Bridge Construction & Repair

Bridge crews work at height over water, rail lines or highways, next to live traffic, and often on old steel coated with lead paint.

• Construction
• Road Work

Top hazards

• Falls from decks, girders, scaffolds and rigging
• Drowning when working over water
• Traffic, both passing and inside the work zone
• Lead exposure during paint removal, cutting and welding
• Structural collapse during demolition or deck pours
• Crane and heavy lifts

Key practices

• Use guardrails, nets or personal fall arrest; engineered anchorages for girder work.
• Wear life jackets over water and keep a rescue skiff ready when required.
• Follow the traffic control plan and use positive protection. See Work Zones.
• Use containment, respirators and blood lead testing for lead work. See Lead.
• Follow the engineered demolition and falsework plans.

Types of bridge work

• New construction: foundations and piers, setting girders, forming and pouring decks.
• Rehabilitation: deck replacement, bearing replacement, joint repair and steel repair.
• Painting: blasting off old coatings, often containing lead, inside containment. See Abrasive Blasting.
• Inspection: from snooper trucks, lifts and rope access.
• Demolition of old spans, often over live traffic or water.

Working over water

• U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket worn when the danger of drowning exists
• Ring buoys with at least 90 feet of line, no more than 200 feet apart
• A rescue skiff immediately available where required
• Fall protection that keeps workers from reaching the water where possible
• Cold-water rescue plan in colder months

See Working Over Water.

Girders and falsework

• Girders can tip or buckle before they’re braced. Follow the erection plan and install temporary bracing before releasing the crane.
• Falsework and deck forms must be designed by an engineer and inspected before the pour.
• Overhang brackets on deck edges need fall protection for workers installing and removing them.

Snooper trucks and under-bridge access

Under-bridge inspection units reach under the deck from the road. Workers in the platform need fall protection, the truck needs positive traffic protection, and the operator must follow the load and wind limits.

Last updated: October 1, 2026