Controlling road traffic is necessary for the safety of the employees working in construction workplaces, shopping centers, warehouses, and events. It also ensures that the general public active in the vicinity of the workplace remains safe. Workers who work on or near roadways are at risk of being hit by passing vehicles. Employers have a duty to protect workers from this hazard and can do so by developing and implementing effective traffic control plans for each road work zone. 

Traffic control in Sydney is governed by the Australian Standard AS 1742.3 – 2009 along with State variations. A Traffic Control Planning Checklist for worksites should be in accordance with all the rules and requirements of the local authorities. 

Example of a Traffic Control Planning Checklist for Work Sites 

Creating a Traffic Control Planning Checklist can allow you to control the traffic in your workplace more easily. Consider the following when creating a Traffic Control Planning Checklist for your worksite: 

Separating Pedestrians From Vehicles 

• Do vehicles and pedestrians including visitors have access to separate entry and exit points? 
• Are the entry and exit points properly secured to prevent or protect pedestrians from being struck by vehicles? 
• Is the layout of the workplace designed in a way that separates vehicles, powered mobile plants, and pedestrians? 
• Are there any systems in place like safety zones, exclusion zones, or physical barriers that keep pedestrians apart from moving vehicles or plants?

   

Vehicle routes 

• Are the vehicle routes maintained properly? 
• Are the vehicle routes designed to avoid blind or sharp corners? 
• Are the traffic directions marked properly and visible from a distance? 
• Does the workplace have clearly marked loading zones?

   

Pedestrian routes 

• Are vehicles separated from pedestrian routes? 
• Are pedestrian walkways properly marked and well maintained? 
• Do vehicle routes have safe pedestrian crossings?

   

Vehicle movement 

• Do drivers maintain speed limits while driving and follow the correct routes? 
• Are there speed limiters present on vehicle routes to slow down vehicles?

   

Signs 

• Are there signs for speed limit? 
• Is the night lighting powerful enough to ensure the signs are visible from a distance? 
• Are there signs present that clearly label powered mobile plant hazards?

   

Warning devices 

• Is the powered mobile plant fitted with sensors, flashlights, and reversing alarms?

   

Information, training, and supervision 

• Is there sufficient supervision to monitor and check the traffic movement of vehicles and ensure pedestrian safety? 
• Are the workers trained properly and informed about traffic hazards, parking and loading areas, and the speed limits?

   

Personal Protective Equipment 

• Do the workers wear PPE like high visibility clothing wherever necessary?

   

Vehicle Safety 

• Are basic safety checks conducted by drivers before they use the vehicles? 
• Are the vehicles and powered mobile plants suitable for the tasks that need to be performed? 
• Are the vehicles and powered mobile plant equipped with seatbelts and effective parking and service brakes?

   

Conclusion 

Professional traffic management services analyse and prepare effective solutions to monitor, manage, and minimise the activity of heavy construction machinery and pedestrians around the 

construction site. They also ensure that all workers are aware of the construction traffic management plan and abide by the instructions. The Traffic Control Planning Checklist for worksites provided above is just an example. You can include additional questions in the checklist to suit the needs of your requirements. A better solution is to hire Traffic Management Specialists in Sydney as they are experts at traffic control and create comprehensive Traffic Guidance Schemes. Qualified traffic control teams can also work with the local authorities to take care of all the necessary permits so that you don’t have to pay heavy fines.