Traffic management

Keep workers safe around mobile plant and vehicles or get hit with a fine.

Separating workers from mobile plant and vehicles is part of an employer's duty to provide a safe workplace on a construction site.

Moving plant and vehicles such as excavators, forklifts, utes and trucks create a risk to workers when reversing, loading and unloading. Incidents such as workers or others being hit by moving plant or vehicles can cause injury and death.

Control measures

Identify traffic hazards

consult with workers and mobile plant operators
determine where mobile plant and vehicles are in use
determine potential locations and circumstances where people, plant and vehicles could collide – for example when getting off plant, when attempting to communicate with plant operators, loading zones etc.

Site signage to separate people form moving plant zones and work site hazards.

Eliminate the risk, if possible

if elimination isn’t possible, use bollards, barriers, safety rails or exclusion zones to separate people and workers from moving plant and vehicles
use signals to warn people of moving plant – for example reversing alarm, flashing lights, proximity sensors
plan the site layout to minimise plant and vehicle hazards – for example have drive-through access to minimise reversing, or situate loading areas close to storage areas
establish traffic flow patterns, develop right of way procedures, use signs and speed limits
have dedicated traffic controllers who are trained
restrict access by workers and others
have a mobile phone and device usage policy
ensure worker wear high-visibility garments

Image of bollards separating the public from a work site on a road.

Document procedures

Document procedures in a traffic management plan or vehicle management plan.

Train, instruct and supervise workers

Train, instruct and supervise your workers on the traffic/vehicle management plan and control measures.

If you are carrying out construction work near a public road, PCBUs should also contact the relevant road authority for specific traffic management requirements and guidelines.

If you want to do traffic control work, implement a traffic control plan or prepare a work zone traffic management plan, you need a Traffic Control Work Training card.

A PCBU must ensure workers who undertake traffic control work hold the required current certification.

Resources

Codes of practice

Code of practice: Managing the risks of plant in the workplace (PDF, 1987.96 KB) – SafeWork NSW

Safety alerts

Uncontrolled movement of vehicles – SafeWork NSW
Heavy vehicles or trailers hitting or crushing workers – SafeWork NSW

Safety animations

This animation profiles a serious incident where a driver was struck by a forklift while unloading freight from a heavy vehicle.

This animation profiles an incident, where a truck driver was seriously injured when struck by a piece of plant during the loading and unloading of equipment from a truck on a construction site.

Checklists

Self-assessment checklist safety around moving plant (PDF, 171.08 KB) – SafeWork NSW
Earthmoving plant in construction safety checklist (PDF, 669.46 KB) – SafeWork NSW

Find more information about moving plant and forklifts.

Safe Work Australia resources

Traffic Management Guide: Construction work – Safe Work Australia
Traffic Hazards Checklist – Safe Work Australia
Traffic control measures checklist – Safe Work Australia
Traffic Management information sheet – Safe Work Australia

Related information

Safety around vehicles

Traffic management guide for truck drivers (PDF, 76.41 KB) can help identify traffic management safety issues at sites where you deliver or pick up. If safety issues are identified, please raise them in accordance with your company’s consultation policies and procedures – SafeWork NSW
Safety around your vehicle glove box guide – SafeWork NSW
Safety around your vehicle self-assessment checklist (PDF, 166.32 KB) – SafeWork NSW

Find more information about the Transport, postal and warehousing industry.