MANY of the incidents reported across the agricultural sector are preventable — they typically occur because people and moving plant are not adequately separated or because traffic routes are unclear, inconsistent or poorly controlled.

These incidents can result in serious injuries, long-term impacts on workers and families and significant disruption to business operations.

Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs) must manage these risks so far as is reasonably practicable, including preventing collisions between pedestrians and mobile plant.

Purpose of a Traffic Management Plan
A Traffic Management Plan outlines how a workplace controls the movement of vehicles, forklifts and pedestrians. It should reflect the actual layout of the site, identify where mobile plant operates, show where people can walk safely and describe the control measures used to keep them separated.

These incidents can result in serious injuries, long-term impacts on workers and families and significant disruption to business operations.

The plan must be easy to understand, clearly displayed and accessible to workers, contractors and visitors.

Its purpose is to ensure people and plant do not interact in ways that create unnecessary risk.

Segregation of people and mobile plant
Effective traffic management relies on clear separation.

Forklift operating areas should be well marked, and pedestrians should be physically segregated wherever reasonably practicable using guard rails, bollards or fixed barriers.

Where physical separation is not possible, additional controls such as high visibility markings, mirrors and restricted access rules must be used.

Walkways must be continuous, clearly marked and kept free of obstructions.

They should direct pedestrians away from plant travel paths, loading zones and turning areas.

Crossing points must be placed where visibility is good, and pedestrians should stop, look and exchange hand signals with the operator before crossing.

Exclusion zones
Exclusion zones prevent pedestrians entering high risk areas where collision potential is greatest.

They should be clearly marked, supported by signage and barriers where practicable and sized to allow for turning, reversing and load overhang.

Visibility and communication
Operators must maintain clear visibility, keep loads low and slow down at intersections, doorways and blind corners.

Mirrors and one way systems can help reduce blind spots.

Pedestrians must remain alert to warning devices such as reversing alarms and flashing lights and use agreed hand signals to confirm it is safe to proceed.

Roles and responsibilities
Workers must follow traffic rules, use walkways, avoid exclusion zones, wear high visibility clothing where required and report unsafe conditions.

Supervisors and managers must ensure controls are implemented, maintained and reviewed, and that only trained and authorised workers operate powered mobile plant.

Loading and unloading areas must be controlled, with only authorised personnel entering these zones and drivers or visitors waiting in designated safe areas.