Risk management in temporary traffic management

Hazards and risks

Like other industries, temporary traffic management (TTM) has a range of hazards and risks. They include risks to employees and the public, including drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Those risks must be controlled, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Risk management process

A safe and healthy workplace requires an organised approach to finding and fixing hazards and risks. This approach is known as the risk management process.

Figure 1: The figure shows the continuing cycle of the risk management process. Step 1 involves identifying hazards. Step 2 involves assessing the risks from those hazards. Step 3 is controlling the risks. Step 4 is reviewing and revising risk control measures. Consultation occurs at each step.

The risk management process is a continuous cycle, see Figure 1. It begins with identifying hazards and then follows a series of steps. You must consult with employees and health and safety representatives (HSRs) at each step.

The risk management steps are as follows:

Step 1: Identify hazards

Identifying hazards involves finding all the hazards in the workplace. It also involves understanding the possible harm the hazards can cause.

How to identify hazards

As an employer, you must consult with employees and any HSRs when identifying hazards. Ways to identify hazards include:

• Inspecting the workplace.
• Speaking with key site personnel, including the road infrastructure manager.
• Speaking with the community and road users.
• Using information from local government, businesses and residents.
• Reading instruction manuals.
• Reviewing records of incident reports, complaints, health monitoring and similar information.
• Using information from industry bodies, regulators, specialists and others. For example, the Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management and the Victorian Code of Practice for Worksite Safety – Traffic Management.

Where to look for hazards

Look at all parts of your work, including the:

• physical work environment
• machinery, tools and equipment, also known as plant
• materials and substances used
• work tasks and how they are performed
• work design and management, for example, shift work
• behaviour of employees.

Hazard identification provides information about hazards in the workplace area you have assessed. Different areas may require different assessments. Keep a list of what the hazards were and their location. This will help ensure nothing is forgotten when deciding how to keep employees safe and healthy.

It is important to remember that not all hazards are physical. Sometimes the things that could harm people in the workplace affect psychological health. These hazards are known as psychosocial hazards.

Psychosocial hazards include:

• aggression or violence
• bullying
• exposure to traumatic events or content
• high job demands
• low job control
• low job demands
• low role clarity
• low recognition and reward
• poor environmental conditions
• poor organisational change management
• poor organisational justice
• poor support
• poor workplace relationships
• remote or isolated work
• sexual harassment.

Psychosocial hazards can also lead to physical harm. For example, a person with high job demands might not be able to take a break. Without a break, they become tired and distracted and suffer an injury.

Common hazards

Vehicles and plant are among the most common hazards in TTM. Being hit by a vehicle or plant is one of the most common risks to people in TTM workplaces.

Factors that may contribute to the hazards associated with TTM include:

• insufficient or inadequate training
• inadequate staffing levels
• the time of work, for example, early morning, late in the evening or long shifts
• traffic volume
• lack of employee rotation between activities and shifts
• lack of signs to warn drivers and vulnerable road users (VRUs) of changed traffic conditions
• routes for VRUs blocked by traffic management equipment such as signs and bollards
• unreasonable diversions for pedestrians and cyclists, leading to unsafe behaviour
• behaviour of road users and pedestrians, for example, aggressive verbal and physical behaviour
• lack of space to protect employees and plant from vehicles
• poor planning or communication with nearby construction sites
• plant, for example, cranes and concrete pump outriggers, set up near or on roads and not protected from vehicle impact
• road conditions
• weather, for example, heavy rain and storms, extreme heat or cold, hail or high winds
• site conditions, for example, visibility, exposure to noise, access to facilities
• the dismantling of traffic control devices
• inadequate or poorly located toilet and break facilities
• traffic management set-ups that fail to follow a traffic guidance scheme or safe work method statement (SWMS) for the work site
• the use of SWMS that are not tailored and site specific to the worksite.

WorkSafe’s TTM guidance includes information about SWMS, including when they are required and what they should contain. You’ll find the information on the page, Temporary traffic management classed as construction work.

Step 2: Assess risks

Risk assessment is a process to develop knowledge and understanding about hazards and risks. It helps ensure sound decisions about risk controls.

Risk assessments help work out:

• what levels of harm can occur
• how harm can occur
• the likelihood that harm will occur.

Level of risk

Work out the level of risk. To do this, consider the possible severity of injury and the likelihood of it occurring.

The level of risk will increase as the likelihood and severity of harm increase.

Likelihood of harm

Work out the likelihood of harm occurring. You can estimate the likelihood of harm by considering, for example, the following:

• How often the task is done. Does this make the harm more or less likely?
• The situations in which the hazard occurs.
• Has harm happened before, either in your workplace or somewhere else? How often?

Consider whether the harm is:

• certain to occur
• very likely
• possible
• unlikely or rare.

When identifying and assessing the risks with TTM, consider the following:

• Why TTM is needed. For example, is it for construction work or a special event such as a concert or parade?
• The scope of the TTM. Include the number of employees required for appropriate job rotation, breaks and workload allocation.
• All activities in the work. Include establishing, operating and dismantling traffic management set-ups.
• The site where the TTM will take place.
• The volume, speed and type of motor vehicles using the roadway.
• The clearance or distance between moving traffic and the TTM set-up, including workers.
• Road users affected by the TTM and their possible reactions. This includes pedestrians and cyclists.
• The location of the TTM set-up, for example
  • straight roads
  • sharp bends
  • corners
  • intersections
  • blind spots
  • crests
  • remote locations and associated hazards, for example, slow emergency response times, ease of access, wildlife, access to facilities.
• Road conditions, for example, bitumen road, gravel road.
• Visibility for people doing TTM work and for other road users.
• Environmental factors and weather conditions.
• Construction plant used on site.
• Safe site entry and exit for construction vehicles and plant.
• Time of day, for example, peak traffic periods, and duration of the TTM work.
• The experience and training of workers.

Step 3: Control hazards and risks

Risks must be eliminated so far as is reasonably practicable. If risks cannot be eliminated, they must be reduced so far as is reasonably practicable.

Controlling risks requires the use of risk control measures. Risk control measures are also known as risk controls or controls.

Deciding on appropriate risk controls involves the following:

• Consultation with employees and any HSRs.
• Identifying the options for risk controls.
  A risk control option might be a single control or it might be made up of different controls. Together, the different controls provide protection against a risk.
• Considering risk control options and selecting suitable options.
  A suitable option is one that most effectively eliminates or reduces risk in the circumstances. Controlling the risk might require multiple risk controls, not just one. Risks have to be controlled so far as is reasonably practicable.
• Applying the selected options.

Finding the best control

The ways to control risks can be ranked from the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest. This ranking is known as the hierarchy of control, see Figure 2.

Figure 2: The hierarchy of control.

The OHS Regulations include hierarchies of control for various hazards. This includes hazards in TTM work. For these hazards, you must follow the hierarchies of control from the OHS Regulations.

Elimination of risk is the most effective control in the hierarchy. You can eliminate a risk by eliminating a hazard. If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the hazard, work down the hierarchy to control risks from the hazard. Only move down to the next level of the hierarchy after determining that higher-level controls are not available or not reasonably practicable.

The following guidance explains the hierarchy of control.

The hierarchy of control

Level 1

Elimination – most effective

• Eliminate the hazard

Level 2

Reduce the risk with one or more of the following controls

• Substitution
  Substitute the hazard with something safer.
• Isolation
  Isolate people from the hazard.
• Engineering controls
  Reduce the risks through engineering changes or changes to systems of work.

Level 3

Use administrative actions to reduce exposure to risks and reduce level of harm

Level 4

Use personal protective equipment (PPE)

If you are going to use PPE to help control risks, you should provide employees with PPE.

Using administrative controls and PPE to reduce risks does not control a hazard at its source. Administrative controls and PPE rely on human behaviour and supervision. Used on their own, administrative controls and PPE tend to be the least effective controls to minimise risks.

Use administrative controls and PPE only:

• as last resorts when there are no other practical control measures available
• as a short-term measure until introducing a more effective way of controlling the risk
• to increase the effectiveness of higher-level control measures.

The highest level of protection

Consider various risk control options. So far as is reasonably practicable, use the risk controls that eliminate the hazard. If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the hazard, use controls that minimise the risk of harm. You must reduce the risk so far as is reasonably practicable.

Remember, risk control might involve a combination of different controls. The aim is to provide the highest level of reasonably practicable protection.

Examples of risk controls in temporary traffic management

There is a range of hazards in TTM. The risk of employees being struck by vehicles is one of the most common. The following are examples of risk control measures to eliminate or reduce that risk. Usually, a combination of risk control measures is necessary to control the risk. Risk controls may vary from one TTM workplace to another. Risk controls will depend on the TTM workplace and its risk profile.

Risk control examples:

Elimination

• Close the road.
• Detour traffic onto other roads.
• Put traffic diversions in place.

Substitution, isolation and engineering

• Instead of using employees with stop-slow bats, use portable or automated traffic control devices.
• Unload traffic signs from the side of the vehicle that is not near live traffic rather than the side next to live traffic.
• Use shadow vehicles while setting up signs on major arterials.
• Use automated processes for cone and bollard installation.
• Use truck-mounted attenuators on high-risk roads such as
  • highways and freeways
  • roads where vehicles travel at 80 kmh and above
  • high-volume roads
  • roads with high numbers of large vehicles, such as trucks and buses
  • on-ramps of freeways and highways
  • roads where mobile work is taking place.
• Use rated safety barriers.
• Close lanes next to the work area.
• Ensure there is enough space between members of the public, employees and live traffic.
• Use portable traffic signals.

Administrative controls

• Reduce speed limits.
• Put up warning signs.
• Use variable message signs.
• Use variable speed limit signs.
• Have signs that clearly show walking and cycling paths.
• Use water-filled barriers, barrier taping or bunting to define paths with signs.
• Provide appropriate information, instruction training and supervision so employees can work safely.

Personal protective equipment

• Ensure employees wear high-visibility clothing. High-visibility clothing should meet the requirements set out in
  • AS 4602.1–2011: High visibility safety garments
  • AS/NZS 1906.4:2010: Retroreflective materials and devices for road traffic control purposes.
• Ensure employees wear night whites for night work.

Step 4: Review and revise risk control measures

Reviewing risk control measures will help you ensure they are working. Reviews will also help you identify if your controls become less effective, or if there are other controls you should introduce.

Regular reviews

Review your risk controls regularly, at least every 12 months. Reviews help make sure your controls work as planned and as expected. Don’t wait until something goes wrong.

If you find problems, go back through the risk management steps. Review your information and make further decisions about risk control. Revise your controls as necessary.

Reviews after incidents

If somebody is hurt or has a near miss, your risk controls may not be working as planned. You should review your risk controls to prevent further incidents. Find out what went wrong and what you can do to stop it happening again. Go back through the risk management steps. Review your information and make further decisions about your risk controls. Revise your controls as necessary. Remember to consult with employees and any HSRs throughout the review process.