Between 2014-2016, 10 workers died from being hit or trapped by mobile plant in Queensland.Additionally, there were 1,200 accepted workers' compensation claims for serious injuries during the same period.Don't let this happen in your workplace.
Planning is the first step to ensure work is done safely.A traffic management plan (TMP) details how the risks associated with plant and vehicle traffic are being managed in a workplace.Plans should be regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure they are effective and account for changes in the workplace.
A traffic management consultative team consisting of management, health and safety representatives, safety advisors/officers, workers, contractors and others in the supply chain should be actively involved in planning, developing, monitoring and reviewing traffic management plans.
This self-assessment tool will assist in reviewing the effectiveness and adequacy of your existing risk management approach for vehicle and mobile plant traffic movements at your workplace.It will also help generate ideas and opportunities to improve your practices.
The self-assessment should be undertaken in consultation with members of your traffic management consultative team.
Once you have completed the self-assessment, refer to appendix one for more information about onsite traffic management, including links to guidance material that may assist in addressing any areas where you responded 'no'.Alternatively, contact Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) on 1300 362 128 if you would like a visit from a local inspector/advisor to help you with your onsite traffic management.
Workplace details
Date of assessment:
Workplace location and area:
Person/s conducting self-assessment:
Safe systems of work
Yes
No
Comments/ actions required
1. Do you have a safe system of work, and is there an element in that system, which supports the safety of workers and members of the public in relation to onsite traffic management? Such as: evidence of documentation or processes in your system of work, around traffic management related hazards.
2. Is a TMP in place that outlines: • the desired flow of pedestrian and vehicle movements • the expected frequency of interaction between vehicles and pedestrians • how short term, mobile work or complex traffic situations will be managed • roles and responsibilities of people in relation to traffic management?
3. Does the TMP include a sketch or illustration of the worksite? This should show the location of: • traffic routes • pedestrian walkways • barriers and signage • loading/unloading bays • carparks • maintenance bays, work areas and buildings. The sketch should also include contact details to notify when arriving at the site.
4. Is traffic management included in the following components of the work health and safety management system? • Hazard identification • Risk management register • Site inspections/audits • Contractor management (e.g. codes of conduct and quality standards) • Procurement of new equipment (e.g. safety devices on mobile plant)
Consultation arrangements
Yes
No
Comments/ actions required
5. Have you consulted with workers, mobile plant operators and your supply chain (e.g. delivery drivers) to help understand all possible risks relating to the interaction of traffic and people on the site? Consideration should be given to: • the types of vehicles and mobile plant accessing the site • pedestrian access for people with a disability (e.g. wheelchairs) • work involving road closures • environmental factors (e.g. road surfaces, shade, glare, lighting, weather and noise) • unexpected or changing circumstances (e.g. queuing of vehicles, peak traffic times, bottlenecks, intersections and blind corners) • work area design and layout • overhead electrical lines and structures • whether loading zones, parking and reversing areas are adequate and what happens with overflow traffic • drug and alcohol policies and procedures • work demands and fatigue management (e.g. shift work) • other traffic issues commonly encountered or reported by workers, pedestrians or visiting drivers.
6. Have you documented communication and consultation for coordinating significant traffic movements? Documents can include all electronic communication, such as emails, mobile phone messages etc.
7. Have you reviewed previous incident or near-miss reports to better understand contributing factors and identify how the traffic management system could be improved?
Hazard, risk management and reporting
Yes
No
Comments/ actions required
8. Do you have a record of the identified hazards, for example in a register?
9. Have you conducted a risk assessment for all hazardous tasks?
10. Are control measures in place to eliminate or minimise risks (using the hierarchy of control)?
11. Is there a process for reporting incidents (including near misses) and hazards? For example, a form or book, or a verbal process?
12. Are workers encouraged to report WHS issues?
13. When someone reports an incident or near miss, is it acted on (Is there an incident investigation)?
14. Are workers provided with feedback on the action and outcomes of any issues they report?
15. Is there a process in place to identify out of hours risk and hazard management for non-production workers?
16. Are reports developed and reviewed for trends that identify areas for improvement?
Providing information, training, instruction and supervision
Yes
No
Comments/ actions required
17. Is information and instruction about safe traffic and pedestrian movement around the workplace provided in advance to visitors, contractors and external delivery drivers?
18. Is everyone entering the workplace informed, and their understanding checked, of the content of the TMP (e.g. via a site induction)? This includes: • their obligations • pedestrian walk areas • restricted areas and lifting/loading zones • specific hazards • speed limits • signage.
Providing information, training, instruction and supervision
Providing information, training, instruction and supervision
Yes
No
Comments/ actions required
19. Does the workplace have adequate supervision in place for the work area? This includes: • observing traffic and pedestrian behaviour (see the section on managing the risk of people being hit by mobile plant or vehicles) • ensuring an adequate number of supervisors or managers available • having procedures for supervising contractors and visitors.
High risk work licensing
High risk work licensing
Yes
No
Comments/ actions required
20. Do workers who are operating forklift trucks and/or order picking forklift trucks have the appropriate Queensland licence?
21. Have mobile plant and vehicle operators been trained and hold the relevant licenses for the operation of that equipment?
22. If the person is operating equipment that requires a high risk working license (HRWL) and they do not hold a HRWL, are they enrolled with a registered training organisation and supervised by a person with a HRWL for that class?
23. Has the competency of mobile plant and vehicle operators been verified and documented?
24. If mobile plant is being driven on the road, workers need to have a Queensland issued driver licence to drive plant on the road, with a suitable endorsement for the plant being driven from the Department of Transport and Main Roads?
