The Australian Workers Union (AWU) says the deaths of two Queensland road traffic controllers in the past 24 hours is a wake-up call to the industry.

A 23-year-old road man was killed when a truck reversed into him in Brisbane.

Yesterday morning a 44-year-old worker was killed in a similar incident at Glenden, west of Mackay.

AWU assistant secretary Ben Swan says the union has been working with Government and employers over the past few years to try to lift standards.

"To think that we're just on the cusp of implementing some prerequisite and pre-qualification processes in the traffic control industry and to have two deaths immediately before Christmas is just gut-wrenching and it must be devastating for the families," he said.