WorkSafe Victoria commenced a focus on traffic management safety at roadside worksites, throughout Victoria. In recent years, there have been numerous incidents or near misses involving workers, delivery drivers, vehicle drivers and members of the public, at or near construction sites.
WorkSafe inspectors will be visiting sites across Victoria, to ensure that traffic related hazards and associated risks are adequately controlled. Because, it doesn’t matter how big or small your site is, the risk to workers and public’s safety needs to be managed.
WorkSafe inspectors will be visiting sites across Victoria, to ensure that traffic related hazards and associated risks are adequately controlled. Because, it doesn’t matter how big or small your site is, the risk to workers and public’s safety needs to be managed.
The focus of inspector visits will be on:
- the safety of employees, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists from vehicles and construction vehicles
- the safe setup and operation of construction site loading zones
The traffic management focus forms part of WorkSafe’s three year “Safe Worker and Traffic” joint project with VicRoads, industry stakeholders (construction and traffic management) and local councils. The SWAT project started in July 2016, with the aim to improve construction site traffic management safety.
During this time there has been a significant level of engagement with the industry, to drive improvements, some of which are being seen out on sites now. These include:
- approval of a number of new traffic management controls that reduce the risk of exposure to traffic controllers
- new safety and industry specific guidance produced by WorkSafe and VicRoads
- challenging the road owners (eg. VicRoads, councils) to seek higher order controls as part of the Traffic Management Plans (TMPs) being submitted during contract negotiations for large projects, and/or, when TMPs are submitted for approval to councils/VicRoads for small/medium size projects
In the lead-up to the holiday period, which sees a lot of civil and infrastructure work occurring, employers need to ensure they are keeping the safety of workers at the forefront when planning traffic management set-ups.
We are asking all drivers, whether on the way to work or heading off on holidays, to ensure that when they pass sites with traffic management to obey the signs; remember that could be one of your mates or family members on that site, and everyone deserves to go home safely at the end of each day.
Make sure you know how to control the risks to your workers and the public, by reading our new guidance:
Construction Safety Focus - Construction Site Traffic Management Safety
Information About: Construction Site Loading Zones
These documents are supported by a number of existing WorkSafe and VicRoads guidance documents, including:
Construction Safety Focus - Safe Worker and Traffic
Construction Safety Focus - Powered Mobile Plant
VicRoads Worksite Safety Guide - Temporary Safety Barriers
Credit: Work Safe Victoria Safety Soapbox (01/12/2017)
- the safety of employees, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists from vehicles and construction vehicles
- the safe setup and operation of construction site loading zones
The traffic management focus forms part of WorkSafe’s three year “Safe Worker and Traffic” joint project with VicRoads, industry stakeholders (construction and traffic management) and local councils. The SWAT project started in July 2016, with the aim to improve construction site traffic management safety.
During this time there has been a significant level of engagement with the industry, to drive improvements, some of which are being seen out on sites now. These include:
- approval of a number of new traffic management controls that reduce the risk of exposure to traffic controllers
- new safety and industry specific guidance produced by WorkSafe and VicRoads
- challenging the road owners (eg. VicRoads, councils) to seek higher order controls as part of the Traffic Management Plans (TMPs) being submitted during contract negotiations for large projects, and/or, when TMPs are submitted for approval to councils/VicRoads for small/medium size projects
In the lead-up to the holiday period, which sees a lot of civil and infrastructure work occurring, employers need to ensure they are keeping the safety of workers at the forefront when planning traffic management set-ups.
We are asking all drivers, whether on the way to work or heading off on holidays, to ensure that when they pass sites with traffic management to obey the signs; remember that could be one of your mates or family members on that site, and everyone deserves to go home safely at the end of each day.
Make sure you know how to control the risks to your workers and the public, by reading our new guidance:
Construction Safety Focus - Construction Site Traffic Management Safety
Information About: Construction Site Loading Zones
These documents are supported by a number of existing WorkSafe and VicRoads guidance documents, including:
Construction Safety Focus - Safe Worker and Traffic
Construction Safety Focus - Powered Mobile Plant
VicRoads Worksite Safety Guide - Temporary Safety Barriers
Credit: Work Safe Victoria Safety Soapbox (01/12/2017)
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