All Minnesota Department of Transportation staff are taking a moment to pause Monday following the deaths of two contractors last week.

Commissioner of Transportation Nancy Daubenberger directed all staff to observe a mandatory safety stand down. Workers both in the office and out in the field will take a moment to honor lives lost and reflect on the department's work to ensure everyone on the job returns home safely.

MnDOT says the safety stand down provides a moment to mourn as an organization and recommitt to safety standards.

Two workers were killed in construction zone crashes within the last week. Twenty-nine-year-old Pierre Mack died Wednesday after a boom truck hit him on Interstate 35W in Burnsville. The next day, 25-year-old Adam Smith was killed while working in Maple Grove in a dump truck accident.

Leaders with the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) Minnesota and North Dakota say these tragedies also provide important reminders to drivers.

"It's just a hurry to get to one thing, a rush to get to the next thing, but you're really just taking minutes out of your day for the safety of the workers behind there," Joel Smith, president and business manager of the union, said. "They're already working long hours. They're in the elements, a lot of time on weekends, making those sacrifices, to improve the roads for every Minnesotan."

The union says it is providing mental health resources to its members who need them.

The safety stand down is happening at different times depending on shifts and workflow.

MnDOT says drivers should also do their part to keep workers safe by obeying posted speed limits, avoiding distractions, moving over for workers and avoiding unnecessary lane changes.

Drivers are encouraged to visit MnDOT's website or use the free Minnesota 511 app for the latest on construction projects and road conditions.