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A federal grant is paying for two all-day highway work zone safety classes.

The Oregon-Columbia chapter of Associated General Contractors is offering the free safety courses for managers and other officials of companies that work around highways.

Construction workers make up 4 percent of the U.S. workforce but suffer 17 percent of all work-related fatalities. One in five worker deaths last year occurred in the construction sector, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Instructor Eliot Lapidus said highway workers can help themselves by being aware, because drivers often aren’t. Also, signs can do only so much.

鈥淚 think people are so inundated with signs every day that they become oblivious to them,鈥� Lapidus told the Daily Journal of Commerce. 鈥淎nd the overwhelming majority of those signs you see between where you live and where you work, you probably don’t read.鈥�

Course topics will include common highway work zone hazards and injuries, industry best practices, work zone set-up, heavy equipment and crane management. Lessons will be based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.

The local AGC chapter is one of six this year to win an OSHA Susan Harwood Training Grant.

鈥淲e don’t get selected every year 鈥� this is kind of special,鈥� Lapidus said.

Courses will take place Feb. 10 and 11, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the AGC Oregon-Columbia chapter office in Wilsonville, 9450 S.W. Commerce Circle, Suite 200.

Call 503-682-1696 for more information.