Understanding Fire Safety Responsibilities for Road Crews
Hello, I’m Oklahoma City business law attorney Dillan Savage with Wirth Law Office, and I practice primarily in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area.
Today, we’re discussing an important but lesser-known legal obligation—the duty of road construction and maintenance crews to extinguish fires near roadways in Oklahoma.
Legal Obligations Under Oklahoma Statutes
Under Title 2, Section 16-22 of the Oklahoma Statutes, individuals working in road construction or maintenance—whether as contractors, subcontractors, or direct employees of the Oklahoma State Highway Department or county commissioners—have a legal responsibility to control and contain fires that occur along or adjacent to the roads where they are working.
This includes state highways, county roads, and public roads.
Let me read the statute directly to provide clarity:
“Every member of a road construction or maintenance crew, whether employed by the State Highway Department or county commissioners of any county, and every road contractor or subcontractor of the Highway Department or county commissioners and their employees, shall keep fires under control and confined to the right-of-way of any state, county, or public road or highway on and adjacent to which the crew, contractor, subcontractor, and employees are employed.”
Importance of Compliance and Impacts
In plain terms, if you are hired to work on public roads by any government entity in Oklahoma, you are legally obligated to help keep roadside fires under control. This applies whether you’re directly employed or working under a contract.
Understanding these responsibilities is crucial not only for legal compliance but also for public safety and environmental protection.
If you found this information helpful—or think it could help someone else—please visit TheOklahomaCityAttorney.com.
I’m Dillan Savage and I’m the Oklahoma City attorney with Wirth Law Office. Thank you for watching.
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