Traffic Managment Plan

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Traffic Management Plan is to minimise the interaction between vehicles, mobile plant, and pedestrians at The Midfield Group.  The primary Midfield site is located on the corner of McMeekin Road and Scott Street, Warrnambool VIC 3280 and for the purpose of this plan, includes:

  • Warehouse (across Scott Street)
  • The Meatbarn site
  • Staff Carparking areas to the north (across McMeekin Rd) and to the west (across Scott Street).
  • The Hide Shed (across Scott Street)
  • The Transport Shed (Cooper Street)
  • Windrush (Illowa)

This Traffic Management Plan also provides information and guidance of a general nature relating to managing risks at Midfield Pastoral Sites. Specific information regarding high risk activities involving plant and vehicles will be dealt with in individual site Risk Assessments.

2. Scope

This Traffic Management Plan applies to the movement of all vehicles, mobile plant, and pedestrians onsite across the Midfield Site.  Vehicles could include:

  • Midfield Heavy Vehicles (B-Double, B-Triple, Semi & Hook Trucks).
  • Contractor Heavy Vehicles (Stock Transport, Supplier & Delivery Trucks)
  • Midfield Bus services.
  • Midfield Company Vehicles
  • Midfield Employee Vehicles
  • Contractor trades and service vehicles
  • Customer and Visitor Vehicles

Plant could include:

  • Material Handling Vehicles (Forklifts, Bobcat, JBC/Front End Loader)
  • Maintenance Equipment (Scissor & Boom Lifts, Cranes, and other specialised plant) `
  • Agricultural Equipment (tractors, Loaders, Side-by-Side, ATV, Telehandlers)

This Traffic Management Plan applies to any persons responsible for a vehicle on the Midfield Site. It also extends to persons responsible for operating Midfield Vehicles off site and expects that the person will adhere to General Road Laws and any other Regulations relevant to the vehicle or task.

3. References

Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017
Worksafe: Compliance Code: Plant Edition 2 December 2019
Worksafe: Workplace Traffic Management Guidance Material (April 2019)
Associated Codes of Practice Standards

4. Definitions

Mobile Plant – Includes but not limited to:

  • Industrial lift trucks (forklift)
  • Skid steer loaders (‘bobcat’)
  • Elevating Work Platforms (including boom lift).

Hazard – Anything that has the potential to cause injury, illness or damage to plant or property.

Risk – Quantification of risk for the purpose of this procedure is established in terms of likelihood and consequence.

Risk Assessment – The overall process of estimating the magnitude of risk and deciding what actions will be taken to control it.

Hierarchy of Control – Strategies used to control a hazard. from most effective to least effective:

  1. Eliminate the risk – Elimination – by replacing existing plant with new plant that has the same function but does not have the hazards that were associated with the old plant.  Adoption of purchasing policies that take account of health and safety when buying plant for the workplace can often eliminate risks.
  2. Reduce the risk with one or more of the following – Substitute using a cordless drill instead of an electric drill if the power cord is in danger in being cut, using electric tugs or pedestrian operated industrial lift truck (‘walkie’ stacker) instead of a forklift.
    Isolate – isolation of the plant can be achieved by constructing a booth for which the plant can be operated remotely or placing the plant behind a separating wall.
    Using engineering controls – such as design controls, guarding and barriers.
  3. Reduce the risk using administrative controls – Administrative controls warning signs, use of ‘lock-out’ sustems, providing appropriate information, instruction, training and/or supervision.
  4. Reduce the risk using personal protective equipment (PPE) – PPE including earmuffs, respirators, face masks, hard hats, gloves, aprons, high visibility vests and protective eye wear.

*NOTE: A combination of controls may be appropriate.