While O. Reg 213/91 sets legal minimums, OTM Book 7 provides detailed guidelines and best practices. Often, project contracts or municipal/MTO requirements will mandate adherence to OTM Book 7, effectively making its recommendations mandatory for that specific project.
TMP – Transportation Management Plan
- Definition: A comprehensive, high-level strategic document described in OTM Book 7 that addresses the broader transportation impacts of a construction project or event. It encompasses multiple components to manage traffic safely and efficiently, minimizing disruption. Key components often include a Traffic Control Plan (TCP), Traffic Operations Plan (TOP), and Public Information Plan (PIP).
- Requirement Status: Required based on project scale and impact. OTM Book 7 recommends TMPs for larger, longer-duration, or more complex projects with significant potential to impact traffic flow, safety, and the surrounding road network. The specific requirement is often stipulated by the road authority (MTO, municipality) in contract documents or permits, rather than being a blanket requirement in O. Reg 213/91 or OTM Book 7 for all projects.
TCP – Traffic Control Plan
- Definition: A document, often including diagrams (layouts), that details the specific arrangement of traffic control devices (signs, barricades, cones, markings, etc.) and personnel (like TCPs) to guide road users safely and efficiently through or around a temporary work zone or incident area. It’s based on the principles and standard layouts in OTM Book 7.
- Requirement Status: Required. OTM Book 7 states that a Traffic Control Plan is required for any work affecting traffic on a public roadway. The complexity of the plan varies based on factors like road type, traffic volume, speed, duration, and type of work.
TCP – Traffic Control Person
Often called Flagger
- Definition: An individual trained and authorized to direct vehicular traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists through or around a work zone or temporary disruption using hand signals or specific signaling devices (like a Stop/Slow paddle), as outlined in OTM Book 7.
- Requirement Status: Required under specific conditions.OTM Book 7 which details when and how TCPs should be used as part of a Traffic Control Plan, making their use mandatory with specific Traffic Control Plans. Limitations for their use can be found in O.Reg 213/91 Section 69.
TPP – Traffic Protection Plan
- Definition: A site-specific plan required by O. Reg 213/91, Section 65, designed primarily to protect workers within the work zone from hazards posed by public vehicular traffic moving adjacent to or through the work area. It focuses on measures like barriers, buffer spaces, and other controls to prevent intrusions into the work area.
- Requirement Status: Required by Regulation. O. Reg 213/91, Section 67(4) states; “Every employer shall develop in writing and implement a traffic protection plan for the employers’ workers at a project if any of them may be exposed to a hazard from vehicular traffic.”
TOP – Transportation Operations Plan
- Definition: A component of a Transportation Management Plan (TMP), as described in OTM Book 7. It specifically details the strategies for managing traffic flow during the project. This can include plans for detour routes, signal timing adjustments, managing queues, coordinating with other projects, and incident response related to traffic operations.
- Requirement Status: Generally Required if a TMP is required. As a core component of the TMP, its requirement follows that of the TMP. For projects not requiring a full TMP, the operational considerations might be integrated directly into the Traffic Control Plan (TCP).
PIP – Public Information Plan
- Definition: Another component of a Transportation Management Plan (TMP), detailed in OTM Book 7. It outlines the communication strategy for informing the public, stakeholders, businesses, and emergency services about the project, its schedule, expected traffic impacts (delays, closures, detours), and contact information.
- Requirement Status: Generally Required if a TMP is required. Similar to the TOP, its necessity is usually tied to the requirement for a TMP, especially for projects with significant public impact. For smaller projects, public notification might be simpler and not require a formal, separate PIP.
ITCP – Internal Traffic Control Plan
- Definition: A site-specific safety plan focused within the boundaries of a construction work zone. Its primary goal is to ensure worker safety by organizing and managing the movement of all construction-related traffic, which includes work vehicles (like trucks), mobile equipment (like excavators or loaders), and workers on foot.
- Requirement Status: Optional for complex projects, often as part of a TMP/TOP. While not explicitly mandated as a standalone requirement, its development is a best practice strongly implied by OTM Book 7 for managing temporary conditions, especially on complex projects where there are many moving vehicles and equipment.
IMP – Incident Management Plan
- Definition: A plan, often included as part of a TMP or TOP (as referenced in OTM Book 7 principles), that outlines procedures for responding to unplanned events (e.g., traffic accidents, vehicle breakdowns, material spills, emergencies) within or near the work zone. The goal is to quickly restore safety and traffic flow while managing the incident effectively.
- Requirement Status: Optional for complex projects, often as part of a TMP/TOP. While not explicitly mandated as a standalone requirement, its development is a best practice strongly implied by OTM Book 7 for managing temporary conditions, especially on higher-speed/higher-volume roads or complex projects where incidents can have significant consequences. Road authorities may require it as part of the TMP approval for major projects. For simpler projects, it might be considered optional as a formal separate document but its principles should be considered in overall safety planning.
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