Navigating Onsite Traffic Management: Ensuring Your Safety Understanding the Campaign's Focus

As a worker navigating onsite traffic daily, you play a crucial role in your safety and that of your colleagues. On-site traffic management (OSTM) is a significant concern across industries, holding the potential for serious harm or even fatalities if risks are not appropriately managed.

Campaign Initiatives: Your Safety in High-Risk Workplaces

In 2020, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) took a proactive approach, focusing on high-risk workplaces where mobile plant, including forklifts and motor vehicles, operate near pedestrians. Your workplace might fall into this category, making it essential to understand the key elements inspected during this campaign.

Inspectors' Focus: What They Checked

Inspectors visited various workplaces, spanning construction, retail, depots, distribution centers, manufacturing, and rural sectors. Their aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of traffic management controls. Here's what they scrutinized:

• Separation of Routes: Ensuring distinct entry and exit points for vehicles and pedestrians.
• Loading and Unloading Zones: Checking for dedicated areas away from pedestrian paths.
• Traffic Route Width: Verifying wide routes to prevent vehicle intrusion into pedestrian areas.
• Physical Barriers: Assessing the presence of barriers, fences, or exclusion zones to isolate workers from vehicles.
• Speed Limits and Signage: Ensuring enforced speed limits and clear traffic signage.
• Mobile Plant Operators: Checking operators held high-risk work licenses.
• Plant Maintenance: Verifying the regular maintenance of mobile plant equipment.

To empower yourself and contribute to a safer workplace, utilize the resources provided:

Checklists and Templates:

• Onsite Traffic Management Self-Assessment Tool (PDF, 0.36 MB)
• Traffic Management Guidance Plan and Example Template (PDF, 1.93 MB)

Videos and Animations:

• Hyne Timber Video | Winner Work Well Awards 2023 Category One
• Managing Traffic on Site - Animation
• Managing Your Drivers' Safety at Delivery Points - Short Film
• Working in or Around Mobile Plant - Short Film

Case Studies:

• Auto Guided Vehicles Case Study: Carlton United Breweries
• Hyne Timber Case Study
• RoadTek; Toowoomba Depot Case Study

Reports:

• On-Site Traffic Management Campaign Report (PDF, 0.42 MB)
• Onsite Traffic Management Project – Phase 1 Report (PDF, 0.78 MB)
• Onsite Traffic Management Project - Phase 2 Report (PDF, 1.27 MB)

Seeking Assistance: Your Path to a Safer Workplace

For personalized advice and assistance, connect with our Injury Prevention and Management (IPaM) advisors. They can guide you in assessing and improving your traffic management systems.