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Narrator: Thank you for volunteering to be part of MDOT's Adopt-A-Highway program.
Since 1990, volunteers like you have removed more than
2 million bags of trash from Michigan roadsides.
Before each outing, review this safety important information.
An Adopt-A-Highway group must have at least three members.
Crew members should be healthy with good vision and hearing.
Volunteers need to be at least 12-years-old. Those who are 12 to 17-years-old must be supervised by an adult,
with a ratio of one adult to three minors.
Everyone must wear an MDOT-provided safety vest. Wear light-colored clothing to increase your visibility.
Use a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun.
Wear leather boots or high-top shoes with good ankle support,
and gloves to protect your hands.
Be prepared for injuries. Carry an adequate first-aid kit and a cell phone.
And know the route to the nearest hospital.
Carpool to the site and limit the number of vehicles on the roadside to two.
Park vehicles on the side of the highway you're working on.
Park vehicles well off the shoulder.
Exit and enter vehicles from the opposite side of traffic.
Don't park along curves, on bridges,
near or under overpasses, in highway medians,
or in areas that will obstruct motorists' views.
When it's time to turn your vehicles around, always drive to an exit.
It's unlawful to use emergency crossovers.
Work only during daylight hours. Stop working in bad weather.
Don't work in a road maintenance or construction zones.
Work in small groups for better visibility and to avoid distracting motorists.
Face oncoming traffic, and be on the lookout for traffic dangers.
Work on only one side of the roadway at a time. And never cross the roadway.
Always be aware of your surroundings. Don't wear headphones or anything that could interfere with your hearing.
Watch your footing, and stay off loose stones and steep slopes.
Avoid poison ivy and stinging insects.
Don't pick up items on the road surface, shoulders, bridges or overpasses.
Don't touch syringes, animal carcasses or containers marked with hazardous material symbols.
Tell MDOT the location of the hazardous materials.
Don't compact trash to fit more in the bags.
Place full bags on the grass near the road shoulder, but not on the road or shoulder.
Methamphetamine waste is the byproduct of an illegally created drug, commonly called "meth,"
created in homemade "labs."
This waste, often disguised to look like carelessly dumped trash,
can be dangerous, even deadly.
Make sure you know the warning signs of meth lab waste and the dangers involved.
Common products used in meth production include chemical fertilizer,
lithium batteries,and blister packs for cold medicine containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.
A "shaker" meth lab creates meth in simple plastic water bottles.
Once these bottles are drained of the meth, they're sometimes discarded in the highway right of way.
Do not touch these bottles – the waste products are volatile and corrosive.
Be wary of bottles with separated liquids of any color
or liquids that resemble urine or wiper fluid.
Never touch a suspicious-looking propane tank. Corroded propane tanks are very dangerous.
Blue discoloration means the tank is explosive.
Dangerous items often found in meth lab waste include paint thinner,
camp fuel, brake cleaner, drain cleaner, muriatic acid and battery acid.
Trash bags or containers with any type of tubing attached
are more than likely dangerous – do not touch them.
Kitty litter bags or containers used to store meth waste
are known as "death bags" because they contain deadly gases and fumes.
"Box labs" may be found in tool boxes, coolers or other storage containers.
These items are extremely dangerous. Do not go near them.
If you or any member of your group comes across suspected meth lab waste, DO NOT TOUCH IT.
Contact your local Michigan State Police post or MDOT office for help.
Thank you for helping keep Michigan's roadsides beautiful through MDOT's Adopt-A-Highway program.
For more information, review the Adopt-A-Highway safety rules brochure
or log on to www.michigan.gov/adoptahighway.