Audits for safe immobilisation of trucks and buses

Vehicle roll-aways are a serious risk to workers and the community and continue to occur across all industry sectors.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland inspectors are auditing transport operators (buses and trucks) across the state from now until early 2024 to assess the risks associated with heavy vehicles and buses unintentionally rolling away or moving.

The audits will target high-risk workplaces with these vehicles, focussing on:

• safe systems of work for vehicles exiting and entering sites
• safe systems of work for workers exiting and entering vehicles during work
• adequate worker training, information, supervision and instruction to manage immobilisation risks
• ensuring vehicles are properly maintained
• use of (where appropriate) and maintenance of brake alarms and automatic braking systems
• consultative and contractual arrangements between businesses that address and manage vehicle immobilisation risks, between:
  • workplaces with bus and transport operators coming onto their sites
  • transport operators (with fleets) and their subcontractors and supply chains.

Any vehicles used for work are considered a workplace so safe systems of work must be implemented. If you manage sites where work vehicles visit, or own or operate work vehicles, you cannot manage roll-away risks solely by relying on people applying the handbrake. These risks should be managed systematically and holistically, using the highest level of control measures available.

Further information

View examples of higher order controls and learn more about the safely immobilising vehicles campaign.