Road attendant
The road attendant in Germany is a trained specialist who is responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of roads and paths. The road attendant is employed by road and motorway maintenance depots as well as municipal building yards .
history
The predecessor of today's road attendant was the road attendant . Until the middle of the 20th century he was responsible for the repair of roads and paths in his area of responsibility. Equipped with a two-wheeled cart, shovel and broom, he carried out minor repairs on the gravel and gravel roads. He was also responsible for winter services and street cleaning.
The occupation of road attendant was recognized as a training occupation in 1968 at the instigation of the Association of German Road Warden (VDStra.) And provided with the professional regulations. In terms of his field of activity, he is one of the oldest professions, because an efficient road network was important for all cultures. Even in antiquity, people, mostly mercenaries, were commissioned to expand, guard and maintain the road network. Road guards are specialists in the position of skilled workers in the road and motorway maintenance depots and in the municipal building yards. The profession is highly technical and motorized.
Main tasks
The main tasks of the road attendant are to "fulfill the obligation of state and municipal authorities to maintain traffic safety on public roads and paths."
This means in particular:
- Securing accident sites and construction sites
- Spreading and clearing of the streets as part of the winter service
- Carry out maintenance measures on structures (tunnels, bridges, culverts, etc.) and roads
- Carrying out the so-called green and wood care
- Mow green areas and visible areas at streets and intersections
- Traffic signs and traffic (control) facilities such as B. Attach delineator posts , traffic signs , crash barriers and wait
- Control of the road network
- Street cleaning
education
The dual training usually lasts three years, whereby the admission requires at least the vocational school entrance qualification. Furthermore, a good grasp of things, technical understanding and manual skills are an advantage. Teamwork and flexibility are essential.
The health suitability for the acquisition of the driving license class CE is a prerequisite for the employment, since the acquisition of this driving license is an integral part of the training.
Security risks
Much of the work is carried out while traffic is still moving, with the company vehicles protecting the construction sites. Carelessness on the part of road users is often the cause of serious accidents in which road attendants are involved.
Patron saint
On February 22nd, 2011, at the request of the VDStra interest group, the Vatican confirmed that St. Christopher is the patron saint of street guards in Germany.
Promotion opportunities
Road attendants can, with the appropriate professional experience, advance to the position of foreman (head road attendant), column leader, team leader, department head, route manager or site supervisor. After at least three years as a journeyman , further training to become a master road attendant is offered. The professional qualification entitles the holder to study civil engineering as a civil engineer. In conjunction with a university entrance qualification, it is possible to study civil engineering. In some federal states, this course is possible without a university entrance qualification.
coat of arms
In 1988 the road guards were given a professional mark. On the escutcheon it shows the horizon and the field of activity of the road keeper, namely the road and the landscape. The historical depiction of the wheel refers to road traffic, the depiction of the ice crystal refers to the particular difficulties faced by the road service when fighting snow and ice. A multi-purpose equipment carrier vehicle - mostly Unimog - stands for the mechanization and motorization of the professional work of road keepers.
See also
literature
- Qualification for road maintenance , in Donar Verlag GmbH, ISBN 978-3-9815117-1-0 .
- Solution booklet for specialist knowledge for road attendants , Donar Verlag GmbH, ISBN 978-3-9815117-4-1 .
- The street guards. History of the profession, its professional environment and the trade union , Donar Verlag GmbH, ISBN 978-3-9802224-2-6 .
- Road maintenance service documentation of a collection , Donar Verlag GmbH, ISBN 978-3-9807359-9-5
