Traffic safety on construction sites

Managing construction site traffic is a significant safety issue. Construction workplaces have a wide range of vehicles and powered mobile plant that can seriously injure workers.

Recent serious incidents involving heavy machinery have caused one worker’s death and serious injuries to two others, including:

• a young worker on a site at Alberton who was fatally crushed by mobile plant
• an excavator which was driven over the foot of a worker at Grantham
• an excavator which reversed over a worker’s legs at Karalee.

To address these risks, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland inspectors will audit businesses throughout Queensland to look at the risk of workers and others being hit or crushed by vehicles. Specifically, the audits will target the risks of vehicles rolling away or unintentionally moving, causing fatalities, serious injuries and major property damage.

PCBUs will be provided with information about the risk of pedestrians being hit by vehicles and how to decide on suitable control measures. Then in early 2023 inspectors will begin compliance and enforcement activities to ensure workplaces are meeting their obligations eliminate or reduce the risk of workplace related vehicle incidents.

Further information

To help manage vehicle impact risks at your workplace, refer to the Onsite traffic management self-assessment tool (PDF, 0.36 MB) or get other guidance and resources about onsite traffic management.