief effort, a project/event work order will be established to capture all the resources utilized toward the effort under a single number. The District TMS Coordinator will be the contact person and may also be the individual responsible for the assigning of work order and/or project/event numbers for the reporting locations. If the District TMS Coordinator or other assigned individual is not available at that time, the Statewide TMS Coordinator will be the person responsible for the assignment of the appropriate work order or project/event work order numbers for this relief effort. If multiple districts are involved in the relief effort, then a statewide project/event work order will be assigned by the Statewide TMS Coordinator. Since information of this nature is especially important, it is vital that this information be entered into TMS as soon as possible (preferably the same day). *corrected in this case means to change (line through the original/incorrect data and write the correct data within close proximity to the original entry) or add information

9 100 Foreword & Business Rules Ohio Maintenance Ohio Revised Code Statutory Authority for ODOT Maintenance Because of the vast quantity of material that relates to highway maintenance under the Ohio Revised Code, the following is a reference listing of some of the pertinent sections. This list was compiled to be a reference aid and starting point for researching ODOT s legal authority or duty under state law. This list is not exhaustive, and should not be assumed to be up-to-date. If you have a question or need guidance regarding the department s responsibilities, duties, or legal authority, please contact the ODOT Office of the Chief Legal Counsel. General Authority Director s general authority to construct, maintain... Highway Use Permits Bridges Closures Districts Drainage Load Limits Permits for the use or occupancy of State Highway right-of-way Maintenance of bridges over interstates Maintenance of municipal bridges on all county roads Responsibility for bridge inspection on all state highways; responsibility to maintain bridge inspection manual Authority to close highways; maintenance of detour Authority to close highways; maintenance of detour County Engineer duty to avoid closures during construction Procedure to vacate/close portion of highway Districts responsible for maintenance within limits; general maintenance provisions No obstructing ditch, drain, or watercourse 5577 Refer to all parts of 5577 for load limit laws, requirements, penalties, etc. Locals and Jurisdiction 2-1

10 100 Foreword & Business Rules Ohio Maintenance Offenses State not required to maintain within municipalities Maintenance in cities and villages 5521 Refer to all parts of 5521 for authority and requirements for municipal and county cooperation Authority to improve or maintain inside municipal limits with consent of municipality OAG 471 Where village requests bridge repair, state and county are obligated to repair bridge OAG 4078 Where county road is annexed into city, county commissioner and municipality obligated to provide maintenance and repair of bridges over streams OAG 1841 State responsible for structures and guardrail at county route intersections with state highways 5589 Refer to all parts of 5589 for offenses relating to highways Other General Maintenance Authority to construct and maintain limited access highways Authority to remove obstructions Maintenance of main highways; ODOT to maintain all highways outside municipal corporations Maintenance of all roads State park and school land access roads Authority to maintain park drives and roads Roadside Improvements Lighting 5529 Refer to 5529 for roadside improvements including rest areas, trees and vegetation planting, memorial markers, highway beautification, etc Highway includes lighting appurtenances Lighting Provisions Highway funds may be used for lighting Lighting of Bridges and Intersections Snow and Ice Sheriff s authority to close county and township roads 2-2

11 100 Foreword & Business Rules Ohio Maintenance Sheriff s authority to close state and municipal roads Snow and Ice control in villages; general snow and ice authority Winter road reporting Winter road reporting County responsible for snow and ice removal on lift bridges County Engineer may erect snow fences Townships must keep township roads free from snow Traffic Control Devices ODOT power to designate manual and specifications for system of uniform traffic control devices; Traffic control devices must adhere to uniform manual in order to be official signs conveying criminal liability. Lyndhurst v. McGinness, 2000; State is liable for accidents caused by failure to comply with OMUTCD, Lumbermens Mut. Cas. Co. v. ODOT, Tourist Oriented Directional Signs must conform to federal manual of uniform traffic control devices Locals required to conform to MUTCD; villages may not erect signs on state highways without ODOT director s approval Unauthorized signs or signals prohibited on highways; ODOT authority to remove unauthorized signs/signals Possession or sale of traffic control devices prohibited (see statute for exceptions for official use). Vegetation Control *See Section 4511 in its entirety for additional traffic control statutes. ODA 901 Department of Agriculture Vegetation Management Regulation 921 Ohio Pesticide Law Rules for identifying endangered species of plants; lists of plants Removing endangered plants without permission prohibited Rules for dealing in endangered plants for commercial purposes Agreements with U.S Violations; prosecution Cutting trees and roadside vegetation Authority to permit cutting of vegetation near lawful signs Authority to permit vegetation planting by landowners Authority to plant trees Roadside vegetation control The complete text of the Ohio Revised Code can be found on the internet at: 2-3

12 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Table of Contents Section One / General Information Introduction Ohio Maintenance Distribution Revisions Organizational Structure Organization Maintenance Funding Strategic Planning Maintenance Responsibilities Inspections The Ohio Revised Code Consent Ordinance Court of Claims Hazardous Materials Management Access Management Force Account Limits Force Account Limits Glossary / Abbreviations and Acronyms Glossary Abbreviations and Acronyms Figures Index Table of Organization ODOT Districts 207 Revision Form Revision Form 208 ODOT References

13 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Introduction Achieving excellence in governing public resources while maintaining or exceeding customer expectations is a challenge state agencies are encountering today. The face of public administration is changing. Competition for services from the private sector is a fact of life. We, as ODOT managers and employees, must be proactive in our maintenance management and practices. We can no longer just be good at what we do. We must aspire to be great. It is a matter of survival. Performance measurement systems provide managers and employees with key information to prioritize maintenance projects and resources. As funding for major new projects decrease, with traffic levels steadily increasing, preserving and maintaining Ohio s highway infrastructure becomes significantly more important. This manual is designed to aid, inform and direct managers and employees in the accomplishment of this formidable task. The Ohio Maintenance is a compilation of procedures, protocol, and directives regarding ODOT s maintenance activities. The manual, which reflects years of experience, research, and education, is a reference tool for the District and County work forces. It s intent is to be a living document that will be updated as technology and research evolve or polices change. In the quest to provide Ohio motorists with a uniform highway system, ODOT must consistently perform proven maintenance practices with its available resources. The Ohio Maintenance will become a fundamental training element for all maintenance personnel, as well as an invaluable reference resource. The procedures, processes, and guidance contained in this manual will remain in effect until updated sections of the manual are published. When an update is provided, it will supersede the previous section it replaces. Maintenance, for the purpose of this Manual, is defined as to preserve or keep in condition. A fundamental goal of the Ohio Department of Transportation is to preserve and keep in condition our highway infrastructure, including all appurtenances, for the benefit of our customers. 2-2

14 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual 201 Ohio Maintenance Distribution The Ohio Maintenance will be distributed to District Highway Maintenance Administrators and all County Managers. The Manual will also be available on the Office of Maintenance Administration web page at: Additional copies of the Manual will be available upon request Revisions 1. This Manual is a living document which will evolve as policies, procedures, technology, or environmental, or all come to bear on current practices. Revisions will be made available on the Office of Maintenance Administration web page. s will be sent to all District Highways Management Administrators and County Managers to notify of any revisions to the Manual. 2. Any recommended change to this Manual may be submitted to the Office of Maintenance Administration on the form provided in section of this manual. 202 Organizational Structure Organization The Ohio Department of Transportation is an organization based on the principle of centralized policy making, training, multi-modal planning, and quality assurance. The Governor of Ohio appoints the ODOT Director. Responsibility for regional planning, production, highway management, and business and human services is decentralized to 12 District offices. This organizational layout is designed to efficiently and effectively carry out the vested powers and duties specified by the Ohio Revised Code with respect to transportation infrastructure in the state of Ohio. The department currently has a biennial budget of more than four (4) billion dollars. Major sources of funding include state motor fuel taxes and fees, federal aid, local government project participation, bonding authority, and state general revenue funds, which are limited to non-highway programs. 2-3

15 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual ODOT s Organization Director: Jerry Wray Employees: Approximately 6,200 statewide Central Office: Columbus District Offices: Ashland, Bowling Green, Chillicothe, Delaware, Garfield Heights, Jacksontown, Lebanon, Lima, Marietta, New Philadelphia, Akron, and Sidney. County Garages: One in each of Ohio s 88 counties Outpost Facilities: 123 outposts Divisions: Central Office: 10 Each District: 4 NOTE: Reference: Figure and Figure The 12 District Deputy Directors and the District offices identify the transportation needs for their respective areas and initiate projects to meet those needs. They are responsible for maintenance of the infrastructure and for providing snow and ice removal. They assist local entities with guidance on the implementation of local highway projects and provide supervision on Federal Aid transportation projects. ODOT Districts attend project or program meetings on a regular basis Maintenance Funding While ODOT has revenue sources from categories that include bond sales and highway use taxes, maintenance funds are derived from Federal and State gasoline taxes only. Currently the Federal tax is 18.4 cents per gallon and the State tax is 22 cents per gallon. Keep in mind that only 16.5 cents per gallon of the Federal tax is returned to Ohio. This equates to less than a 90 percent return. Beginning July 1, 2003 a yearly two cents per gallon State gas tax increase will begin. July 1 st, 2005 will conclude the yearly 2 cents per gallon gas tax increase which equates to 28 cents per gallon. 2-4

16 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Strategic Planning Each year the Ohio Department of Transportation develops a series of Strategic Initiatives which incorporate an aspect of the department's mission, vision, values and goals. The specific initiatives are not intended to serve as exclusive goals, but to emphasize areas within the department that require focused attention throughout the coming year. They do not lessen the importance of other core business practices, but reinforce them and demonstrate the continuous efforts ODOT takes to improve and refine the department s processes. 203 Maintenance Responsibilities Inspections Bridge Inspection The Bridge Inspector will visually inspect all components of the bridge for deterioration, cracks, and other defects and will rate each component based on its as-built condition and record these ratings on the Bridge Inspection Report (BR-86). Per Ohio Revised Code , this is an annual requirement. Additionally, all information shown in the Bridge Inventory and Inspection Records must be carefully checked and revised as necessary to show the current condition of each bridge. Culvert Inspection Culvert inspections are to be performed a minimum of once every five years and prior to resurfacing projects. Other factors will come into play when determining the inspection frequency of specific culverts. Culvert inspection training will be forth coming and will ultimately be part of the Office of Structural Engineering, Hydraulic Section. Culvert failure results in costly emergency replacements, flooding problems, and hazardous conditions for motorists. Remedial repairs are more cost effective than full replacement when deficient conditions are detected early. Culvert conditions on a route can be used as a planning tool for the County Manager to ensure deficient structures are replaced prior to road resurfacing, to forecast project costs by knowing the condition of large culverts that require work in conjunction with other projects, and to supply feedback for design and specification. Pavement Inspection 2-5

17 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual The Pavement Condition Rating (PCR) method is based upon a visual inspection of pavement distress. Although the relationship between pavement distress and performance is not well defined, there is general agreement that the ability of a pavement to sustain traffic loads in a safe and smooth manner is adversely affected by the occurrence of observable distress. The PCR rating method provides a procedure for uniformly identifying and describing, in terms of severity and extent, pavement distress. The mathematical expression for pavement condition rating (PCR) provides an index reflecting the composite effects of varying distress types, severity, and extent upon the overall condition of the pavement. A Pavement Condition Rating (PCR) Scale was developed to rate the pavement condition using the PCR numbers calculated from an established equation. This scale has a range from 0 to 100; a PCR of 100 represents a perfect pavement with no observable distress and a PCR of 0 represents a pavement with all distress present at their high levels of severity and extensive levels of extent. The Present Serviceability Index (PSI) is a measure of pavement surface roughness or riding comfort. It is measured on a scale between 0 and 5, with 5 being a perfectly smooth ride. Construction Inspection Construction Inspection is the verification that a highway construction project is built in accordance with the requirements of the contract documents. This is accomplished through observation of actual work, field measurement, and material testing. Accurate and timely inspections are critical in ensuring the quality of the work without creating unfounded time delays for the contractor. The Inspector s Daily Report is the form used by the inspector to document the activities performed by the Contractor. Additionally, this report provides a reference document in the event of a contractor dispute. The Inspector Daily Report is Form CMS-1CA-D-3A or CA-D-3B. In addition to the construction plans, addendums, proposal notes, supplemental specifications, Construction and Material Specifications (Spec. book), Construction Inspection Manual, etc. list the many contract documents the inspect may reference during a construction project inspection. Maintenance Quality Survey Inspection The Maintenance Quality Survey (MQS) inspection records maintenance deficiencies within eight categories: Guardrail, Pavement Deficiency, Pavement Drop-Off, Vegetation Obstruction, Litter, Drainage Ditch Obstruction, Sign Deterioration, and Pavement Marking, as defined in the Maintenance Quality Survey Manual. MQS is performed by two, two person crews working out of Central Office, Office of Maintenance Administration. Collectively the two crews survey one quarter of each county s state maintained highways every three months. MQS deficiencies are collected via touch screen laptop computers utilizing GPS technology. This deficiency data is placed into the Base Transportation Referencing System (BTRS) where a Straight-Line-Mileage (SLM) and Route Type are assigned to each deficiency. BTRS is a data model from which District, County, and Central Office personnel can run GQL queries. 2-6

18 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Ultimately, the Maintenance Organizational Performance Index (OPI) scores are solely based on the most current 4 quarters of MQS deficiency data. County Manager Inspection County Managers are responsible for the inspection of all conditions within the entire highway system in their county on a bi-weekly basis. Inspections should be documented and filed as a reference for planning and prioritizing maintenance activities, and to provide as evidence to the Court of Claims when requested as part of an investigative report. Maintenance Inspection The inspection and sharing of information related to highway conditions is everyone s responsibility. All ODOT maintenance personnel performing maintenance tasks or ODOT inspectors administering construction projects are obligated to share observed highway conditions with the appropriate managing authority The Ohio Revised Code All statutes of a permanent and general nature of the state as revised and consolidated into general provisions, titles, chapters, and sections shall be known and designated as the "Ohio Revised Code." The Ohio Department of Transportation is a state agency as defined in Ohio Revised Code ' (D). It is the designated state agency responsible for designing, building and maintaining the state s transportation system, including the Division of Aviation as defined in ' Ohio Revised Code ' and define the powers, duties and functions of the Director of Transportation and the department. The functions of ODOT, as established by Ohio Revised Code Section , with respect to highways shall be: To establish state highways on existing roads, streets, and new locations and to construct, reconstruct, widen, resurface, maintain, and repair the state system of highways and the bridges and culverts on those roadways. To co-operate with the federal government in the establishment, construction, reconstruction, improvement, maintenance, and repair of post roads and other roads designated by the federal authorities. To conduct research and to co-operate with organizations conducting research in matters pertaining to highway design, construction, maintenance, material, safety, and traffic. To co-operate with the counties, municipal corporations, townships, and other subdivisions of the state in the establishment, construction, reconstruction, maintenance, repair, and improvement of public roads and bridges. NOTE: A list of the Ohio Revised Code sections that apply to ODOT is available online at the following address: 2-7

19 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Consent Ordinance The Director of Transportation needs to obtain a consent ordinance from villages to maintain the traveled portion of the roadway system within village limits, provide centerline and lane line markings, install and maintain regulatory and warning signs, and remove snow and ice. Reference: Section and , Ohio Revised Code Court of Claims The Court of Claims Section is responsible for managing all administrative and judicial claims for money damages which are filed against ODOT in the Court of Claims of Ohio. Administrative claims are those claims seeking $2,500 or less and typically involve damages due to potholes, paint over-spray or debris in the roadway. Judicial claims are claims of more than $2,500 and typically involve wrongful death, personal injury or contract claims. While the court of claims coordinator and staff handle all administrative claims in-house, the Ohio Attorney General s Court of Claims Defense Section ( Defense Section ) represents the department in all judicial cases. The Court of Claims Section serves as a liaison between the Defense Section and district personnel who have knowledge regarding a specific claim to facilitate gathering information, thereby assisting the assistant attorneys general to effectively defend the department. In the event a Court of Claims case is filed against your district/county, an investigative report will be developed and returned to Central Office Court of Claims, 1980 West Broad Street, Cols, Oh, st floor in the specified time frame. Preparation Materials / Contact Area - Internal Investigative Reports Central Office Court of Claims Section: (614) Police Report - Ohio State Patrol or Jurisdictional Police Agency (OSP reports are often included with the claim) Warning Signs or Devices that were posted in the area prior to the date of the accident - Traffic Department / County Manager Date and description of all Inspections - County Manager Time & Date of prior complaints received concerning the area, w/supporting documentation - County Manager - County Clerk Notarized Statements - Person(s) in charge of work area. Accountable and professional assessment of the situation surrounding the incident/accident - County Manager - Crew leader - Construction Supervisor, etc

20 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Photographs of the area (when requested or necessary) - present date and answer whether photos were taken previous to, at the time of, or after the incident/accident. UMTCD - Pages or Sections related to setup of traffic control devices - Traffic Department Contracts, Plans, Diaries, Daily Work Reports - Construction, County Manager - County Clerk Project files - Planning histories for stated time frame. A complete maintenance history of the identified route six months prior to the incident/accident that provides dates, program activity descriptions, milepost locations, and a summary cost for each activity. Radio Log Traffic Counts Straight Line Diagram of the section in question. Any other pertinent data for use in preparing the defense of a lawsuit. As a general rule if the claimant s damage can be connected directly to a motorized vehicle, ODOT s insurance will handle the claim through the Safety Department. All Other types of claims must be filed with the Court of Claims of Ohio: Hazardous Materials Management Construction Court of Claims of Ohio Capital Square Office Building 65 East State Street - Suite 1100 Columbus, OH (614) / 1(800) The Department has experienced contract administration problems during the disposal of regulated wastes; underground storage tanks, asbestos pipe, and administrating borrow and waste areas. The main causes of these problems are: the lack of understanding of the regulations, new regulations that govern construction debris, and the infrequency that some of these items are included in the contract. The 2-9

21 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual improper disposal or management of regulated materials can create substantial construction delay problems and a potential future liability to ODOT. The Department has approximately 300 projects in design, construction, or completed requiring the disposal of regulated wastes: hazardous waste, solid waste, and special waste or petroleum-contaminated soil. Regulated is defined as: hazardous waste, solid waste, construction and demolition debris, petroleum contaminated soil, or any other regulated material denoted for removal under the contract. For further explanation about hazardous waste classifications, types and characteristics see the Hazardous Waste Management Program Manual or other Hazardous Waste Training Manuals. Each district will designate at least two Project Engineers with 24-hour Construction HAZWOPER training. These engineers will deal with all regulated waste issues that arise on the projects. An 8-hour annual refresher course is required. All Project Inspectors are required to have the 8-hour Construction Safety and 8-hour HAZWOPER Awareness Training. Students completing this training will be able to recognize hazards or conditions that require specialized training. These courses are offered all around the state at various times. Construction personnel can sign up for the courses at the following web site: Maintenance Each district manages their hazardous waste either in the Office of Highway Management or Office of Business and Human Services. The Lead Office is determined by each District. A central office quality assurance review covers the primary hazardous waste generation and storage sites within the district as well as selected county garages. Districts should also perform inspections at their facilities to ensure compliance. All noted discrepancies should be corrected in an acceptable time-frame. Some actions involving hazardous materials require immediate response. The district haz-mat coordinator will maintain a file copy of each inspection and forward a copy to the County Manager and Highway Management Administrator. As corrections are made, the coordinator will be notified so that the date can be recorded. There is also a documented action plan requirement for asphalt storage tanks. Refer to: Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures Plans (SPCC) Hazardous Waste Management Program Manual, Sec; pages 5-14 July 97 The extent of training required for maintenance employees depends what level an employee is involved in with Haz-Mat issues. For example, an employee who is only expected to report a material spill would receive a different level of training than an employee who is expected to contain, clean-up, or dispose of a spilled material. 2-10

22 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Currently, ODOT offers four courses based on Haz-Mat requirements: 40 Hour Class This class is for employees who are engaged in hazardous material removal or other activities which expose them to hazardous substances. This class is also appropriate for employees managing Haz-Mat programs or doing compliance inspections. An 8 hour annual refresher course is required to maintain 40 hour certification. 24 Hour Class This class is for employees who are occasionally exposed to hazardous substances or manage programs. This is the recommended level of training for a County Manager. An 8 hour annual refresher course is required to maintain 40 hour certification. 8 Hour Refresher This class is for employees have already received the 40 or 24 hour courses and are maintaining annual certified training status. 4 Hour Awareness This class is for employees who are unlikely to come in contact with hazardous substances but who should be aware of proper responses to such encounters. Note: The U.S. Department of Transportation provides ODOT with Emergency Response Guidebooks to be distributed to appropriate personnel. The guidebook is for first responders who are involved in the initial phase of a dangerous goods/hazardous materials incident Access Management ODOT establishes procedures and standards to protect the utility, function, capacity, and safety of the state highway system. The state highway system constitutes an integrated network of highways interconnecting all areas of the state and serving the safe, efficient travel of the public. The state highway system represents an irreplaceable public asset essential to the public health, safety, and welfare. The Ohio Department of Transportation has an obligation and a public-trust responsibility to preserve and maintain this system, to protect the public investment in this system, and to ensure its continued use in meeting state, regional, and local transportation needs. Access Permits "Limited access highway or freeway" is a highway especially designed for through traffic and over which abutting property owners have no easement or right of access by reason of the fact that their property abuts upon such highway, and access to which may be allowed only at highway intersections designated by the Director of Transportation. No person shall construct any new access or modify an existing access resulting in a change of use that provides direct vehicular movement to or from any state highway to or from property abutting a state highway without a valid access permit approved by ODOT. 2-11

23 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual "Permittee" means any person, unit of government, public agency or any other entity that can own property, to whom an access permit is issued. The permittee, normally the property owner served by the access, is responsible for fulfilling all the terms and conditions of the permit. Applications for permits for direct access to a state highway may be submitted to the office of the County Manager or to the ODOT District Office in which the highway is located. At its discretion, the District Office may authorize the County Manager to review, approve, and issue access permits for single family residences for driveways. All other applications received in the office of the County Manager shall be forwarded immediately to the District Office. The District Office shall have the final responsibility for accepting applications for access permits to include reviewing the permit applications for completeness and conformity to the Department's State Highway Access Management Manual and other applicable Local, State, and Federal regulations; issuing the permits; inspecting construction to ensure compliance to any conditions of the permit; and maintaining records of all applications and permits. The procedure for applying for permits is included in Standard Operating Procedure PH-P-403. Right of Way Encroachments "Right-of-Way" is a general term denoting land, property, or the interest therein, usually in the configuration of a strip acquired for or devoted to transportation purposes. When used in this context, right-of-way includes the roadway, shoulders or berm, ditch, and slopes extending to the right-of-way limits under the control of the state or local authority. Any access connection providing direct access to a state highway that is constructed or established after the effective date of adoption of the State Highway Access Management Manual without an approved permit issued in accordance with Chapters , , and , O.R.C. shall be considered an illegal obstruction within the highway right-of-way. Upon determining that an access connection is illegal, the Department may treat the connection as an obstruction within the highway right-of-way and require its removal under Chapter , O.R.C. or proceed by any other appropriate and necessary civil and/or criminal action pursuant to Chapter , O.R.C. or Chapter , O.R.C. Practical Access Information The pertinent information for a county maintenance worker will not be permit procedures (other than general awareness) but problems associated with improper driveway installations and encroachments. After a rain is an opportune time to notice these problems. Improper driveway installations (private and commercial) do not allow for the proper flow of water and represent a hazard to the traveling public. Water on the pavement should be dealt with as soon as it is encountered. Other types of potential encroachments: trees, farm or yard fence, sometimes a barn or building, a car lot, parked cars, nonstandard mailboxes, political signs, business signs, other unpermitted signs, etc... Sometimes utility companies with legal access can still present hazards. Examples: Roadside green phone company boxes can cause a hazard for mowing crews or gas company gas-lines buried in a different location than they are marked or permitted being cut by a culvert installation crew. 2-12

24 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual ROW limits: The standard is 30 feet from the centerline but it varies based on the ROW plans for each highway. Plans are normally available for review at every garage and district office. NOTE: ODOT does have the right after notification to the property owner, to remove the hazard at their expense. 2-13

25 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual 204 Force Account Limits Force Account Limits Effective 1 July 2003, House Bill 87 increased the dollar limits ODOT and other public agencies can reach before taking competitive bids on projects. The legislation increases accountability and requires the use of an estimate to be monitored by the State Auditor. The new limits for ODOT are: $25,000 a mile for highways; $50,000 for bridges, culverts and traffic control devices. The new legal guidelines are in the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) ODOT considers the new requirement to apply to project-related work, specifically resurfacing, culvert replacement and betterment; bridges and traffic signal installation and upgrades. Routine maintenance activities such as mowing, ditching, berming, snow and ice, highway lighting, signal maintenance, etc., do not require specific estimates. Project Types Basic Maintenance Levels (75% of Statutory Limits): Blanket estimates can be used for projects that will not exceed the scope of work listed below, ie, a project-specific estimate will be necessary only if the project cost far exceeds the normal scope; higher than normal labor costs, high-cost special equipment or exceptional material needs, etc. Paving: ODOT paving operations average $80 a ton. Any project approaching 200 ton per mile ($16,000) should have an estimate completed. A typical paving operation requires over 600 ton per lane mile, making the majority of projects over the statutory limits. Any spot paving job that is foreseen to have a higher than normal need for grading, fill, compaction, labor force, special equipment, etc. must have an estimate completed. Culverts: An estimate is required for all culvert replacements on roads with four or more lanes. Estimates must also be completed for all box culverts, regardless of number of lanes. Normal, two lane round or elliptical pipe replacements fall well under the limits, and do not require estimates. Any project that involves extensive head walls, stabilization, manpower, paving, etc., must have an estimate completed. Signals: Signal maintenance, including relamping, signal detector and lead in replacement do not require an estimate. Signal Betterments do require an estimate to be completed. All costs related to a new signal installation should be estimated prior to beginning work. Bridges: Routine bridge maintenance, including spot repair of decks, cleaning scuppers, etc., does not require an estimate. Bridge deck replacements and overlays do require an estimate to be completed. Any structural repairs involving replacement of piers, beams and/or abutments must have an estimate completed. Joint Projects: Any bridge or culvert projects performed along with a contractor or local entity require 2-14

26 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual an estimate to be completed. The total project costs can not exceed the force account limits, nor can ODOT s share exceed the state limit. ODOT Process To comply with the new law s language, we are requiring a project estimate to be done on all qualifying projects (not covered by blanket estimates) prior to the beginning of the work. You can use TMS Screen 5-49, which has been modified to apply the overhead rate changes required by the State Auditor. The estimate must be printed and filed on site in the county in which the work is done. This file should be labeled Force Account Project Assessments for consistent access to the information. A TMS work order specifically for the project must be opened and all related costs posted to it. When a project is completed, a cost report is to be done using TMS/GQL, and then filed with the estimate. A standard GQL query has been developed to assign the proper rates for all resources posted to the work order. This is available on TMS/GQL under TMS Standard Queries. Both the estimate and the work order query report must be filed together and made available if requested by the State Auditor. The Auditor has created a force account project assessment form which is to be completed prior to starting work on qualifying projects. The form, ORC , allows the recording of labor, material and equipment costs. ODOT, however, has been granted approval to use an existing screen in the Transportation Management System (TMS). Costs are defined as: Labor - This is to be the direct cost (hourly rate) of all labor, plus 30 percent for fringe costs. An additional 38 percent overhead must then be applied to the total of direct cost and fringe rate. TMS Screen 5-49 (project estimator) has been modified to show the computed labor rate. Fringe and overhead compute to 79.4%. This is rounded to 80% in TMS. Materials - This is the actual cost of materials, plus 15 percent overhead. Materials purchased for a project must have 15 percent added to the invoice amount. TMS Screen 5-49 has been modified to add this overhead cost to materials in stock. Equipment - Each piece of equipment used on a project must have an hourly or per mile cost assigned to it. TMS defaults to the Actual Rate, which is equipment-number specific. This might vary from the Standard Rate, which is an average unit cost for the equipment type. This is also available in TMS and has been posted on the ODOT Internet home page for municipalities and for internal use. Either rate method is acceptable, but the same method must be used for all equipment on the project. Rental equipment must reflect the actual cost of rental. 205 Glossary / Abbreviations and Acronyms 2-15

27 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Glossary Activity Guideline-An activity guideline defines each activity and identifies the activity s specific unit of measure. The guideline also outlines the recommended process for performing the activity along with instructions for reporting its location. Other helpful instructions for reporting may also be included in the guideline. Activity Number-Activity numbers are code numbers given to an activity. Multi-Year Work Plan-Ellis, ODOT s Web-based project management system, contains the contracted portion of ODOT s long-term plan for maintaining ODOT s assets. The District Multi-Year Work Plans are a subset of this long-term plan. The goal of the District Multi-Year Work Plan is to develop a fiscally constrained work program that assures safe, reliable, efficient, and accessible, travel conditions, while maintaining bridge and pavement assets at agreed upon performance levels. Betterment-Betterment work is work that adds a new roadway feature, expands or improves an existing roadway feature, or improves the existing roadway section (e.g., removing a bank to improve sight distance). Bridge Inventory and Appraisal Coding Guide -The Bridge Inventory and Appraisal Coding Guide was prepared through the joint efforts of the Office of Structural Engineering and Office of Application Services to establish policies and procedures for the creation and maintenance of a Bridge Management System. Bridge Management System (BMS)- BMS provides a collection of bridge data to be used for producing various analytical and statistical reports, which aid in the design, planning, programming, and financing of bridge maintenance and construction in Ohio. Consent Ordinance-The Director of Transportation needs to obtain a consent ordinance from villages to maintain the traveled portion of the roadway system within village limits, provide centerline and lane line markings, install and maintain regulatory and warning signs, and remove snow and ice. Reference: Section and , Ohio Revised Code. Construction and Materials Specifications (Spec Book)- The Spec Book contains detailed provisions, which together with the Plans and the Proposal, constitute the Contract for the performance of required work. It is the official legal and technical document by which ODOT bids and constructs highway projects. Construction Management System (CMS)- CMS is construction management system software created for ODOT s use statewide to track and monitor construction projects. County Work Plan (CWP)- The District, County, and Roadway Services County Work Plans identify the current conditions; 3 Year District Maintenance OPI Goals; Preventive Maintenance Goals; available resources; level of effort; projected conditions; costs; and narrative summary for the highway system in 2-16

28 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual each District and respective Counties. Each CWP consists of an Available Resources, Maintenance OPI, Pavement Engineering, and Preventive Maintenance Categories. County Work Plan Summary- Annually, a complete CWP report will be published to summarize State conditions, goals, resources proposed, and projected conditions. Equipment Management System (EMS)- EMS is a computerized equipment and materials inventory information system. The equipment management system can provide over 200 reports. The main report is an audit trail comparing stock used with work orders. This audit report ensures that all stock items are charged out to the correct piece of equipment. Equivalent Single Axle Loads (ESALs)- Bridges and other structures on the state highway system are rated for capacity, usually gross and axle weight. Bridges determined to be unsafe for legal weight vehicles have signs posted that specify reduced weight limits. For specific information regarding overweight or over dimension vehicles visit the Office of Maintenance Administration, Special Hauling Permits Section on the web: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)- FHWA is a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with field offices across the United States. Foreman s Manual-ODOT has compiled the TMS Foreman s Manual to aid the county and district work forces in effectively maintaining the ODOT highway system, as well as to accurately report and track work efforts and cost accounting data. Maintenance & Repair Form 502, the Daily Work Report-The 502 form is ODOT s source document for recording details of work activities. The crew leader completes the information on the Daily Work Report by verifying the exact location where the work was performed; the number of hours worked by each employee on each activity; the miles or hours of usage for each piece of equipment on each activity; the quantity and type of material used on each activity; and the number of production units accomplished on each activity that day. Ohio Maintenance -The Ohio Maintenance is a compilation of procedures, protocol, and directives regarding ODOT s maintenance activities. The Office of Maintenance Administration has gathered, reviewed and updated the information and produced the manual as a reference tool for the district and county work forces. The manual contains years of experience, research, and education and is intended to be a living document that will be updated as technology and research evolve. Highway Maintenance Program-The highway maintenance program involves the systematic process of planning, implementing, measuring, and making improvements with highway maintenance. Decisions are based on the cost effective use of limited resources to improve efficiency and protect the investment in the State s existing transportation infrastructure. Bridge Inventory and Appraisal Code Sheets (Forms BR-87 and BR-87A)- Federal legislation has mandatory requirements that particular specified data be collected and maintained for all bridges on the public highway and street systems in Ohio. The BR-87 and BR-87A forms provide for a collection of 2-17

29 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual bridge data to be used for producing various analytical and statistical reports, which aid in the design, planning, programming, and financing of bridge maintenance and construction. The Office of Structural Engineering publishes a Bridge Inventory and Appraisal Guide. Lane Mile Agreements-An agreement between ODOT and a municipality designed to accomplish agency goals. Refer to all parts of '5521 of the Ohio Revised Code for authority and requirements for municipal and county cooperation. Longitudinal Striping-The painting of centerlines, edge lines, or roadway lane lines that extend lengthwise on the roadway to provide adequate traffic control. LF-Linear Foot Maintenance-The upkeep of a highway (which includes all of its elements) in or as close as possible to its original constructed condition, or its subsequently improved condition. Maintenance Activity-A maintenance activity is a small group of associated tasks and subtasks necessary to correct a highway maintenance problem, to accomplish a betterment, or to produce a material. An activity can also describe an indirect related task such as yard work, supervision, etc. Maintenance Index-The Maintenance Index is part of the overall Organizational Performance Index, which is the scoring system index by which maintenance efforts and system conditions are compared to ODOT goals. Maintenance Program Activity Code-The Transportation Management System uses program activity codes (PGAC) to group associated tasks and sub-tasks necessary to maintain our highway system. Examples of these PGAC codes are pothole patching, snow and ice control, pavement markings, and facility maintenance. Maintenance Quality Assurance Review-It is ODOT s policy to use a Quality Assurance Review (QAR) process to ensure organizational units within ODOT adhere to all laws, regulations, policies, and standard operating procedures in carrying out ODOT s day-to-day business. Responsibility for conducting QARs is vested in Central Office Divisions and Offices. Maintenance Quality Survey (MQS) -The purpose of the maintenance quality survey is to develop numerical data for rating the performance of the highway maintenance activity. The procedures vary for the different highway elements. This is necessary because certain conditions occur with a greater frequency than others. MQS Manual-The MQS manual describes highway conditions, which are referred to as Recordable Conditions. The recordable conditions are not necessarily maintenance deficiencies. The entire highway system will be surveyed over a 12-month (four quarter) time frame. MQS Teams-Two (two person) Central Office teams survey approximately one fourth of each County in the State every 3 months for recordable maintenance conditions and deficiencies. The entire County (every centerline mile) is surveyed once over a 12-month time frame. 2-18

30 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Construction Inspection Manual of Procedures (MOP) -This manual provides construction personnel with information to perform accurate inspections of the various department construction work items. It is the duty of the project engineers and inspectors to become familiar with the contents of this manual. Office of Maintenance Administration-The Office of Maintenance Administration is a section of Central Office Highway Operations that cooperates with local governments to provide necessary resources to restore roadways to normal conditions during times of disaster. It provides technical assistance in highway maintenance and construction engineering matters internally and externally of ODOT. Services offered include: Maintenance Quality Surveys, Maintenance Quality Assurance, Maintenance Efficiency Analysis, Transportation management System, Winter Maintenance Coordination, and Maintenance Policy Development and Implementation. Organizational Performance Index (OPI)- The OPI provides monthly information based on key performance areas for Plans, Highway Management, Construction Management, Maintenance, Highway System Conditions, Snow and Ice, Human Resources, Finance, Contracts, Equipment, and Facilities. Pavement Condition Rating (PCR)- PCR is a numerical rating of pavement distresses on a 0 to 100 scale based on visual inspection. A PCR of 100 signifies a perfect pavement with no distress. Office of Pavement Engineering- The Pavement Engineering section is part of Central Office Planning. This section provides the Districts with standards, policy, procedures, data, and research to allow them to provide smooth, quiet, cost effective pavements for the traveling public at a minimum of inconvenience. Pavement Management System (PMS)- The intent of the pavement management program is to select, design, and construct pavement management treatments in an expedited fashion to extend pavement life and maintain the pavement surface at the highest possible level of serviceability. The PMS can be accessed by General Query Language (GQL), which can be used to provide a first cut list of candidate projects for all of the pavement management treatments. Present Serviceability Index (PSI)- The PSI is a measure of pavement surface roughness or riding comfort. It is measured on a scale between 0 and 5, with 5 being a perfectly smooth ride. Preventive Maintenance (PM)- PM is a planned strategy of cost effective treatments to an existing roadway system and its appurtenances that preserves the system, retards future deterioration, extends the service life, and maintains or improves the functional condition of the system without substantially increasing structural capacity. Appurtenances- Anything that pertains. Referencing roadway systems, appurtenances refer to all things associated with the roadway. Preventative Maintenance Category- The County Work Plan has a Preventive Maintenance category. The category requires specific maintenance with specific cycles for each identified maintenance activity. The activities encompass traffic control, vegetation management, surface cleaning, underdrain cleaning, and bridge preventive maintenance. 2-19

31 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Program Activity Code (PGAC)- The TMS system uses PGAC s to group associated tasks and sub-tasks necessary to maintain our highway system. Examples of these PGAC s are pothole patching, snow and ice control, pavement markings, and facility maintenance. The detail labor, materials, equipment use, and actual costs associated with these 3 components will generate a work accomplishment and a performance measurement for each PGAC. Reactive Maintenance- Reactionary maintenance involves activities undertaken to correct defects and extend the life of the pavement until such a time that a proper rehabilitation or reconstruction project may be undertaken. Reactive maintenance is frequently performed on a failing pavement. It is a stopgap measure that keeps the road at an acceptable serviceability, and is seldom cost-effective. Structural Deduct (SD)- SD is contained within the pavement condition rating process. It indicates those distresses, which may be related to the structural integrity of the pavement. Office of Structural Engineering- Structural Engineering is a section of Central Office Highway Operations and provides ODOT districts with standards, policy, procedures, training, design resources, data, and research to allow them to continually monitor and improve the quality of ODOT s bridge inventory. This support will enable them to provide safe, cost effective, durable and smooth riding bridges for the public, along with providing bridges that meet the needs of Ohio s growing economy. Office of Traffic Engineering-Traffic Engineering is a section of Central Office Highway Operations and provides technical assistance and consultation on traffic engineering matters. It coordinates ODOT s safety improvement program which make funds available to local governments for safety improvements at high accident locations. The office provides time lapse photography services in order to film hazardous locations and traffic operational problems, for further analysis. It develops, prepares, and distributes the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and a traffic application standards manual to ensure consistent application and design of traffic control devices. It also provides review and consultation to local governments regarding traffic control devices and highway lighting design and application. Transportation Management System (TMS)- The TMS is a work order driven computer program that tracks work accomplishments and actual costs for labor, equipment, and materials used by our workforce. The purpose of the TMS is to have current data available for ODOT managers to analyze and utilize in decision-making. 2-20

32 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Abbreviations and Acronyms AFSCME American Federation of State, Highway Management HMA - - County, Municipal Employees Administrator BH&R - Business and Human Resources HMO - Health Management Organization BMS - Bridge Management System IT - Information Technology CMS - Construction Management System LF - Linear Feet C&MS - Construction and Materials Ohio Maintenance Operations OMOM - Specifications Manual CWP - County Work Plan MOP - Construction Inspection Manual of Procedures CY - Calendar Year MQS - Maintenance Quality Survey DDD - District Deputy Director MYWP - Multi-Year Work Plan DCE - District Construction Engineer ODOT - Ohio Department of Transportation DAS - Department of Administrative Ohio Civil Service Employee OCSEA - Services Association OEPA - Ohio Environmental Protection Agency OCPM - Ohio Certified Public Managers EMS - Equipment Management System O/H - Overhead EEO - Equal Employment Ohio Performance Review System OPRS - Opportunity EIT - Engineer in Training OPI - Organizational Performance Index ESALs - Equivalent Single Axle Loads ORC - Ohio Revised Code FHWA - Federal Highway Administration OSW - Off System Work FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency PCR - Pavement Condition Rating FY - Fiscal Year PE/PS - Project Engineer, Project Supervisor GIS - Geographical Information Program Activity Code PGAC - System GPS - Global Positioning System PDMS - Project Development Management System GQL - Graphic Query Language QWLS - Quality of Life Surveys PM - Preventative Maintenance RWIS - Road Weather Information System PMS - Pavement Management System SD - Structural Deduct PSI - Present Serviceability Index TMS - Transportation Management System QAR - Quality Assurance Review VE - Value Engineering QSTP - Quality Services Through Partnership 2-21

33 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual 206 Figures Index Table of Organization This is the organizational chart for the Ohio Department of Transportation ODOT Districts A location and informational chart on departmental District locations. 207 Revision Form Revision Form 208 ODOT References Pavement Condition Rating Manual The Pavement Condition Rating Manual is available by calling the Office of Pavement Engineering, Maintenance Quality Survey Manual (MQS) This manual describes highway conditions that are considered deficiencies. The entire highway system is surveyed over a twelve-month (four quarter) time frame. ODOT Location and Design Manual, Volume One Refer to Section 800 for guidelines on access management / permit procedures Available online: Culvert Management Manual This manual describes culvert inspection and inventory procedures. Bridge Inspection Manual This manual provides bridge inspection processes along with documentation requirements. Available online: n.pdf 2-22

34 200 General Information Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Construction Inspection / Manual of Procedures This manual provides detailed inspection procedures utilized by Project Inspectors. Available online: Ohio Revised Code - Maintenance Sections The Ohio Revised Code sections relevant to maintenance can be accessed through the Central Office Maintenance Administration web-page. Available online: Court of Claims The Court of Claims Section consists of the Court of Claims Coordinator and Administrative Assistant. Applicable Policies, Directives & Work Rules can be accessed on the Court of Claims web-page. Available online: Hazardous Materials Management Program Manual A comprehensive manual of federal regulations, EPA requirements, ORC laws, and applicable polices that ODOT has utilized to develop a Haz-Mat management program. The manual is available from: Ohio Department of Transportation Office of Facilities Management1980 West Broad Street Columbus, Ohio 43223Phone: (614) Fax: (614)

35 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Table of Contents Section Two / Emergency Procedures Introduction Emergency Coordination Agency Emergency Coordination Safety Procedures Homeland Security - Response to Threat Level Action Items - Threat Level Incident Management System Responders Listing Emergency Notification Process Sheriff s Snow Emergency Procedures Winter Weather - District Thresholds State Office Closings - Governor s Declared Weather Emergency Fire Medical Emergencies Tornado Response Bomb Threats Threats or Physical Violence Hazardous Spills References

36 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Introduction An Emergency Action Plan is developed to aid employees in emergency situations that may arise in the course of employment with ODOT. It is intended to be both a preparation plan as well as a reference guide in case of emergencies. All employees are to be aware of the appropriate procedures for emergency situations. 301 Emergency Coordination Agency Emergency Coordination The Ohio Emergency Management Agency coordinates Federal, state, local and private responses in the event of natural or man-made disasters. All departments of state government cooperate with the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (OEMA) through the Ohio Emergency Operations Plan. The Office of Maintenance Administration coordinates ODOT's response to declared and potential emergency situations using ODOT s Emergency Operations Plan. During flooding, tornados, snow storms, earthquakes, or other events of this nature, ODOT provides personnel, equipment, and materials to maintain safe passable highways, bridges, and access roads. We also open and close roads, and provide traffic control where necessary. ODOT emergency coordination is triggered by a Governor's Declaration. The ODOT Emergency Coordinator is: Al Phillips, Central Office Highway Operations. Phone alan.phillips@dot.state.oh.us Safety Procedures Reference: Policy No.: (P) Employee Health and Safety Policy The health and safety of every employee, customer, and contractor is of primary importance to ODOT. Management will make every effort to provide a safe working environment and to assure that all employees perform work in a manner which complies with all Federal and State Health and Safety regulations. Health and safety is the responsibility of every employee. The success of a Health and Safety Program depends upon the ability to integrate, identify, and mobilize the efforts and expertise of all ODOT employees into our everyday operations. Health and safety training will be required for all employees based on their classification and working environment. All health and safety training will be coordinated through each District Health and Safety Professional and Training Coordinator. Training is a continuous process and 3-2

37 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance costs will be absorbed by the appropriate District and Division Office. Operation Manual Any employee who fails to follow the established safety procedures will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the provisions set forth in Directive WR-101. A copy of the safety procedures will be posted in each facility at a location readily accessible to all employees. The County Managers or facility supervisors will ensure employees have been properly instructed in the existence and application of established safety procedures. Emergency Action Plans are established to assist in the implementation of the following procedures: Fire Medical Emergencies Tornado Response Bomb Threats Threats or Physical Violence Hazardous Spills 302 Homeland Security - Response to Threat Level Action Items - Threat Level HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISORY SYSTEM OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RESPONSE TO THREAT LEVEL ANNOUNCEMENT The Governor s Office of Homeland Security establishes threat levels for the State of Ohio. The Homeland Security Plan is a comprehensive national and state plan that increases security at all United States borders, strengthens transportation sector protections, enhances security at critical infrastructure facilities, increases public health preparedness, and ensures all Federal response assets by identifying the appropriate threat level from low to high. Work units should be aware of the actions required at each threat level (i.e. testing of communication systems, etc.). All employees with positions requiring a response to incidents impacting public safety should have an operational awareness of the incident command system. Response supervisors should be certified to the FEMA requirements in ICS (IS100) and NIMS (IS700). LOW CONDITION (Green) Identify appropriate staff to receive threat notification Annual review of training and response plans Ensure responders receive training on ICS and emergency operations Conduct preparedness exercises Maintain liaison/communications with all response agencies GUARDED CONDITION (Blue) 3-3

38 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Review communication plans and systems Conduct advanced staff training for appropriate levels Ensure actions steps for lower levels are completed ELEVATED CONDITION (Yellow) Notify appropriate staff of threat condition Test communication systems monthly Disseminate security briefings to appropriate staff Document monthly staff availability Increase surveillance of critical ODOT facilities/infrastructure Attend planning meetings as scheduled at local/state level Ensure action steps for lower levels are completed HIGH CONDITION (Orange) Operation Manual Notify personnel of potential EOC staffing needs Test communication systems weekly Document weekly staff availability Notify appropriate staff Request driver and escort information from all parties moving super loads Secure entries to and restrict access to critical facilities Coordinate security with local and state law enforcement if needed Prepare for activation of relocation plans for alternate work sites or employee mobility Ensure lower levels are completed SEVERE CONDITION (Red) Staff EOC as requested Test communications daily Implement communication plan for key staff Coordinate with OSP security measures at Hilltop and issue alert to field offices Control access to buildings and grounds based on intelligence information Monitor super load shipment movement Access to ODOT facilities will be restricted to ODOT employees and essential visitors only. Secure perimeter areas to keep unauthorized vehicle traffic away from facilities as needed. Staff EOC s as needed Ensure all steps of lower levels are completed. 3-4

39 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual 303 Incident Management System The purpose of the Incident Management System is to utilize the command structure to effectively respond to incidents with adequate resources Responders Listing Emergency is defined in section (F) of the Ohio Revised Code as any period during which the Congress of the United States or a chief executive has declared or proclaimed that an emergency exists. This formal declaration or proclamation can be made by the chief executive of any political subdivision, including the Governor, for natural disasters, man-made disasters, hazardous materials incidents or civil disturbances. A listing of all responders to a Governor s Declaration of a weather emergency is published by the Office of Maintenance Administration. The publication is considered Restricted Information and is only provided to essential responders. Essential responders have access to residence addresses and phone numbers of key contact personnel statewide Emergency Notification/Communications Process Efficient emergency communications is a critical component to the effective management of any disaster situation. Utilization of an established chain of command structure within established response guidelines will improve our efficiency and accountability when time is of the essence. Normal or Routine Communications Orderly communication begins at the field level and will follow the established chain of command when reporting information both to and from Central Office and the Districts. This may be accomplished by available means such as telephone, lotus notes, radio or cell. Emergency Communications When conditions warrant the staffing of District Communications Centers or Emergency Operations Centers we will follow established policy: enc. State Emergency Operations Center Activation Emergency Operations Center Communications Policy During any activation of the State Emergency Operations Center, communications with Districts and Counties impacted by the event is critical. The current system requires requests for assistance to the counties to be forwarded to the State EOC by the local EMA director. On a large event this may generate several requests for services from multiple locations. This makes the efficient management of information both to and from the EOC an essential part of our emergency operations. Getting accurate and timely information to those who will respond to it is 3-5

40 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual essential to disaster management. To better facilitate information flow, and documentation of the event, the following methods will be utilized for operational communications. Primary: Lotus Notes Emergency Communications: A listing of emergency communications groups has been established on our existing Lotus Notes system and will be our primary method of reporting operational information and mission assignments. The primary benefit of this method is to quickly notify groups or key essential personnel of operational needs as well as providing a record of information flow. This system will allow for modification of the EOC and Districts emergency communications groups based on personnel availability and their need to be involved in a particular type of event. The information will be assigned priority codes with a priority code of #1 (urgent) or #2(routine), with a #1 requiring an immediate confirmation from a member of the receiving emergency group. Should the confirmation not be received within 15 minutes the sender will start voice verification via telephone or radio. It will be essential the District and County Supervisors have the ability to monitor the Lotus Notes system during events requiring a sustained ODOT response, or provide updated away message information so the sender can be immediately notified of contact information for the on call personnel. The Emergency Groups will be assigned as follows: DOT.EOC - This will be the primary State EOC contacts for ODOT. The group will consist of currently assigned operational personnel and be monitored during active operations. Should the EOC switch to reduced or limited operations an away message will list the on call persons Home Phone, Cell and or Pager contact information. Responsibility for keeping the group accurate will rest with the Emergency Response Coordinator. D#.EOP - This will be the primary contact for District Emergency Operations Personnel, with the District number listed in the field. This list should include an updated listing of personnel deemed appropriate by the District Deputy Director at the beginning of each event. It is recommended the DDD, DHMA, CM s and PIO be included as a minimum. It will also be essential should shifts be established the District Supervisor in charge be on the list during duty hours. Again if the situation does not require an on duty person to regularly monitor the Lotus Notes System an away message contact should be given. Responsibility for this lists accuracy will rest with the District Highway Management Administrator. DOT.EOP - Will be primarily a notification listing of Central Officer Operational personnel utilized by the State EOC for update information. This list will include the Director, Deputy Directors, PIO, Operations Deputy Director, Administrator of Highway Maintenance and the Emergency Response Coordinator. It will also be updated with personnel dictated by the event. 3-6

41 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Responsibility for updating this senior management listing will rest with the Deputy Director of Operations. Secondary: Voice contact via available means either land phone, cell or radio will be utilized. This system would be the primary means should the information being transmitted require an immediate answer or is documentation sensitive for any reason. This policy is not meant to eliminate the need for making phone contacts as needed during an event. If at any time the information requires voice contact, verification or an immediate answer, use the phone/radio. As we have learned time and time again, getting a particular person by phone on the first try is generally not feasible during an emergency event and generally requires a voice mail or alternate person to make the contact. This in turn requires separate logging of information and manual follow-up to complete the message. During an emergency getting as many key people in the know as soon as possible is best facilitated by the Lotus Notes System. This policy change will streamline our emergency communications and make information management more efficient. It has the capability of providing for timely information retrieval, records for cost recovery and most of all minimizes the possibility of information overload resulting in mission assignments not being fulfilled. PURPOSE : To ensure a coordinated, effective, and efficient response to transportation problems, all emergency responders will follow the emergency notification process. CONCEPT OF OPERATION The County Managers or their designees typically receive the first notice of an unusual problem. The County Manager will dispatch crews to the site. All emergency occasions that close the highway for greater than eight hours, accidents with more than ten fatalities and/or twenty vehicles, cause an evacuation of people, tornados, major flooding, severe winter weather conditions (see 303.4), or impact ODOT s ability to operate, such as a communication failure will be reported immediately. The County Manager will telephone or radio the District Highway Management Administrator (DHMA) with preliminary information. Information originating from other work units rather than the County Manager (such as security or terrorism acts) will be reported to the DHMA also. For all emergencies, the DHMA will notify the District Deputy Director, District PIO, District B & HR Administrator and Al Phillips (ODOT OEMA coordinator). If Al cannot be reached immediately, call or radio Central Control. 3-7

42 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual The District Deputy Director will notify the Director regarding all security and terrorism acts. The OEMA coordinator will notify the Assistant Directors, Deputy Directors of Communication/Highway Operations, FHWA, and OEMA if applicable. The County Manager will enter appropriate information into the Buckeye Traffic system or provide notification/report to the Central Office Radio Room, Central Office Maintenance, and the appropriate District representatives. The information will include the type of event, time of occurrence, location, magnitude, resources assigned, and a list of other parties involved. Acts of Terrorism or Major Threat to Health/Safety - Refer: Figures Index: Emergency Communications Guide, Page 2-21 PREPAREDNESS Alternates to the County Managers, District Highway Management Administrator, and OEMA coordinator will be identified and instructed regarding this procedure and the Emergency Notification Flow Process. All individuals will be familiar with this reporting process including the Snow and Ice thresholds and the ODOT Emergency Operation Plan (EOP). 3-8

43 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Sheriff s Snow Emergency Procedures An attorney general s opinion ruled that the sheriff of an Ohio county may declare a snow emergency and temporarily close county and township roads within his jurisdiction for the preservation of the public peace. In the event of a possible snow emergency, the sheriff may consult with the County Engineer s office, the Ohio Department of Transportation, two Township Trustees, the Ohio Highway Patrol, the County Commissioners, the Weather Bureau and on-duty deputies. Using the information received, the sheriff will then declare a snow emergency as either Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3. LEVEL 1: Snow Emergency means that the county and township roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roads are also icy and drivers should use caution. LEVEL 2: County and township roads are hazardous with blowing drifting snow. Only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be out on the county and township roads. Contact your employer to see if you should report to work. LEVEL 3: All county and township roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel. No one should be out during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel. All employees should contact their employer to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on county and township roadways may subject themselves to arrest. In the event of a snow emergency, the sheriff shall contact area news media and the persons or agencies listed above with notification of the snow emergency. In addition, the sheriff will stay in contact with appropriate persons to determine the road and weather conditions which will result in an upgrade or a cancellation of the snow emergency. Following the danger period, the sheriff will notify all area news media and advise them of the cancellation of the snow emergency or any other changes that might affect the roadways. Note: County Sheriff snow emergency level information should be entered into the Buckeye Traffic system. 3-9

44 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Winter Weather - District Thresholds When the thresholds below are met, each County shall notify Central Office Radio Dispatch by: address: Radio Room/Maintenance/CEN/ODOT 2. Telephone , Fax Radio/Central Office Control (Channel A) District Thresholds: 1. 5 inches of snow and significant drifting 2. 7 inches of snow 3. 2 or more roads closed due to weather 4. Local winds >30 mph and significant accumulation is likely State Office Closings - Governor s Declared Weather Emergency Reference: Department of Administrative Services Directive # 04-03, Weather Emergency Procedures In an effort to provide each employee with available information regarding state office closings due to a Governor s Declared Weather Emergency, state government provides the following phone number: (614) Anyone may call this number at any time (long distance charges apply) and reach a recorded message that will advise the caller if any Ohio Department of Public Safety emergencies are in effect at that time. During a Governor s Declared Weather Emergency, employees on a predetermined essential employee list will be required to remain at work and support emergency efforts. 3-10

45 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance 304 Fire Reference: Directive No.: SA Emergency Evacuation Procedures Operation Manual In case of a fire, call 911, and notify the designated personnel so they can announce the emergency over the PA system and/or sound the alarm. Employees should walk (NOT run) to the nearest exit. If there is a fire and a warning has not sounded, the employee who spotted the fire should provide notification as they exit the area. All employees shall go to a designated assembly area away from the facility where they are to remain, until they are released by a Safety Representative or their designee. Management shall designate an employee to meet the Fire Department at the main entrance and that employee shall inform the firefighters of the location of the fire. Each fire warden is responsible for all personnel in their area and reporting a clear sign to the Safety Representative or their designee. When the emergency is over, the Safety Representative or their designee will inform all employees to return to work. The Safety Representative will then meet with the fire wardens for a debriefing. Each safety representative will establish and assist in implementing the following procedures: Assign Fire Wardens at each facility Assign an area of responsibility for each warden Post an evacuation floor plan at each facility Post emergency phone numbers Post this program in each facility Update when necessary 3-11

46 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual 305 Medical Emergencies Reference: ODOT Emergency Action Plan #97-08 OSHA Standard, 29 CFR, Section In the event of an injury to an ODOT employee, DIAL 911, and notify the radio room operator to contact the safety office. First Aid may be administered by a trained person until paramedics arrive. First Aid personnel will follow universal precautions (gloves, CPR rescue breather, etc) during first aid procedures. A Safety Representative or manager will designate an employee to meet the medics and guide them to the injured employee. All injuries must be investigated by a Safety Representative who will assist the injured employee with completing paperwork requirements in the specified time frames. The Safety Representative will check on the condition of the injured employee and provide necessary assistance to the employee or their family. 306 Tornado Response Reference: Directive No.: SA Emergency Evacuation Procedures In the event a tornado watch or warning is issued, a weather radio weather station will be turned on to monitor the emergency. If a tornado warning is issued for the area you are working in, all operations will be shut down immediately and employees must go to the nearest tornado shelter. Employees shall remain in the shelter until management or a safety representative tells them to return to work. In the event of a tornado strike without adequate warning, employees should take cover wherever possible, preferably in interior rooms, or if in the field, take cover in a ditch under a bridge, or low spot. After the tornado passes, the location of all employees is to be determined by management. 307 Bomb Threats Reference: ODOT Emergency Action Plan #97-08 OSHA Standard, 29 CFR, Section Bomb Threat Phone Call Procedure If a bomb threat is called into a facility, the person receiving the call should: 1. Keep the caller on the line as long as possible. Ask him or her to repeat the message. Write down every word that is spoken to you. Attempt to have a co-worker notify law enforcement. 2. If the caller does not indicate the location of the bomb or the time of possible detonation, ask him/her for this information. 3. Inform the caller that the building is occupied and the detonation of the bomb could result in death or serious injury to many innocent people. 3-12

47 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual 4. Pay particular attention to background noises, such as motors running, music playing and any other noises which may give a clue as to the location of the caller. 5. Listen closely to the voice (male, female) voice quality (calm, excited), accents, and speech impediments. Immediately after the caller hangs up, report the threat to the DDD or person designated by the DDD to receive such information. 6. When the caller is finished, notify the Highway Patrol or local police and fire departments of the threat. 7. Management must decide the validity of the threat and whether or not to evacuate the facility. If there is any doubt as to the validity of the threat, it must be treated as a real threat and the facility must be evacuated. All employees must be evacuated and stay clear of the building Bomb Threat Checklist Time of Call: Exact words of caller: QUESTIONS TO ASK: When is the bomb going to explode? Where is the bomb? What does it look like? What kind of bomb is it? What will cause it to explode? Did you place the bomb? Why? Where are you calling from? What is your address? What is your name? 3-13

48 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Caller s Voice (circle) Calm Disguised Nasal Angry Broken Stutter Slow Sincere Lisp Rapid Giggling Deep Crying Squeaky Excited Stressed Accent Loud Slurred Normal If voice is familiar, whom did it sound like? Were there any background noises? Person receiving call: Telephone number call was received at: Date and Time: Report call immediately to 911 and DDD. 308 Threats or Physical Violence Reference: Polices # (G) and # (P) Crisis Management / Workplace Violence ODOT will not tolerate any threat or physical violence to any person in this department. If there is a threat of physical violence to an employee or visitor, that threat must be reported to management. If the threat is determined to be valid, management must take whatever steps necessary to ensure the person issuing the threat is denied access to the building. If this person refuses to cooperate, notify your local law enforcement agency. If it is an ODOT employee who is issuing the threat, notification of proper authorities will be made. 309 Hazardous Spills Reference: Hazardous Waste Management Program Manual ODOT employees are frequently called to assist when traffic control and cleanup operations are necessary to respond to a spill on the highway. However, when the incident involves hazardous materials, caution must be used so that lives, property, and the environment are not endangered. While on litter pickup, you may come across boxes or debris which have been dropped, spilled, or left along the highway. With the growing number of hazardous materials being transported 3-14

49 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual across Ohio, you must not pick up something that is potentially dangerous like explosives, flammables, corrosives, or poisons. They can all be very unstable. Recognizing the presence of hazardous materials is very important. Clues that are easy to spot include labels and placards used on the shipping containers. In addition to the labels, your senses can give you warning signs including unusual vapor smells, fumes, mists, or sounds. Seemingly empty containers may hold small amounts of a dangerous chemical or vapors, so be careful. Remember that the local fire chief has the total responsibility for identification of hazardous materials and protection of the site. ODOT s only job is to provide traffic control around the spill site. Remember to keep your distance, stay upwind, and avoid contact with the material. Eliminating all possible sources of ignition around flammable materials is important. Don't smoke, don't set out flares, and shut off truck engines. Each District is required to designate an emergency coordinator to respond to any emergencies involving hazardous waste. The emergency coordinator and any alternates must receive forty hours of initial hazardous waste operations and emergency response training. 3-15

50 300 Emergency Procedures Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual 310 References Agency Emergency Coordination ODOT emergency coordination information is available online: ODOT Safety Department ODOT s Safety Department provides online guidance and policy protocol for employee injuries and prevention methods: Incident Management System - Responders Listing Available only to authorized personnel. The responders listing provides residential addresses and phone numbers to essential responders. Hazardous Waste Management Program Manual Available from Central Office Facilities Management : Ohio Department of Transportation Office of Facilities Management 1980 West Broad Street Columbus, Ohio 43223Phone: (614) Fax: (614) Policies and Directives Policy No.: (P) Employee Health and Safety Policy Directive No.: SA Emergency Evacuation Procedures ODOT Emergency Action Plan #97-08 OSHA Standard, 29 CFR, Section Polices # (G) and # (P) Crisis Management / Workplace Violence DAS Directive No.: Weather Emergency Procedures 3-16

51 400 County Work Plan Ohio Maintenance To be developed in

52 500 Maintenance Quality Survey Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual To be developed in

53 600 Maintenance Quality Assurance Review Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Table of Contents Section Five / Maintenance Quality Assurance Review Introduction Definitions Critical Requirement Follow-Up Monitoring Plan Non-Compliance Action Plan Non-Compliance Area Quality Assurance Quality Assurance Review Report Recommended Performance Method (RPM) Satellite Location Shelf QAR Maintenance Quality Assurance Processes Responsibility Frequency Process/Checklist Maintenance Quality Assurance Guidelines Schedule QAR Content Notification Entrance Conference Conducting the Review Exit Conference QAR Report QAR Feedback QAR Response and Non-Compliance Action Plan QAR Follow-Up QAR Feedback Questionnaire References / Feedback Form

54 600 Maintenance Quality Assurance Review Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Introduction A large decentralized organization is at risk of operating and being viewed as several separate entities, rather than congruent parts of a common system. In the case of the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Quality Assurance Review (QAR) process is designed to minimize that risk by ensuring that all organizational units adhere to laws, regulations, policies, and standard procedures while conducting daily ODOT activities. The QAR process helps to provide uniformity throughout the organization by identifying where non-compliance exists, and affording guidance or assistance in establishing compliance. Compliance breeds standardization, which stabilizes the organization. NOTE: The information provided in this section is simply an overview of the QAR process. Refer to Standard Procedure (SP) for the QAR Policy. 601 Definitions Critical Requirement A measurable activity in a Departmental process that indicates whether the process is being properly carried out and if the product quality is being controlled. A critical requirement must be valid and reveal significant problems or indicate beneficial results for the Department. To be valid, a critical requirement must have a demonstrative impact on the process product Follow-Up The process used by Central Office process owners to ensure areas of non-compliance are corrected or resolved as indicated in the Non-compliance Action Plan Monitoring-Plan A plan, based on critical requirements, prepared by Central Office process owners and FHWA in cooperation with District and Division process, users to outline the criteria, frequency and methods for conducting QAR s Non-Compliance Action Plan A strategy developed by the District or Division process users to correct areas of noncompliance noted in the QAR report Non-Compliance Area An area where critical requirements indicate a process does not meet predetermined criteria. 6-2

55 600 Maintenance Quality Assurance Review Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual Quality Assurance Quality assurance is the conformance to predetermined criteria. Quality assurance refers primarily to process requirements in the quality assurance process Quality Assurance Review Report A QAR report is the documented results of the Quality Assurance Review findings Recommended Performance Method (RPM) A good idea cannot be identified as a RPM until it is approved and implemented as a policy, or an amendment to a policy or a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). An RPM is defined as an innovative idea that provides valuable support and process improvement for offices across the Department. It creates a safer work environment, deploys resources efficiently, maximizes available resources, and is measurable, i.e. less lost time, fewer accidents, direct and indirect cost savings. An RPM would rise to the level of creating or changing policies, procedures, core business practices, laws or regulations and which may be beneficial to other process users Satellite Location A satellite location is any ODOT office, garage, or outpost that is not included within the boundaries of the Central Office organizational structure Shelf QAR A shelf QAR is targeted to districts with high or low conditions in an OPI category. The purpose is to identify possible causes for poor performance or to recognize good/best practices. 6-3

56 600 Maintenance Quality Assurance Review Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual 602 Maintenance Quality Assurance Processes Responsibility The Division of Highway Operations, Office of Maintenance Administration is responsible for conducting maintenance QAR s in accordance with ODOT policy. Districts are expected to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, policies, and standard procedures of ODOT in all county garages and outposts within respective jurisdictions Frequency Maintenance QAR s will be conducted in frequencies deemed suitable to ensure compliance. In a cooperative effort with the Districts, The Office of Maintenance Administration will prepare an annual schedule for maintenance QAR s. Shelf QAR s may be ordered at any time by the Administrator of the Office of Maintenance Administration when it is deemed necessary or appropriate to do so Processes/Checklist The Office of Maintenance Administration will identify significant processes to be reviewed and develop a checklist for conducting maintenance QAR s. 6-4

57 600 Maintenance Quality Assurance Review Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual 603 Maintenance Quality Assurance Guidelines Schedule The annual schedule of maintenance QAR s for the upcoming year will be provided to the QAR Coordinator in the Office of Quality and Organizational Development by December 31 st each year. The schedule for QAR s follow the annual work plan year which begins April 1 st QAR Content Notification The QAR content is provided at least two weeks prior to the QAR. Formal notification of the critical requirements to be reviewed will be sent to the applicable satellite location. If local managers have concerns with other processes or critical areas under the umbrella of the Office of Maintenance Administration, such areas can be incorporated into the visit or afforded a separate review Entrance Conference Each QAR will begin with an Entrance Conference which will provide the District/County with the information being reviewed and checklist items, as well as procedures for obtaining files and copies, identifying contacts, and to answer any preliminary questions concerning the visit Conducting the Review The Quality Assurance Review will be based on critical requirements as stated in the content notification and could include unresolved issues from previous reviews Exit Conference An exit conference will be conducted at the end of the field visit to brief the responsible managers with the results of the review QAR Report The QAR report will be prepared and sent to the District within twenty (20) working days following the exit conference. A copy will be sent to the Assistant Director of Highway Management when a District operation is reviewed QAR Feedback Within ten (10) business days of receiving the QAR Report, each District or Division receiving a QAR visit must complete and submit a QAR Feedback Form. 6-5

58 600 Maintenance Quality Assurance Review Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual QAR Response and Non-Compliance Action Plan If the QAR Report indicates an area of non-compliance, the District or Division under review shall provide a Non-Compliance Action Plan. The District or Division may provide a written or verbal response to the QAR Team during or after the Exit Conference. This response will be included in the QAR Report. The District Deputy Director or the Division preparing the QAR response and any Non-Compliance Action Plan is responsible for ensuring these documents are submitted to the QAR Team no later than fifteen (15) business days after receiving the QAR Report. The response must contain estimated dates of when the non-compliant items will be brought into compliance QAR Follow-Up No later than ten (10) business days after receiving the QAR Response and Non-Compliance Action Plan, the QAR Team must schedule a QAR follow-up meeting to coincide with the estimated completion dates listed on the Non-Compliance Action Plan. If the non-compliance items can be verified to be in compliance by reports, pictures, or other documentation then the follow-up meeting can be cancelled. The QAR Team will complete a QAR Follow-Up Report addressing those items listed in the Non- Compliance Action Plan. If all non-compliance items have been rectified, the QAR Team will complete the RETURN TO COMPLIANCE section of the Follow-Up Report. A QAR Follow-Up Report is prepared, signed, and forwarded to the QAR Recipients in the District within twenty (20) business days after the follow-up visit. If the QAR Follow-Up Report does not report successful resolution of the Non-Compliance Action Plan items, the QAR Team shall repeat the process for QAR follow-ups until the Non-Compliance Action Plan is completed. If the outstanding non-compliance items are unable to be resolved, it may be necessary to involve the Division Deputy Director, Chief of Staff, Assistant Director, and/or the Director in order to ensure the outstanding items are brought into compliance Feedback Questionnaire Recipients of Maintenance QAR s are encouraged to submit their feedback concerning the process. Attachment V, for QAR Feedback, is included in the reference section. 6-6

59 600 Maintenance Quality Assurance Review Ohio Maintenance Operation Manual 604 References The following section provides reference to QAR information available online. Quality Assurance Review Website Quality Assurance Review Policy ts/17_009p%20dated% pdf Standard Operating Procedures ts/220_002sp%20dated% pdf 6-7

60 600 Maintenance Quality Assurance Review Ohio Maintenance Attachment V QAR FEEDBACK To submit feedback electronically, go to ms.aspx As a recipient of a QAR, your feedback is important to the ODOT QAR process. This data is used to measure the process so strengths can be identified, shared, and copied and weaknesses can be identified and improved. QAR Site Visit Date Review Location (district): Office That Received QAR: Person completing this form: (optional) QAR Review Team: Date this form completed: Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Applicable 1. The QAR concentrated on legal or otherwise regulatory requirements. SA A N D SD NA 2. Policies & checklists were communicated in advance of the QAR visit. SA A N D SD NA 3. The QAR team provided timely notification of the QAR visit. SA A N D SD NA 4. Discussions with the QAR review team were open and constructive. SA A N D SD NA 5. The issues in the QAR report were fairly presented. SA A N D SD NA 6. Noncompliance issues were addressed on Noncompliance Action Plan. SA A N D SD NA Are there any areas of the QAR process that can be improved? Please provide comments to explain your responses or provide any additional feedback or suggestions that may help to improve the QAR content or process. PLEASE FORWARD COMPLETED FORM TO: ODOT STATEWIDE QAR COORDINATOR DIVISION OF QUALITY & HUMAN RESOURCES, CENTRAL OFFICE 6-8

61 700 Information Systems Ohio Maintenance Table of Contents Section Six / Information Systems Introduction ODOT Information Systems Transportation Management System (TMS) Equipment Management System (EMS) Construction Management System (CMS) Pavement Management System (PMS) Bridge Management System (BMS) ELLIS Customer Inquiry Management System (CIMS) Graphic Query Language GQL Overview GQL Models Weather Information Systems Buckeye Traffic Road and Weather Information System (RWIS) References

62 700 Information Systems Ohio Maintenance Introduction ODOT utilizes a number of information systems to track and analyze various facets of performance measurements. These systems are integrated through several different departments and ownership is diverse. All the different systems have accuracy and error filters in place to ensure the information provided for decision making and forecasting is correct. The Division of Information Technology provides tangible procurement, development and delivery of information technology services and products. These services come in the form of several mediums including software, Internet web services, multimedia, documentation, training, networking, customer support and maintenance. 701 ODOT Information Systems Transportation Management System (TMS) It is imperative that ODOT capture the cost of using in-house resources to perform the work necessary to reach its goals. This information will be used in various ways including the following: As a tool to assist managers in allocating resources based on projected workloads. To compare costs of performing similar activities between districts, determine desired performance thresholds, and identify best practices of those business areas that perform within the cost thresholds. To accurately compare in-house costs to costs of outsourcing. To calculate overhead rates for the Department, District, County and Garage. To refine allocation methods relating to overhead rates as the process becomes more defined. To monitor accountability and accuracy of the data in TMS through Quality Assurance Reviews. The TMS system is used to accumulate costs associated with performing a given project or task. Generally, there are three business sub-processes associated with TMS. These sub-processes are categorized as Administrative, Recording and Monitoring. Each process includes several steps, which are outlined below: 7-2

63 700 Information Systems Ohio Maintenance Administrative 1. Program Activity Codes (PGACs) - PGACs are codes used to track actual tasks performed. Each business area is responsible for a set of PGACs that is maintained within TMS. 2. Employee - Employees must be established in TMS and given an Employee ID number. Employees who separate employment shall be deactivated in the TMS system. 3. Work Orders B All labor hours are charged to work orders. Work orders must be established in TMS and maintained by each business area so they are available for employees to charge to. This allows for the tracking of labor hours with related PGACs. A work order is used like an umbrella to encompass one or more program activities under a single identifier. Recording 1. Perform Labor - Employee performs their daily job duties. 2. Identify PGAC - The manager identifies the appropriate PGAC associated with the work performed. 3. Enter Labor using PGAC - The county time keeper or appropriate office personnel enter data on a daily basis. 4. Data Accuracy Check - After all labor has been entered, the information is checked to ensure it is accurate and complete. Monitoring 1. Data Analysis & Reports - Multiple levels of reports are available for employees and managers to review. Supervisors and Managers incorporate the information from these reports into their work strategies which provides them with a proactive tool for management. 2. Performance Measures - Performance measures are goals established for each business area based on historical data, best practices, and bench marking. Exception reports are used to help identify areas for further review and follow-up. 3. Quality Assurance Reviews- Quality Assurance Reviews are a monitoring tool for management to ensure that business areas adhere to all business rules, regulations, policies and standard operating procedures in carrying out the Department s day-to-day business. 4. Continuous Improvement Process - Continuous Improvement and refinement of the process. 7-3

64 700 Information Systems Ohio Maintenance Statewide TMS Business Rules 1. All hours worked shall be entered into TMS. Therefore, a minimum of 80 hours per pay period. 2. Employees that are on Workers Compensation shall be coded to activity code Hours worked by employees performing clerical or administrative duties shall be entered in the system. 4. Break times, if taken, shall be absorbed into the daily work activities. 5. Travel hours shall be included in the activity that is generating the travel needed. 6. The hours may be entered into TMS by a timekeeper or individually in each District or Central Office. 7. The supervisor shall review and approve each employee s labor hours for accuracy and completeness. 8. Hours charged to projects should be in 2 hour increments, except for Construction, which has a 2 Hour Rule. (Charge leave in appropriate increments consistent with the payroll system). 9. Time entered for a pay period shall be entered timely. 10. Meeting activities - If an employee is attending a staff meeting or a similar non-project meeting, it becomes an indirect charge and activity code XX10 should be used. If a meeting is held that is Project Identification Number (PID) specific, then the appropriate direct activity is charged to that appropriate project work order. 11. All work time associated with a PID shall be charged to a work order identified by that PID. 12. There are several situations in which employees work outside their assigned work areas. In the event an employee is on an assignment for extended periods, their labor charges and leave will reflect the appropriate program activity codes of the new area. This applies even if the employee is not officially transferred in the payroll system. 13. An employee shall charge labor hours to the appropriate direct program activity code that supports the work product of another business area (cross charging programs). The administrator or designee shall monitor these charges for accuracy and appropriateness. The TMS system is a component of the Equipment Management System (EMS). This system contains the equipment inventory and the statewide material inventory. The TMS system is linked to several physical features inventories that allow the system to detail were the work is being performed. The physical features inventories include the Road, Bridge, Rest Area, and Building data inventories. The system can also detail work off the state system using the Off System Work (OSW) work type designation. This allows the system detail work on municipal roads, county roads, township roads, and other state owned facilities. The TMS system begins at the county level with crew leaders filling out daily work reports, which are turned in to the clerical specialist for daily data entry. 7-4

65 700 Information Systems Ohio Maintenance Equipment Management System (EMS) The Equipment Management System (EMS) and the Transportation Management System (TMS) both reside within the same model. The models share key data fields that provide linkage between the systems. EMS is a large database, which contains all equipment, parts, garage, traffic, radio, maintenance, facilities and personnel data for the Ohio Department of Transportation and all the transactions involving the above data. The EMS system was originally designed for the use of Highway Management for the purpose of tracking equipment, inventory, and labor on a work order basis. The EMS section of the Office of Equipment Management deals with equipment (including history, titles and registrations), parts (including stock information, history, etc.), personnel labor, and with the daily maintenance and updating of the EMS database. The equipment management system can provide over 200 reports. The main report is an audit trail comparing stock used with work orders. This audit report ensures that all stock items are charged out to the correct piece of equipment. Since the reduction of District garage personnel by two, the audit report has not been reviewed on a regular basis. Quarterly Reports Reviewed by the District: Inventory Turnover - % of parts on time - Downtime - % Inventory Error Rate (yearly) - OPI equipment cost (cars, dump trucks, pick ups, loaders, etc.). EMS calculates and tracks hours of usage. Periodic checks are conducted and exceptions to standards of usage are investigated Construction Management System (CMS) The Construction Management System is the Department wide computer system for administration of construction projects. The Department is obligated to pay for completed contract work promptly in accordance with ORC Sections and This payment must be made to the Contractor within thirty (30) days the completion of the first estimate date after the completion of the work, except for payments found during the finalization process. CMS automatically generates an estimate on the assigned estimate days for electronic approval by the Project Engineer or Project Supervisor (PE/PS) and the District. When approved on the CMS EST screen by both the PE/PS and Estimate Approval Authority and there are no deficient payrolls or unapproved materials for the work involved, CMS will automatically print the estimate in the Office of Accounting. The Office of Accounting then produces a voucher and sends it to State Accounting Division in the Office of Budget and Management. State Accounting then issues a warrant (check) to the Contractor or electronically transfers funds to the Contractor s account. CMS will make all necessary deductions to the estimate for retainage, delivered materials, and liquidated damages. Liens are deducted from estimates by the Office of Accounting. 7-5

66 700 Information Systems Ohio Maintenance After all finalization documents are received by the District, the final estimate is generated by CMS, printed in the District and signed by the District person who has been given estimate approval authority. The signed final estimate is submitted to the Office of Accounting with the final project report for payment. The District prepares and sends a letter to the Contractor informing them of the termination of their responsibilities on the project Pavement Management System (PMS) ODOT s PMS is a systematic approach that provides various reports regarding the condition of each and every pavement section, as well as the system as a whole. For the purpose of standard pavement analyses, the Pavement Condition Rating (PCR), Present Serviceability Index (PSI), and the Structural Deduct (SD) are all contained within the standard PMS report outputs. For detailed information regarding the PMS, contact the Office of Pavement Engineering. Pavement Condition Rating (PCR) is based on a visual inspection of the condition of the pavement by trained raters. The rater catalogs pavement distresses in terms of severity and extent, assigns a deduct to each distress, and subtracts the sum of the deducts from 100. A pavement in perfect condition receives a PCR of 100. PCR data is collected annually for all divided and undivided state highways with exception of those located inside corporate limits of municipalities. Rehabilitation treatment it is necessary to be able to predict pavement deterioration over time. Without knowing the condition of the pavement at the time of construction, it is impossible to prepare construction plans and fiscal budgets that will reflect the needs of the pavement. Structural Deduct (SD) is contained within the PCR, but indicates those distresses which may be related to the structural integrity of the pavement. A structural deduct of 25 or more indicates the pavement section should be considered for major rehabilitation. Present Serviceability Index (PSI) is a measure of pavement surface roughness or riding comfort. It is measured on a scale between 0 and 5, with 5 being a perfectly smooth ride. PSI data is collected annually for all divided and undivided state highways with exception of those located inside corporate limits of municipalities Bridge Management System (BMS) The Bridge Management System is a comprehensive data base of ODOT s bridges. Ohio has a total of 43,075 bridges statewide, second in number only to Texas. Updating the Bridge Management System consists of adding bridges, retiring bridges from the file, or changing data items on an existing bridge record. The ODOT District responsible for the inventory of a bridge shall be responsible for maintaining the integrity of inventory data for the bridge. Each agency shall maintain its portion of the file on a day-today basis, submitting new data sheets showing changes as soon after they occur as practical. A complete review and update of the bridge records shall be accomplished at least once a year. F.H.W.A. now requires prompt updating of data due to replacement, rehabilitation, load posting, 7-6

67 700 Information Systems Ohio Maintenance etc. The limit is 90 days for ODOT, 180 days for local agencies. Updating the inventory items on the Bridge Management System consists of four types of transactions; Adding, Retiring, Restoring or Changing. For all updates to the file, the Structure File Number and transaction code must be entered. If either code is omitted, the update record will be ignored Ellis Ellis is not an acronym but refers to Ellis Island, the point of entry for immigrants to this country. This Ellis management system will serve as the entry point for projects into the ODOT program, hence the name Ellis. Ellis is the vehicle for programming all modes of projects funded by ODOT. The Department of Transportation modes include - highway, rail, air, transit, and bicycle/pedestrian. ODOT has focused its efforts on a consistent project development and implementation process by requiring that all projects from the above modes which relate to a capital program be programmed in Ellis. By entering these projects in Ellis, the capital program will be contained in one system, which will provide a tool to track project development and fiscal balance. Program managers are designated for each transportation program. Program managers from all transportation modes administer and manage their respective capital program utilizing the information contained within the system. Data requirements for entry into Ellis varies for each mode to accurately identify the attributes specific to a particular mode. The Ellis system contains project location, characteristics, funding information, and milestone dates. This information is used to produce a detailed list of projects which are fiscally balanced by capital program for a four year period. In order to facilitate the generation of this project list, the individual program manager is required to maintain a program of individual projects in Ellis. Each individual project will include a project identification number, cost information for preliminary engineering, right of way, construction, and all other ancillary cost for the project in all of its phases as well as a project schedule. The project list is used to track the Department s capital programs as well as publish such reports as the annual construction program. One key to assuring a project is delivered efficiently and effectively is to properly schedule the project. The department has implemented in Ellis a set of key milestones which will provide the ability to monitor projects through the delivery processes. It will be the responsibility of each program manger to schedule these milestones sufficiently in advance of the delivery of the project to provide goals for those directly responsible through the process. Ellis provides a vast resource of information related to capital projects. Many project attributes, funding information, and scheduling data will be used to provide work units with information to manage their resources and determine the effort needed to accomplish the units portion of the delivery process. Each work unit must estimate their workload through the use of Ellis data and insure processes are in place to meet the program goals. This enables the work unit to be proactive in identifying problem areas and allows the work unit to address the issues to maintain program delivery Customer Inquiry Management System (CIMS) 7-7

68 700 Information Systems Ohio Maintenance The Customer Inquiry Management System (CIMS) is based upon the Ohio Department of Transportation s (ODOT) adopted core values of Customer Focus and Data-Base Decision Making. CIMS addresses the commitment to understanding and meeting the needs of our customers in our policy, program development and decision making process. Furthermore, our decision will be based on objective measurement, analysis of our system conditions, customer needs and organizational performance. CIMS entries are initiated when taking inquiries, complaints, compliments or questions from external customers currently defined as follows: Anonymous, Contractor/Vendor/Business, Elected Official/Legislative, General Public/Motorist, Government (Local, County, State and Federal), Law Enforcement (Local, Sheriff, State), Media, Property Owner, School, Stakeholder (LPA, MPO, agencies), Trucking Industry. Items or keywords have been hard coded in the CIMS application. These keywords include: Accident, Adopt-A-Highway, Bridge, Construction, County Fair, Detours or Closures, Ditches and Culverts, Drainage Issues, Facilities, Flooding, Fences, Future Projects, Government, Guardrail, Lighting, Litter, Mailbox, Maintenance, Miscellaneous, Mowing, Noise Walls, Pavement, Pavement Marking, Permits, Plans, Potholes, Public Meeting, Real Estate, Rest Area, Right of Way, Road kill, Safety, Shoulder, Sight Distance, Sign, Slips and Slides, Snow and Ice, Striping, Traffic Congestion, Traffic Signals, Trees, Washout. Standard monthly reports are generated which compare CIMS activity to TMS/EMS activity for the same time period. These reports are presented to the Administrators at the Executive Staff Meeting by the Quality Coordinators and subsequently ed to all cost center managers. The GQL web based reporting tool gives managers the opportunity and ability to review data collected in CIMS from standard queries or user defined queries which can be as specific or general as they prefer. 702 Graphic Query Language GQL Overview Graphic Query Language is a graphical aid to writing Query statements against a database. This tool is the primary access means for the department s direct access to its core enterprise data. GQL is the primary programming system to provide detailed reports to administrators and managers. The manager or computer user (GQL is available on all computers) can write their own queries or utilize one of the hundreds of standard queries available GQL Models Graphic Query Language Models exist for: # Accounting # Bridge Management System # Base Transportation Referencing System # Construction Management System # Equipment Management System # Fixed Asset Reporting System # Human Resource Information System # Project Development Management System # Pavement Management System 7-8

69 700 Information Systems Ohio Maintenance # Testing Accounting System # Training System # District and County Annual Work plans # Customer Inquires 703 Weather Information Systems Buckeye Traffic Buckeye Traffic is a web-based application that allows ODOT to provide road activity, winter road conditions, traffic cameras, road & weather sensors, and other travel-related information to the public. Motorists rely on the Buckeye Traffic to keep them informed of ODOT s construction and snow and ice activities; therefore it is critical that Buckeye Traffic information is accurate. Districts and counties enter data into the system, and it is immediately available to the general public. While construction information is typically entered and updated by the district Public Information Officer, snow and ice data is updated by the counties. The reporting period for snow and ice generally runs from Nov. 1 through April 15, however exact starting and finishing dates may vary and will be provided by the Office of Maintenance Administration in Central Office Road and Weather Information Systems (RWIS) RWIS, developed by Surface Systems Inc. from St. Louis, includes weather stations placed at various locations along interstate and state routes throughout Ohio. Each remote weather station consists of atmospheric sensors that monitor things like air temperature, humidity, dew point, wind speed and direction, and precipitation. Each station also has pavement sensors that measure such items as pavement temperature and pavement status like dry or wet. In all, RWIS consists of 88 wireless weather station sites across the state. More than 160 pavement sensors exist throughout the freeway system. RWIS provides reliable, real-time data from specific locations. RWIS reports information directly from the highway, where the wind speed or temperature may be different from temperatures at airports or other local reporting stations, such as schools. For example, RWIS measures pavement and subsurface temperatures, alerting maintenance personnel to the effect precipitation is likely to have upon contact, so they can plan a response that is not only effective, but efficient as well. The pavement sensors also monitor traffic speed, traffic volumes and wind speed, making the system useful year- round. Information provided by a RWIS also plays an important role in implementing the anti-icing program which uses salt brine and other chemicals. Pavement temperatures and weather forecasts are important factors in determining whether or not to use liquid chemicals in an anti-icing application. 704 References 7-9

70 700 Information Systems Ohio Maintenance Buckeye Traffic Available online: Equipment Management System Available online: Transportation Management System Process & Procedures Manual Available online: TMS Foreman s Manual Available online: Construction Management System Available online: Bridge Maintenance Manual Available online: Ellis Available online: Road and Weather Information System (RWIS) Available online:

71 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance Table of Contents Section Four / Vegetation Management Introduction Statutory Authority Clearance for Advertising Definitions Vegetation Fall Zone Herbicide Pesticide Noxious Weeds Vegetation Obstruction (OPI) Mowing Shadow Vehicle Habitat Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) Eliminating Vegetation Obstructions (OPI) Identifying Vegetation Obstruction Clearing Vegetation Obstruction Vegetation Management Zones Zone One: Vegetation Free Zone Zone Two: Operational Zone Zone Three: Transition Zone Zone Four: Undisturbed Zone Brush Cutting Brush Removal Chain Saw Safety Chemical Vegetation Management Pesticide Applicator s License Trained Serviceman Applicator Chemical Spray Application Mechanical Vegetation Management Mowing Cycles

72 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance Mowing Height Mowing Equipment Signing for Mowing Operations Shadow Vehicles for Mowing Operations Roadside Mowing Tips ODOT References

73 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance Introduction Vegetation management is performed to ensure the safety of the motorist B providing clear sight distance at intersections and curves, unobstructed road signs, and clear guardrails. Obstructed road signs and sight distance issues are more than a nuisance to the driver, they are safety hazards. Vegetation management efforts are therefore a key aspect of the ODOT maintenance program. Tree and brush cutting, mowing, and herbicide applications are tools used to maintain and control the growth of different types of vegetation. Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) is an ongoing dynamic program that combines and utilizes different methods, evaluation, and control into one program that causes different effects within maintaining vegetation. A good IVM program uses information about the vegetation desired to be controlled, considers the desired results, weather conditions, cost, and other important factors. A management plan is then established using various control methods. An example: A tree is discovered blocking a sign along a guardrail. It is first determined the tree is a maple tree. The desired result is to remove the tree from blocking the sign. Herbicides will kill the tree but not remove it. It is also established that maple trees are prone to re-growth if not treated with a cut stump herbicide after being removed. The task must be performed when rain is not in the immediate forecast. Traffic control needs to be set up. It is determined the cost of the operation will be acceptable. A good plan will save labor, time, and money. Effective vegetation management controls the spread of undesirable woody plants and noxious weeds while providing habitat for ground nesting birds and small animals. Vegetation management helps prevent drainage obstructions and maintains ditch visibility. Effective vegetation management also provides the motorist with a uniform and attractive roadside Statutory Authority ' ' ' ' ' ' Cutting trees and roadside vegetation Authority to permit cutting of vegetation near lawful signs Authority to permit vegetation planting by landowners Authority to plant trees Roadside vegetation control Cutting of brush, briers, and noxious weeds 8-3

74 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance Clearance for Advertising Removing, trimming, cutting, spraying, etc. of vegetation along the right of way for the express purpose of increasing advertising, viewing of business development and/or clearance of billboards is not encouraged. Only in special circumstances is this activity allowed. If a request is made of the Department, review of the proposal shall be made by the District Highway Management Administrator, County Manager and/or Roadside Supervisor. If determined to be a valid proposal, an M&R 505 permit is required. Permittee shall follow M&R 505 beautification specifications. 801 Definitions Vegetation Undesirable Vegetation: Any plant, regardless of size, species, or annual/perennial designation, that is growing where it is not wanted, and could cause damage to the road surface, create traffic hazards, etc. Desirable Vegetation: In the highway right-of-way; this is typically grass. Areas set aside for regeneration of trees, shrubs and wildflowers may prosper if there is sufficient right-of-way in the area Fall Zone The fall zone is the area in close proximity to the roadway, where existing vegetation or trees are large enough to fall and become a hazard to traffic Herbicide Herbicides are chemicals that control plants by changing normal growth or cause elimination. Selective herbicides are used to control or kill specific undesirable plants, but do no harm to desirable plants. Nonselective herbicides are used to kill all vegetation, regardless of species, and may leave the soil sterile (nonproductive) for a year or more. This depends on the specific chemical and the rate of application. An herbicide is a pesticide, by definition Pesticide Pesticide is a general term used when referencing all herbicides, fungicides, etc Noxious Weeds Noxious weeds are plants designated by the Director of the Department of Agriculture for the Ohio Noxious Weed List. Such plants possess one or more of the following undesirable attributes: Is in aggressive competition with economic crops or native plant communities Has toxicity to livestock 8-4

75 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance Is a carrier of detrimental insects, diseases or parasites Is directly or indirectly detrimental to environmentally sound management of natural or agricultural ecosystems Vegetation Obstruction (OPI) A vegetation obstruction is any vegetation growth that obscures signage, causes sight distance problems, or appears around guardrail. Vegetation obstructions are recorded annually by a Central Office maintenance quality survey team and are part of the organizational performance index. The observation scope is roadsides and medians Mowing Mowing is a mechanical method of vegetation management. Mowing is the traditional maintenance method for controlling the growth of undesirable woody plants, noxious weeds, and grass Shadow Vehicle A shadow vehicle is part of a moving operation and is used within the traffic control zone to provide advance warning to traffic or to guide traffic into the proper lane by the use of signs or a flashing arrow panel Habitat Habitat refers to an area where vegetation is allowed to grow creating grass, shrub, or tree cover for birds, animals, or native plants Integrated Vegetation Management Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) is an ongoing dynamic program that combines and utilizes different methods, evaluations, and controls into one program that causes different effects within maintaining vegetation. 802 Eliminating Vegetation Obstruction (OPI) Identifying Vegetation Obstruction There are different methods used to identify where routine vegetation management needs to occur. One is the Maintenance Quality Survey (MQS) evaluation. The central office MQS team identifies vegetation obstructions and records them as deficiencies. The information is then conveyed to the County Manager. Another method of identification occurs through County Manager, Transportation Manager, and Highway Worker inspections. All roads are to be inspected at least twice a month. Any identified obstructions are to be recorded and placed on the maintenance schedule. 8-5

76 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance Clearing Vegetation Obstruction ODOT clears vegetation obstruction so that motorists have a clear view of signs, unobstructed view around curves, and are able to observe fixed objects such as guardrail or drainage structures along the roadway. It is important for drivers who lose control of their vehicle to have a clear sight path of objects along the roadside as they regain control of their vehicle. Keeping vegetation clear also provides an open area for a motorist in distress to fix a flat tire or pull off to the side of the road to wait for help. Vegetation obstructions can shade signs and roadways and delay the time it would take for snow and ice to melt or for a wet roadway to dry. Slow drying times can cause the roadways to deteriorate more quickly because the presence of moisture during low temperatures causes freezing and thawing action. Vegetation obstruction is addressed in the Maintenance Quality Survey Manual, the Preventive Maintenance Policy, and the ODOT Construction and Materials Specifications Book. 803 Vegetation Management Zones Roadways are divided into four vegetation management zones, with each zone having specific maintenance requirements: Vegetation Free, Operational, Transition and Undisturbed. Each zone is described in detail below: Zone One: Vegetation Free Zone This zone is the shoulder area. This area is kept free of all vegetation to: Allow for surface drainage Provide visibility and maintenance of roadside hardware Prevent pavement breakups by invasive plants Provide sight distance for passing, stopping, and at intersections Zone Two: Operational Zone This zone is also called the safety recovery zone; it begins where Zone One ends. Zone Two widths can vary depending on the width of the right-of-way, but is typically 30 feet along interstate and divided highways. This area is managed to: Provide a clearly visible area for vehicle recovery Provide sight distance for stopping on curves and at intersections Maintain visible and clear ditches Eliminate hazardous trees and tree canopy shading pavement Control weeds Prevent erosion Accommodate underground utilities Enhance visual quality 8-6

77 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance Zone Three: Transition Zone This zone requires selective vegetation management. It is far enough away from the travel lanes so that tall trees will not fall onto the road. Management of this zone may also: Promote low maintenance plant communities Blend and/or screen adjacent surroundings Control noxious weeds Prevent erosion Maintain and enhance visual quality Preserve wetlands and wildlife habitat Accommodate utilities Preserve or conserve native plants and wildflowers Zone 4: Undisturbed Zone In this zone vegetation management can be dictated by surrounding property, such as farmland or wood lots. Manage Zone 4 to ensure that the vegetation present is not detrimental to neighboring land use. 804 Brush Cutting Brush and foliage management ensures adequate sight distance is maintained, highway signage is visible, and that canopy shading of pavement is kept to a minimum. Any hazardous, dead or diseased trees located in the fall zone of the right of way should be removed and, where applicable, cut stump herbicide should be applied Brush Removal Hand Removal of Brush & Vegetation What are the hazards? 1. Chain saws, sharp-edged tools, poison ivy, insects, thorns, large clumps of brush, slips, trips and falls on uneven ground, overcrowding of workers, moving equipment, utility lines and traffic. What do we need to know before we leave the garage? 1. Pre-trip your assigned truck and any additional equipment to be used on the job. 2. Determine what kind of traffic control is needed and make sure it is loaded up. 3. Have the necessary personal protective equipment which includes a good pair of work gloves. 4. Hard hat, ear protection, eye protection, and chaps are required for chain saw use. 5. Dress appropriately for the weather. It is a good practice to wear a long sleeve shirt and high top leather boots if you re going into high grass and weeds. 6. Have plenty of cold water available for hot weather work. What should we do out on the job? 1. Park in an area that provides safe entrance and exit of the work area. Don=t create a potential conflict with other work vehicles or the traveling public. 2. Be aware of escape routes in case of an emergency. It s a good practice to face oncoming traffic while on foot. 8-7

78 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance 3. Look for loose materials, tripping hazards, uneven ground, slippery surfaces, and areas where equipment is operating. Remember that if you can t see the operator, the operator can t see you. 4. Chain saw, bucket truck, and chipper operators must be trained to do the job. 5. Use caution when handling tools with sharp edges. Gloves are required when sharpening tools. 6. Allow ample space for everyone to work safely. Don t bunch up. Stay clear of chain saws unless you are the operator or the helper. 7. Don t cut limbs that may contact overhead utility lines. 8. Tree trimming which would require climbing must be performed only by a trained employee or with the use of a bucket truck. Proper fall arrest and safety equipment must be used. 9. Use extreme care when cutting trees and brush that are under stress such as conditions following an ice storm. 10. Cut and stack limbs and brush in manageable pieces that are easily handled to avoid back injuries. 11. Use a front-end loader to move logs and large pieces of cut-up materials Chain Saw Safety Safety with Chainsaws What should you do to prepare your saw for cutting? 1. Check the chain s condition and sharpness. A sharp chain makes the saw easier to use. 2. Check the chain tension. If it is too loose, it may derail and cause a severe injury. If it is too tight, it may bind and also cause an accident or damage to the saw. 3. All nuts and screws should be tight. Everything should be well lubricated. 4. Fuel in a safe place. Wipe up spills and take the saw to another location before starting. What about the work site conditions? 1. If you re cutting down a tree, make sure you consider which way the wind is blowing and look for a lean in the tree or if there are several very large limbs on one side of the tree. 2. Make sure that you have secure footing and stand at a 45 degree angle when cutting limbs to prevent the saw from striking your leg if it slips. 3. Plan an escape route. Make sure there are no obstacles and figure to have at least 25 clear feet of space at a 45 degree angle. What clothing should you wear? 1. Snug fitting with complete freedom of movement. No jewelry, baggy sleeves, cuffed pants or long hair that could get caught in a chain saw. 2. Heavy duty no-slip gloves. Face screen, shield or safety goggles, hart hat, ear muffs or plugs and chaps to protect your legs from severe cuts should the chainsaw slip. A safety must also be worn when cutting or chipping on the right-of-way. What s the big deal about kickback? 1. Kickback happens when a force throws the saw rapidly and sometimes uncontrollably towards you. Kickbacks can be caused by the saw hitting a knot, the tip of the chain strikes a nearby limb, the saw is running too slowly, the operator is twisting the saw in the cut, using a dull or loose chain or a loose grip on the saw or cutting with only one hand. 8-8

79 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance 2. Prevent kickback by always holding the saw firmly with both hands. Keep the left arm straight. Use a saw with a chain brake or anti-kickback device. 3. Cut with the lower part of the blade, not with the tip or nose. Keep a high speed when entering, cutting and leaving the wood. Keep the chain sharp. 4. Never cut above your chest. What jobs are not for you and your chain saw? 1. If possible, have a buddy with you so you won t have to work alone but NEVER allow someone else to hold the wood while you cut. 2. You should always reposition logs between cuts, not while the chain saw is still running in your hand. 3. Use caution when cutting small flexible branches or brush with a chain saw. Their size and flexibility can easily cause the saw to bounce or bind up. A hand saw, pruning shears, or an axe can be used instead. 805 Chemical Vegetation Management Pesticide Applicator s License A pesticide applicator must be licensed as public operator in category 5, Industrial Vegetation Control, when performing pesticide applications while employed by the Department of Transportation Trained Serviceman Applicator Trained Serviceman applicators must meet or exceed Ohio Department of Agriculture requirements for this category. This person, after receiving training in the classroom and in the field, works under direct supervision of the licensed applicator. This applicator is similar to the certified licensed applicator, but does not hold a license. A signed training statement for the trained serviceman must be kept in the employee s file Chemical Spray Application Restrictions The use of herbicides should be restricted to: areas specified on the label of the herbicide areas where total vegetation control is desired Drift Control A spray additive should be used to control drift. Crop Sensitive Areas Special care must be taken to ensure that herbicide application is not performed adjacent to highly sensitive crops, such as grapes, tobacco, soybeans, tomatoes, etc. 8-9

80 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance >DO NOT SPRAY Signs Herbicides are not to be applied where an ODOT >Do Not Spray sign is erected or a sign is posted by a private property owner. Total Vegetation Control Where non-selective herbicide is used to eliminate vegetation under a guardrail, around signs or other appropriate areas, extreme care must be taken not to over-spray. When spraying guardrail, the spray should be applied in a uniform swath of sufficient width, not more than 6 inches behind the guardrail post, to control the vegetation in front of, under and behind the guardrail post. In areas prone to erosion; vegetation should not be killed between the edge of the pavement and the back of the posts. Areas prone to erosion should also have a grass filter strip between the edge of the pavement and the front of the guardrail. Care must be taken not to create erosion problems through use of total vegetation control practices. Record of Application All pesticide applications are to be recorded on form M&R 629, Daily Pesticide Report, and kept on file for three years at the county garage. 806 Mechanical Vegetation Management Mowing Cycles The Department of Transportation commences mowing operations each year when the vegetation reaches a minimum height of twelve inches. Rights of way are typically mowed before each major traveling holiday: Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day. A final mowing can occur in late September or October to remove any unwanted vegetation and prepare the right-of-way for winter. Additional cuttings in the operational zone may be required if excess rainfall makes the cool season grasses grow above and beyond normal Mowing Height Mower cutting height is set to avoid contact with debris, rocks, etc. This height is usually six to eight inches. Some right-of-way which adjoins a community is cut to satisfy the public s desire for a roadside landscape similar to that of the surrounding vegetation. Cutting height is usually set at four inches and the frequency of cutting can also be increased. 8-10

81 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance Mowing Equipment All tractors shall be equipped with the following: Strobe, cat-eye or beacon lights, mounted at the highest point and in working condition. Shall have a back-up alarm when the operator s view is obstructed to the rear. Tractors that are 8 feet or higher are required to be equipped with either 4-way flashers or an orange or red safety flag mounted on the left rear of the tractor with a flexible pole that is at least 8 feet from the ground to the bottom of the flag. SLOW MOVING VEHICLE emblem mounted and visible from 500 feet distance Signing for Mowing Operations 1. The SHOULDER WORK AHEAD or MOWING AHEAD sign is to be used where the mower must operate with any portion of the mowing equipment on or over the traveled way during the mowing operation. 2. Below are some examples of conditions for which SHOULDER WORK AHEAD or MOWING AHEAD signs are needed, but are not to be interpreted as the complete listing of all conditions: Narrow roadways where equipment must remain on the pavement in order to mow shoulder or side slope areas. Where equipment must use the traveled way to detour around objects such as guardrail, steep slope areas, mailboxes, signs, etc. Bridges or underpasses that do not have sufficient shoulder width to accommodate passage of mowing equipment without encroaching on the traveled way. 3. Geometric conditions that could produce unexpected hazards or traffic conflicts such as: Sharp vertical or horizontal curves or Multi-lane highways where mowers must cross the traveled lanes to reach median or shoulder areas. 4. SHOULDER WORK AHEAD or MOWING AHEAD signing shall also be used where a shadow vehicle is used based on the criteria listed below for SHADOW VEHICLES. 5. When mowers are in transit on the highway at speeds greater than 25 miles per hour, the SHOULDER WORK AHEAD or MOWING AHEAD sign is not required. When the SHOULDER WORK AHEAD or MOWING AHEAD sign is used on multi-lane highways, the 48-inch size should be used. 36 inch signs may be used on multi-lane highways if the cross section of the roadway makes it impractical to use 48 inch signs. On all other highways the 36-inch size shall be used. 8-11

82 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance 6. The SHOULDER WORK AHEAD or MOWING AHEAD sign shall be located not less than 500 feet in advance of the mowing operation, but the distance between the SHOULDER WORK AHEAD or MOWING AHEAD sign and the mowing operation shall not exceed 5 miles. If the work area exceeds 5 miles in length, additional advance warning signs should be provided at intervals of no more than 5 miles. On divided highways, the sign shall be placed on the same traveled way as the mowing operation Shadow Vehicles for Mowing Operations Shadow vehicles will be required when ALL of the following criteria are met: Narrow berm width so that the tractor is consistently in the traveled lanes while mowing. The section has no passing lines on at least 90% of its length as determined from the logs in the District Traffic Office. The section has at least 1500 vehicles a day or at least 15% B and C type trucks in the current Traffic Survey Report. The shadow vehicle will be equipped with an amber high-intensity rotating, flashing, oscillation or strobe light and will display on the rear W24-H9 ASLOW TRACTOR AHEAD@ sign. This vehicle will stay highly visible by varying the distance between it and the mower as the mower goes over hill crests or around curves. A record of sections which require the use of a shadow vehicle for mowing shall be established and maintained in each county facility for use by the County Manager and Highway Technician. 8-12

83 800 Vegetation Management Ohio Maintenance Roadside Mowing Tips What s the problem? 1. Driving tractor mowers at high speeds can result in accidents because of the risk of overturning. Quick maneuvers can also cause a rollover as does using the brakes while turning. What do we need to know about driving to the work area? 1. Be sure the tractor has a slow-moving vehicle sign as well as working lights and warning flags. 2. If the mowing attachment doesn t have its own brake system, it s important to keep a safe and slow speed. Avoid very sharp turns since they can cause attachments to jackknife. 3. Always let traffic clear and make sure you have enough time to cross a highway. 4. Bat-wings should be raised and secured before driving on the road. What should we do about safety in the work area? 1. Before starting, make sure mowing ahead signs are in place, no more than 5 miles apart. 2. Be alert for rough ground, hidden objects, culvert holes, hidden rocks, tree stumps and utility boxes. 3. If you get stuck in a ditch, don t rev the engine and pop the clutch. Try backing out. If you can only go forwards, you may have to dig out in front of the rear wheels and use a low gear while letting out the clutch slowly and applying the brake on the spinning tire. What about operating on slopes? 1. When starting up a hill, let the clutch out slowly. Popping it can cause the mower to tip backwards. You might even want to back up the hill. 2. If the tractor does start to tip, steer the front wheels downhill to increase stability and help prevent an overturn. 3. Keep the tractor in gear while going downhill and let the engine act as a brake to slow it down. Use both brake pedals if necessary and never take the tractor out of gear. 807 ODOT References Roadside Vegetation Management Policy The Roadside Vegetation Management Policy (P) is accessible on the ODOT intranet at The vegetation policy is listed under AHighway Operations.@ Pesticide Information Ohio Department of Agriculture (pesticide) website:

84 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance Table of Contents Section Nine / Snow and Ice Control Introduction Statutory Authority Definitions Anti-icing Deicing Dilution of Solution Dry Run Inspections Eutectic Temperature Incident Management System Responders Listing Material Application Guidelines Route Application Guidelines and Goals Buckeye Traffic Road and Weather Information System (RWIS) Snow Emergencies County and Township Roadways District Guidelines Responsibilities Supplemental Crews Operations Within Corporations Dry Run Inspection Procedures Winter Weather Notification Evaluation of Performance Equipment Procurement Procedures County Manager Guidelines General Planning and Organization Training Winter Materials Operational Consideration Resource Utilization and Deployment Snowplow Operator Guidelines Treatment of Snow and Ice Application of Materials Prior to Leaving the Maintenance Facility During the Work Cycle Post Storm Activities Mailbox Replacement Procedures Salt Inventory Spot Checks and Adjustments

85 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance 905 ODOT References Figures Index Materials Matrix Route Application Guidelines Chart Pre-treatment Plan Material Codes EM

86 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance Introduction Section Nine contains procedural guidelines designed to maintain continued excellence in snow and ice control while promoting proper consideration of environmental and economic factors. All parties involved are responsible for creating an environment in which job ownership and empowerment become key elements of an established culture. District Guidelines, County Manager Guidelines and Snow Plow Operator Guidelines form the basis for implementation of the ODOT Snow and Ice Control Program. ODOT Snow and Ice Control operations must continue to be effective and cost efficient. The guidelines contained within this policy are to be adhered to whenever practical in order to provide the best service to our customers. Materials Application and Route Application Guidelines will be followed unless circumstances force modification Statutory Authority The Ohio Revised Code sections applicable to snow and ice control are outlined on the ODOT intranet at They include: ' ' ' ' ' ' Sheriff s Authority to Close County and Twp. Roads Sheriff s Authority to Close State and Municipal Roads General Authority for Snow and Ice Control Counties Duty for Maintenance and Snow and Ice Removal on Lift Bridges County Engineer Authority to Erect Snow Fences Twp. Duty to Keep Twp. Roads Free From Snow 901 Definitions Anti-icing Anti-icing is the proactive approach of applying snow and ice control materials to roadways prior to the onset of frozen precipitation. The goal of anti-icing is to prevent the formation of a strong bond between frozen precipitation and the pavement surface Deicing Deicing is the reactive approach of applying snow and ice control materials to accumulated frozen precipitation on roadways. The goal of deicing is to break down the bond which has formed between frozen precipitation and the pavement surface Dilution of Solution As the concentration of a solution changes, so does the temperature at which the solution melts ice. When the eutectic temperature (see definition) of a solution meets the pavement surface temperature, the solution stops working and re-freeze could occur. 9-3

87 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance Dry Run Inspections Inspections performed prior to the typical onset of winter operations to ensure the preparedness of the Department. These inspections should include verification that material application equipment is properly calibrated per guidelines established by the Office of Equipment Management Eutectic Temperature The freeze-point of a solution which is based on the percentage of chemical in the solution rather than the volume Incident Management System Responders Listing A guidebook of contacts and procedures for use during emergencies or severe weather conditions Material Application Guidelines (Figure Material Matrix Chart) A Chart providing recommendations to achieve effective and efficient application rates for various weather conditions Route Application Guidelines and Goals (Figure Route Application Guidelines) A results-oriented document providing goals and objectives for routes during and after snow and ice events Buckeye Traffic Buckeye Traffic is a web-based application that allows ODOT to provide road activity, winter road conditions, traffic cameras, road & weather sensors, and other travel-related information to the public Road and Weather Information System (RWIS) RWIS is an on-line information system that includes air and surface temperature, precipitation, wind data and visibility from automated sensors. 9-4

88 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance Snow Emergencies County & Township Roadways The Sheriff of an Ohio county may declare a snow emergency and temporarily close county and township roads within his jurisdiction for the preservation of Apublic peace.@ In the event of a potential snow emergency, the sheriff may consult with the County Engineer s office, ODOT, two township trustees, the Ohio Highway Patrol, the County Commissioners, the weather bureau and on-duty deputies. Using this information, the sheriff will then declare a snow emergency as Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3: Level 1 Snow Emergency County and township roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roads are also icy and drivers should use caution. Level 2 Snow Emergency County and township roads are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be out on the county and township roads. Contact your employer to see if you should report to work. Level 3 Snow Emergency All county and township roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel. No one should be out driving during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel. All employees should contact their employer to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on county and township roadways may subject themselves to arrest. Weather Emergency Essential Employee Cards Cards issued to employees of the Department to authorize their travel on all public roadways during a weather emergency. 9-5

89 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance 902 District Guidelines Responsibilities The District staff is responsible for overseeing snow and ice operations and will act in an advisory role to help interpret and implement policy. Each District s role in this effort includes the following basic elements: 1. Familiarity with both County Manager and Snow Plow Operator Guidelines. 2. Provision of adequate resources (personnel, equipment and material). 3. Verify responsible parties are compliant with established ODOT guidelines. 4. Annually document preparedness report supporting elements of the QAR process - identifying snow routes, staffing levels, schedules, deployment needs, improvement process and quality assurance program for Buckeye Traffic reporting, spreader calibration and call out procedures Supplemental Crews During extreme winter storms, conditions may arise where the reassignment of personnel, equipment or both between various counties within a District or between Districts may become necessary. Each District should be prepared to participate in such reassignment should situations warrant. All employees should recognize they may be asked to participate in such efforts. Relief and/or alternate drivers who are used as a regular supplement to the workforce will be orientated to the local snow and ice operations at the beginning of each season. To insure proper orientation, regular relief drivers will be assigned to work the first 16 regular time hours of snow and ice operations each year Operations Within Corporations 2. State Routes: Snow and ice operations shall be performed on state routes through a village upon request and consent of Council by Ordinance subscribed on Consent Ordinance Form M&R-689. Each District is requested to retain a certified copy on file and forward the original certified copy to the Office of Maintenance Administration. 3. Interstate Routes: Snow and ice operations shall be performed on interstate routes through cities and villages in accordance with ' of the Ohio Revised Code Dry Run Inspection Procedures Annual dry run inspections are performed to verify the readiness of the Department for the upcoming winter season. Each District will conduct this effort based on the following process: 3. Establish an inspection team 4. Select equipment to be inspected 5. Develop an inspection schedule 6. Perform the inspections as per guidelines established by the Office of Equipment Management Winter Weather Notification 9-6

90 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance In accordance with the Incident Management System Responders Manual, each District will monitor the weather conditions of each County within their jurisdiction to verify when winter threshold conditions have been reached Evaluation of Performance Each District should periodically evaluate the overall performance and success of snow and ice removal efforts of each County within their jurisdiction by utilizing the following measures: 4. Weather related traffic delays 5. Traffic accidents 6. Roadway conditions 7. Response time / Cycle time 8. Pretreatment efforts 9. Customer Feedback 10. Material usage (primarily total salt usage) 11. Materials in stock 12. Labor hours (Overtime hrs should be monitored) 13. Major mechanical problems with equipment 14. GQL reports (TMS data) 15. Snow and Ice Removal Plans 16. Weather monitoring systems Equipment Procurement Procedures The Office of Equipment Management, when requested, assists districts and central office areas in purchasing rolling stock equipment by preparing specifications, advising on the best method of procurement, and providing overall general guidance. Central Office Deputy Directors receive correspondence from OEM once per year, generally in the spring, on how to submit requests for equipment for their Offices. Districts receive their rolling stock equipment budget funds on July 1 each year. Since ODOT is a decentralized organization, districts can generally submit requisitions directly through their purchasing coordinator. 9-7

91 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance 903 County Manager Guidelines General Planning and Organization 1. Each County will take steps to adequately plan and prepare for the approaching winter season. A preseason plan to facilitate this process should include the following provisions: a. Equipment readiness, which includes proper calibration of material application equipment per procedures issued by the Office of Equipment Management b. Truck routing c. Call out procedures d. Auxiliary / Supplemental drivers e. Employee training f. Emergency equipment rental g. Inter-county agreements h. Material inventory control i. Pretreatment Plan (Figure Pretreatment Plan) j. Check weather systems including available pavement and weather forecast from RWIS and various weather forecasters. 5. Prior to the onset of a predicted severe weather event, the County Manager will be responsible for planning the response to the event based on these considerations: a. Anticipated storm characteristics and duration b. Available personnel and equipment c. Material stockpiles d. Traffic patterns and problems 8. The County Manager is responsible to ensure that all daily reporting to the Buckeye Traffic System is completed as mandated by the Buckeye Traffic procedural guidelines. These guidelines can be found on the Office of Maintenance Administration web site. 9. The County Manager is responsible to ensure that daily work reports (502s) are entered into the Transportation Management System (TMS) as soon as practical after an event. The information on the 502s should be reviewed for accuracy before data entry. Timely data entry will provide up to date cost reports and maintain current material inventories. 10. To provide for continuous quality improvement and support elements within the QAR process the County Manager should monitor and utilize various elements within the snow and ice control program including: work schedules, deployment needs, the amount of snow, high/low temperatures, average wind speed, total hours worked, miles driven, tons of material used and time required to achieve bare pavement. Salt usage should be compared to snow routes to insure that spreader calibration is maintained adequately. 11. To ensure consistency and continuity in operations the County Manager is responsible for utilizing and adhering to existing guidelines and established procedures, including but not limited to: The Material Application Guidelines, Route Applications Guidelines, and Pre-treatment Plan. 9-8

92 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance Training 1. Each County will conduct annual Snow and Ice Operator training sessions for all regular and auxiliary drivers. Successful completion of this or equivalent training will be a prerequisite for participation in snow and ice removal activities. This training should include, at a minimum: a. Safety issues b. Labor issues c. Anti-icing/ deicing practices d. Plowing practices and hazards e. Equipment function and operation f. Environmental concerns g. Economic concerns h. Radio operations i. Truck routing 3. The training objective is to provide an informational refresher for experienced drivers and a fundamental review for inexperienced drivers. 4. Each County will maintain a list of training session participants. 5. It is recommended that first-time drivers have a minimum of eight hours of actual driving time in a dump truck during a snow storm with an experienced driver, before operating the truck alone. This recommendation also applies to any returning drivers who have not driven within the past 3 years Winter Materials 1. The County Manager is responsible to ensure daily data entry of Transportation Management System data per established guidelines. (Figure Material Codes) 2. The County Manager is responsible to ensure that the District is aware of materials on order and enter the information into Buckeye Traffic. 3. The County Manager is responsible to ensure that material delivered is subject to material quality control. 4. The County Manager is responsible for regularly checking book inventories against existing stockpile amounts to ensure accuracy. 5. The County Manager is responsible for monitoring material usage to ensure usage during an event is within application guidelines. 6. The County Manager is responsible to ensure that adequate material supplies are available for snow and ice operations. Proper material storage and inventory management are critical to efficient and effective operations. 7. The County Manager is responsible for providing the expected salt storage capacities for their facility to whoever maintains materials inventory data at their District by May 16 th each spring. Consideration for build construction, demolition, and a change in material delivery methods, (dumping rather than piling) should be considered. If salt capacities are changed in TMS after May 16 th a notice must be sent to the Office of Maintenance Administration. 9-9

93 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance ROCK SALT Stock piles are to be in neat and orderly conditions at all times All stock piles are to be place on impermeable pads and to be covered (never left exposed to the elements) Early ordering is encouraged to insure a ready supply for winter While total inventory quantities will vary, as a guideline, storage capacity should be approximately 60% of the highest recorded usage. Inventory should be replenished in a timely fashion to prevent unnecessary short-falls. Current ODOT Rock Salt specifications, Invitation Contract, provide for relative small orders of 22 tons dumped or 200 tons piled to necessitate frequent and timely orders. Inventory and ordering minimums - To be prepared for winter conditions, Counties should have all salt storage facilities filled to approximately 60% of the highest recorded usage or to 100% capacity of salt storage facilities, whichever is less, prior to November 1 st. Re-orders will be placed every 300 tons, or less, and inventories maintained at the following recommended minimum levels throughout the season. November 1 st - 90% of storage capacity or 50% of highest recorded use December 1 st - 80% of storage capacity or 40% of highest recorded use January 1 st - 70% of storage capacity or 35% of highest recorded use February 1 st 60% of storage capacity or 30% of highest recorded use March 1 st 50% of storage capacity or 25% of highest recorded use OTHER WINTER MATERIALS Abrasives - Sand and/or grits may be used at the discretion of the District and/or County. Abrasives may be stored in any accessible area of the storage site and protected from freezing. Liquid Chemicals - Liquid de-icing materials require a storage vessel made of a non-corrosive material such as polyethylene. All liquid chemicals are to be stored and handled in accordance with manufactures recommendations. Salt Brine - Walled containment is not required for the storage units for salt brine. Care should be exercised with outdoor storage of salt brine as temperatures get extremely cold, the outlet pipe may freeze. Heat tape can be utilized to keep the area sufficiently warm to prevent freezing Operational Considerations When determining optimum number of crews, the following should be considered: 6. Ramps require more time to handle than the same mileage on mainline, rural four lanes, and innercity situations. Time the routes to be sure of adequate coverage. 7. Various shifts and work hours should be considered based on operational needs. 8. Review snow and ice routes for overall operational efficiency. 9-10

94 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance Resource Utilization and Deployment Equipment and staffing analysis has been completed for each District based upon each County s total lane miles of responsibility and respective roadway classification (rural or urban). The results for the analysis are reflective of the staffing and equipment requirements necessary to provide the minimum levels of service as detailed in the Route Application Guidelines and Goals during a typical winter event. Fleet levels are to be maintained as per the 1997 Truck Analysis. Deployment of adequate resources during an event is critical to achieving and maintaining specified levels of service and continuity in service levels state wide. Utilizing forecasting as the guideline, the suggested county-wide deployment requirements should meet or exceed: 1. Forecasted trace - 25% of available resources 2. Forecasted < 1" - 33% of available resources 3. Forecasted 1"-2" - 60% of available resources 4. Forecasted 2"-4" - 80% of available resources 5. Forecasted >4" - 100% of available resources Note: Deployment levels will vary with isolated or lake-effect storms. 904 Snowplow Operator Guidelines Treatment of Snow and Ice The goal of effective snow and ice control is to provide traction and uniformity of the pavement surface on all highway systems statewide, as soon as practical. While snow and ice control is not an exact science, following the criteria established in these guidelines will uphold the proper consideration of economic and environmental factors while achieving safe driving conditions Application of Materials 1. Effectiveness of ice control materials is dependent on four factors: a. Pavement surface temperature b. Application rate c. Moisture present d. Beginning concentration 2. Overall conditions will dictate the appropriate amount and type of material(s) used to clear the pavement. Application rates listed in the Materials Application and Route Application Guidelines are to be followed. The County Manager may increase or decrease these rates when storm conditions require alternate action. 3. Anti-icing measures are intended to prevent the formation of a bond between frozen precipitation and the pavement surface. 4. Deicing measures are intended to break down the bond which has formed between frozen precipitation and the pavement surface. Deicing agents require time to react and start the melting process. An interim period must be allowed before plowing an area that has been treated. 9-11

95 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance 5. Over-application of materials should be avoided at all times. Anti-icing or deicing agents can be detrimental to the environment and are expensive. Automatic controls will be used at all times to regulate and control the amount of material spread on the road. 6. Pavement and air temperatures can be significantly different. The Materials Application and Route Application Guidelines are based on changes in pavement temperatures. 7. Berm and shoulder areas are not intended to be part of the regularly traveled portion of the roadway, therefore they should not be treated unless directed by supervision. Brine from the traveled portion of the pavement will drain toward the berms and melt any remaining snow left after plowing back. 8. Ramps and turn lanes must be attended to because these areas involve an inordinate amount of vehicle turning, braking, and accelerating movements Prior to Leaving the Maintenance Facility 1. Know the expected weather forecast. 2. Dress for the conditions and bring extra clothing. 3. Make sure you have all the necessary safety equipment. 4. Get your route assignment and instructions from your supervisor. 5. Complete your CDL walk around inspection. 6. Check the condition of the plow and plow shoes. Look for loose bolts, worn shoes or blades and damaged or leaking hydraulic lines. 7. Make sure radio communications are functioning. 8. Fill out and keep a copy of the EM-78 Vehicle Inspection sheet in the cab of the vehicle During the Work Cycle 1. Utilize automatic applicator controls. 2. Report unusual conditions. 3. Under typical circumstances do not exceed 35 mph while plowing. 4. Be alert for roadway hazards. 5. When crossing railroad tracks lift your plow and do not apply materials. 6. Periodically stop to clean your lights and wipers. 7. Check plow shoes and blades for wear. 8. Apply material to the high side of curves when possible. 9. Slow down and straighten plow blade angle to prevent plowing snow over the sides of bridges. 10. Do not apply materials in deep snow, on shoulders or berm areas, or on wet or bare pavements unless instructed to do so by your supervisor. 11. Be sure to treat ramps. 12. Complete all required documentation. 9-12

96 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance Post Storm Activities 1. Empty remaining material into the stockpile. 2. Wash your truck. 3. Refuel your truck. 4. Turn in completed EM-78 Vehicle Inspection sheet to the supervisor or mechanic on duty Mailbox Replacement Procedures In situations deemed appropriate by the County Manager, mailboxes which become damaged or destroyed by ODOT snow and ice removal operations will be repaired and/or replaced with an approved mailbox unit Salt Inventory Spot Checks and Adjustments As part of the 10% monthly spot checks required by the Division of Finance s Guidelines for the Management of ODOT s Consumable Inventory, monthly spot checks of salt inventory will be performed starting the month of November and run through the month of May. Any necessary adjustments in salt inventory will take place following the spot check, building fill-ups, and after annual inventory. The inventory adjustment method will be the Daily Work Report M&R 502. Refer to the example M&R 502 for documenting adjustments to salt ( ) inventory when making the adjustment in the county, garage, or outpost EMS inventory. Either a special work order can be opened for recording these adjustments or a routine work order for 6242 Plowing Snow and Applying Chemical or Abrasives can be utilized, depending on the preference of the District. The date the spot check adjustment was performed is to be entered in the month, day and year fields at the top of the Daily Work Report M&R 502. A special work type code ADJ (adjustment) is to be entered in the TYPE column. Note: Do not use EMS Transaction Type 264 Inventory Stock Adjustment for the salt inventory adjustment. The county where the salt is inventoried is to be entered in the COUNTY column. No route or milepost marker is required for the record; therefore those fields are to be left blank. Plowing Snow and Applying Chemical or Abrasives 6242 is to be entered in the PROG (program) ACT (activity) columns. No accomplishment is to be reported in the ACCOMP column. The individual making the spot check inventory adjustment must be the individual completing the Daily Work Report M&R 502 form for this adjustment. That same individual must sign the Daily Work Report M&R 502 form as the PERSON COMPLETING THE M&R 502. As with all the other Daily Work Report M&R 502 forms, a supervisor of the person completing the form must also sign the Daily Work Report M&R 502 as SIGNATURE OF MANAGER IN CHARGE. The stock number for the salt to be adjusted is to be entered in the INV. # column of the Daily Work Report M&R 502. The quantity that needs to be removed from the EMS inventory is entered in the USAGE column as a positive number. If material is to be added to the inventory based on the visual inspection, then a negative quantity is to be entered in the USAGE column. A comment is required for clarification. Comments are to be made in the COMMENTS section of the Daily Work Report M&R

97 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance 9-14

98 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance 905 References Standard Procedure No.: (SP) TRUCK-MOUNTED CENTRAL HYDRAULIC CONTROL SYSTEM CALIBRATION Automatic central hydraulic systems mounted on dump trucks must be calibrated in a proper and consistent manner. During normal operations and maintenance, central hydraulic systems lose the accuracy with regard to calibration. This results in inaccuracies in spread rates. This procedure will be a guide for determining when and how to calibrate a hydraulic system. Available from: The Office of Equipment Management 1620 West Broad St. Columbus, OH Phone # (614) Fax # (614) Transportation Management System Foreman s Manual The Office of Maintenance Administration publishes the Transportation Management System Foreman s Manual (TMS) Manual. The purpose of this manual is to provide guidelines, instructions, and procedures for the utilization of this system. This manual is available from the Office of Maintenance Administration. Reference program activities: 6240, 6242 Available Online: FHWA Anti-Icing Manual Web Page Available Online: Staffing Analysis Available from: Ohio Department of Transportation, Office of Maintenance Administration 1980 West Broad Street, 3rd Floor Columbus, Ohio Phone: (614) Fax: (614) Truck Analysis Available from: Ohio Department of Transportation, Office of Maintenance Administration 1980 West Broad Street, 3rd Floor Columbus, Ohio Phone: (614) Fax: (614)

99 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance 906 Figures Index Materials Matrix This chart provides recommendations to achieve effective and efficient application rates of material for the variety of weather conditions encountered Route Application Guidelines Chart A results-oriented document providing goals and objectives for routes during and after snow and ice events Material Codes Material codes, code descriptions, and material combination work TMS work types EM-78 Used to document vehicle inspections and will be carried in the vehicle till the end of the shift. 9-16

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101 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance

102 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance Ohio Department of Transportation Material Codes & Work Types Material Code Material Code Description Salt Clear Road or Equal Treated Salt Liquid Calcium Chloride Calcium Chloride Flakes (Bag) Calcium Magnesium Acetate Ice-Ban or equivalent Grits/All Abrasives Salt/Grit Mix PNS Approved Corrosion Inhibited Calcium Chloride Salt Brine Other Liquid De-Icers Geomelt Geomelt S Geomelt Calcium Chloride with BOOST BEET HEET Concentrate Materials Combined Material Code Work Type Salt and Liquid CaCl SCC Salt and IceBan/equivalent SM5 Salt and Grits/Abrasives SAG Salt & PNS Approved Corrosion Inhibited SLD Calcium Chloride Salt & Salt Brine SSB Salt & Other De-Icers SOD Salt/Grits/Liquid SGL 4201 Liquid* Salt Brine Only BRI Salt Brine & Liquid CaCl BCC Salt & Geomelt S SGS Salt & Geomelt SG5 Salt & Calcium Chloride with BOOST SCB Salt & Beet Heet SBH These Work Types are to be listed on the 502 and entered into TMS when using the combinations listed. When using only one material, the Work Type SNS is to be used. *Use the Material Code for the liquid that is applied to the mix.

103 900 Snow and Ice Control Ohio Maintenance D-1