Hit and Being Hit Is the Second Highest Cause of Serious Workplace Injuries and Fatalities

Hit and being hit is the second highest cause of serious workplace injuries and fatalities across Queensland industry. In Queensland, from 2009 to 2014, 12 workers died from being hit or from being trapped by moving plant. Additionally, there were over 900 serious claims for the same period. Don’t let this happen in your workplace.

This self-assessment tool will assist in safer design and risk management of vehicle and powered plant movements in your workplace. Refer to the appendix 1 for some details about the legislation and further background to this tool.

Please contact Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) on 1300 362 128 if you would like further support or a visit from a local inspector/advisor to help you with your onsite traffic management systems.

Workplace details
Workplace location:
Person/s conducting self-assessment:
Date:

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Onsite Traffic Management Self-Assessment Tool / Yes / No / Comments
Action
Risk Management Control Measures–Level 1 – Eliminate the hazard
Are systems in place to eliminate the risk of collision or interaction between workers, or pedestrians and mobile plant or vehicles?
Forexample – physically separating pedestrian routes with overhead walkways or solid barriers. /  / 
Are mobile plant and vehicle work and activities only conducted when workers or pedestrians are not present in the work areas? /  / 
Risk Management Control Measure – Level 2 – Substituting the hazard
Are risks minimised by substituting mobile plant with a safer work system?
For example – replacing mobile plant with other loading equipment including conveyor systems, mobile walker stackers or pallet jacks. /  / 
Risk Management Control Measure – Level 2 – Isolating the hazard
Arehazards and risks minimised by isolatingmobile plant and hazardous or high risk work from workers, others and pedestrians?
For example – physical isolation or separation by distance, barriers, safety cones, fences or creating loading and unloading exclusion zone away from pedestrians, people and other activities.
For example – construction crane lifting exclusions zones, where workers are not exposed to the risk of falling objects, crane collapse or being struck by cranes.
For example – barriers, fences or exclusion zones isolating workers or pedestrians from demolition work, pits or excavation work. /  / 
Risk Management Control Measure – Level 2 – Engineering the hazard
Are engineering and plant design control measures in place to minimise the risk?
For example – speed limiters on mobile plant, presence sensing devices, interlocking gates to isolate people during hazardous work activities, traffic signal lights (portable or permanent), speed bumps, convex mirrors.
For example – adequate lighting to undertake tasks and for mobile plant operators to better see pedestrians, people and hazards.
For example – sensor or timed lighting reviewed at different times including day/night, dawn, dust or the length of day during seasons. /  / 
Risk Management Control Measure – Level 3 – Administrative controls
Is there a uniform line demarcation colour coded systemin place across the work area?
For example:
Yellow and/or white demarcation -pedestrian walking zones, pedestrian crossings.
Red demarcation - restricted or no pedestrian access zones, restricted/exclusion zones, loading/unloading zones.
Green demarcation - operator or safe zone, no access for vehicles or mobile plant. /  / 
Risk Management Control Measure – Level 3 – Administrative controls
External area – road signage – Is there a traffic management signage system in place?
For example – speed limits, stop, give way, no entry, pedestrian crossings, parking, delivery area only, drop-off and set down points, and/or end of road works. /  / 
Internal or external area – danger, caution, mandatory or restriction safety signage
Is there a traffic management signage system in place?
For example – mobile plant in use restricted zones, danger/caution blind spot intersection, and danger/caution sound horn, restricted area high visibility clothing must be worn. /  / 
Risk Management Control Measure – Level 3 - Safety signage standard and condition
Are road, danger, and mandatory or prohibition signage in accordance to AS 1319:1994 Safety signs for the occupational environment in design, size, and format and fixed securely to a surface, post or structure?
Examples of signage requiring replacement include; printed paper versions, photocopies or laminated copy versions. /  / 
Is signage well maintained, in good condition, no damage, not faded, and easy to read from a distance? /  / 
Is there adequate signage to direct traffic, provide instruction across the site? /  / 
Risk Management Control Measure – Level 3 – Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Are mobile plant operators and pedestrian provided or wear correct PPE for the work areas?
For example – high visibility clothing in high risk work or restricted work areas.
For example – safety toe enclosed shoes and hard hat for high risk or restricted work areas. /  / 
Risk Management Control Measure – Level 3 – Administrative – Training & Induction
Domobile plant or vehicle operators have relevant work licences? /  / 
Are they trained on safe operation of mobile plant onsite and records kept? /  / 
Have workers or others received site induction, training and information on the traffic management plan includingobligations, pedestrian walk areas, restricted areas, hazards, speed limits, parking and lifting or loading areas? /  / 
Is information and instruction about safe movement around the workplace provided to visitors and external delivery drivers? /  / 
Are traffic controllers licenced asrequired as per legislative requirements?
For example – construction work, civil or road works. /  / 
Risk Management Control Measure – Level 3 – Administrative – Supervision
Does the workplace have adequate supervision in place for the work undertaken?
For example – adequate number of supervisors or managers available in the work area. /  / 
Observational Behaviour
Are mobile plant operators performing the activities in a safe manner?
Examples – Not using mobile phone or device, not smoking, or other distractions.
Examples – Abiding by site rules and traffic management plan. /  / 
Are mobile plant operators wearing seat belts correctly, where fitted? /  / 
Are only trained licenced operators using mobile plant or vehicles?
For example – swipe card or fob activation for licenced operator.
Key security systems – key register, remove keys when not operating. /  / 
Are operators, drivers and pedestrians wearing appropriate PPE where required?
For example – wearing high visibility clothing, hard hatsand safety toe shoes where required. /  / 
Are workers, others and pedestrians using designated walkways and obeying site rules and procedures including crossing at designated points?
For example – not crossing into exclusion or lifting zones. /  / 
Emergency Traffic Management Equipment
Are there emergency situation hazard control measures to isolate areas during emergency events, infrastructure damage or redirecting traffic?
Examples include – including barriers, safety cones, bollards, traffic signal lights (portable or permanent). /  / 
Are there communication systems in place for traffic management or emergency situations?
Examples include – intercom, loud speaker, two way radios, traffic signal lights (portable or permanent) or hand signals. /  / 
Traffic Management Plan
Is there a traffic management plan in place and does it reflect the visual site inspection?
Are hazards and risks managed and extend to include:

Hazard identification, risk assessment, risk controls and a process for monitoring and reviewing all systems of work involved in or affected by the movement of traffic.
The desired flow of pedestrian and vehicle movements.
The expected frequency of interaction of vehicles and pedestrians.
How short term, mobile work or complex traffic situations will be managed.
Safe access for disability support – motorised/non-motorised wheel chair.

Construction Specific:

Traffic controllers and/or police controlling traffic
Road closure, footpath closure, detours and traffic controllers
Lane configuration, approach speed and type of work
Over dimensional vehicles, buses stops and/or terminals
Emergency vehicles, bicycles, local residents, aged persons and students

Short-term and mobile plant work
Work involving simple part road closure
Complex traffic arrangements.

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Onsite Traffic Management Self-Assessment Tool
Additional Comments or Recommendations:
This self-assessment tool will assist in measuring good safer work design and/or best practice in industry sectors.
Please contact Workplace Health and Safety Queensland or your local inspector if your workplace has good work design of onsite traffic management.With your help this may assist other workplaces in developing traffic management plans to better manage risks associated with traffic management.

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Onsite Traffic Management Self-Assessment Tool

Appendix 1

The onsite traffic management self-assessment tool has been designed to assist workplaces and the person/s conducting the business or undertaking (PCBU) with their Primary Care of Duty under s19 of the Workplace Health and Safety Act 2011. The obligation to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, that the health and safety of workers and others is not put at risk from work carried out as part of the conduct of the business or undertaking. Under s18 so far as reasonably practicable is in relation to a duty to ensure health and safety at a particular time, what was reasonably able to be done in relation to ensuring health and safety, taking into account and weighing up all relevant matters.

Hierarchy of Controls

Level 1Eliminate the hazards

Level 2Substitute the hazard with something safer

Isolate the hazard from people

Reduce the risk through engineering controls

Level 3Reduce exposure using administrative controls

Use personal protective equipment

How to Manage Workplace Health and Safety Risk Code of Practice 2011.

The onsite traffic management self-assessment tool is designed to explain example controls measures in line with the hierarchy of controls. These control measures are ranked from most effective and highest level controls to the least effective and lowest level control measures.

The self-assessment tool provides a risk management approach with examples of the hierarchy of controls based on industry best practice and designed in accordance to the (Draft) Traffic Management in Workplaces Code of Practice and the Traffic Management for Construction or Maintenance Work 2009.

Effectively managing risks associated with traffic moving in and around a workplace should start with identifying the hazards and assessing the risks so effective control measures can be implemented. In most cases, a combination of risk control measures will provide the best solution to minimise the risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable.

The onsite traffic management self-assessment tool is applicable to all industries including construction work (construction projects, demolition and excavation work site). Examples of plant and control measures are in italics to include (crane lifting exclusion zones, scissor lifts and scaffold systems).

Specific construction traffic management plans on page (7) should be measured in accordance to the Traffic Management for Construction or Maintenance Work 2009.

Reference materialand further resources:

Queensland Work Health and Safety Act 2011

Queensland Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011

Safe Work Australia. 2011. How to Manage Workplace Health and Safety Risk Code of Practice

Work Safe Queensland 2009. Traffic Management for Construction or Maintenance Work

Safe Work Australia. (Draft) Traffic Management in Workplaces Code of Practice

Safe Work Australia. 2014. General Guide for Workplace Traffic Management

Safe Work Australia. 2014. Traffic Control Measures Checklist

Safe Work Australia. 2014. Traffic Management: Guide for Construction Work

Safe Work Australia. 2014. Traffic Management: Guide for Warehousing

Safe Work Australia. 2014. Traffic Management: Guide for Events

Safe Work Australia. 2014. Traffic Management: Guide for Shopping Centres

Safe Work Australia. 2014. Workplace Traffic Management Information

WorkplaceHealthandSafetyQueensland

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ForspecificQueensland workplace healthandsafety(WHS)requirements,referto:

WorkplaceHealthandSafetyQueensland

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Workplacehealthandsafetyinfoline:1300362 128

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