Toolbox Talk: Working around mobile plant and machinery
The movement of vehicles and mobile equipment on a construction site presents a critical risk for people and property.
Introduction
Mobile plant means any moving vehicle or mobile equipment on site. This includes vehicles such as telehandlers, delivery trucks, diggers, excavators, and other machines. The movement of vehicles and mobile equipment on a construction site presents a critical risk to both people and property e.g. workers can be stuck and injured by moving parts and parts of the body can be drawn in or trapped between i.e. rollers.
A site vehicle movement plan (an in some cases, a traffic management plan and specialist training), are key tools for managing these risks. Some of the common hazards associated with mobile plant include:
- People and plant sharing the same site or route-risk of collision
- Where there is uncontrolled entry to and from the site-risk of unauthorised people/vehicles on site
- Untrained or unsupervised workers operating or interacting with mobile plant-risk of injury or death.
IDENTIFY the traffic hazards
- Develop a site vehicle movement plan including any control measures to suit the specific requirements of the work site.
- Talk to your workers and contractors on site about what the plan will involve.
- Engage with and ask all workers to help you develop the site vehicle movement plan; or if this is already in place ask them to review it and come back to you with how they think it could be improved.
ASSESS blind spots
It is important to involve workers, contractors, subcontractors and anyone else who may be on the work site when developing the site vehicle movement plan, to ensure they're trained in the control measures as they will be the ones who will be implementing the plan.
The site vehicle movement plan should identify blind spots and where possible indicate exclusion zones around plant for workers and the public.
Before you develop a traffic management plan, consider:
- Congestion - can some vehicles be moved out of work areas?
- Who has the right of way?
- Flow/direction of traffic
Some of the control measures to consider when developing the traffic management plan might include:
- Planning work so vehicles, workers and pedestrians are not in the same area at the same time.
- Providing drive-through access to minimise vehicle turning or reversing.
- Using fences, barriers, safety rails, barricades, and exclusion zones.
- Be aware where the blind spots will be for item of plant.
- Planning the direction of traffic to minimise plant travel around the site.
- Establish speed limits on site.
- Using audible reversing alarms, flashing beacons, spotters and/or dedicated traffic controllers to manage traffic movement.
- Ensure everyone on site is wearing hi-vis clothing.
- For work in low light conditions, consider additional lighting.
- Induct drivers onto the vehicle movement plan.
MANAGE – Keep a safe distance
It is important that a traffic management plan is put in place for each site - no one site will be the same.
- During the construction phase, the layout may change during the build or project.
- Review regularly and, if necessary, propose alternative control measures for when the site layout changes.
- Provide worker training and instruction on traffic control measures to all workers and visitors on site.
Remember to keep a safe distance and follow the traffic management plan.
How can you and other be injured when working around plant and machinery?
- Getting struck by a plant or machine, or items from the plant or machine
- Getting trapped and crushed
- Coming into contact with services
- Falling into excavations
- Hotspots (accidentally touching hot mufflers)
- Being in the blind spot
- Getting run over
- Mechanical failure
- Overloading
- Trips and falls
- Noise
- Fumes.
Quick Reminders
- Keep clear access for vehicles coming onto or off site.
- Make sure there is a spotter to assist in the safe movement of vehicles.
- Make eye contact with drivers so you know that they have seen you.
- Drivers should STOP when the spotter is not in view.
- Only operate plant you are trained and competent to use.
- Stay visible to the vehicle and machine operators ie; diggers, hiabs, concrete trucks etc.
- Ensure hi-vis clothing is reflective and zipped-up when around vehicles and mobile plant.
- Always keep clear of the slew zone ('swing area’) of mobile plant, cranes or excavators and the tipping area behind trucks.
- Draw up a site vehicle movement plan to help plan safe deliveries on site; try to avoid peak traffic when planning deliveries.
- Park all contractor vehicles legally and not left obstructing paths, berms. access ways or road access to other properties.