Vehicles in Construction

Return to Main Menu

Construction has a very significant accident rate, research indicates that a lot of the risk can be designed out prior to the commencement of the activity. Traffic Management plans need to be an integral part of managing vehicles in Construction.

Traffic Management Rules shall specify the working areas. The position of working areas may continually change due to the operation of the site, however as a minimum, the following must be specified as working areas.

• Any place where multiple items of mobile plant are operating
• The operating area around an excavator at a quarry face, tip or stockpile and the traffic movement associated with it.
• The operating area around a dozer on a tip and the traffic movement associated with it.
• The operating area around a loading shovel(s) at quarry faces, tips or stockpiles, processing and loading areas and the traffic movement associated with it.

Traffic Management should aim to reduce the risks associated with traffic movement, traffic management involves a large spread of measures including segregation of pedestrians and vehicles, segregation of light vehicles and quarry plant, car parking for visitors and customers, instructions to vehicle operators to remain in their vehicles at all times, maintenance schemes for vehicles, design and maintenance of roads, provision of required reversing aids, one-way systems, adequate signage and speed restrictions, driver training and competence, design of edge protection along roads and risk assessment of working areas and the implementation of identified control measures.

It is important to provide sufficient parking spaces to allow for employees, staff, site visitors and contractors and to ensure that any walk from the designated parking area can be carried out without exposing persons to quarry vehicle movements.

The HSA has developed a range of resources to assist employers better understand and comply with their legal duties in managing vehicles in construction.