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Safety at Roadworks

11th December 2013 Troy Stahlhut – General Manager

One  of  the  Lucky  Ones?  

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  What  has  Changed?  How  has  this  improved  the  safety  of  our  workers      What  are  doing  today  and  tomorrow  to  improve?    Innova�on  – Do  we  need  innova�ve  technologies  – Or,  do  we  need  innova�ve  thinking!  

We  Have  Come  A  Long  Way  

       

How  Far  Is  a  Long  Way?  

     

We  Have  Come  A  Long  Way  Some  history…    ü     Started  in  the  industry  in  1990  a�er  Fitzgerald  Inquiry  ü     Authority  to  control  traffic  issued  by  Approved  Trainers  

ü     No  formal  training  required  –  ‘Paddle  Pop  Men’  

ü     Low  cost  industry  –  badly  resourced  ü     Not  highly  regarded  –  anyone  could  do  it  ü     Traffic  Control  –    First  needed,  last  called  

 

We  Have  Come  A  Long  Way  

Changes  in  the  community…  ü     Growing  popula�on  ü     Urban  Sprawl  ü     Increasing  requirement  for  infrastructure  

ü     Increasing  volumes  of  traffic  

ü     Life  became  more  hec�c  –  mobile  phones,  email  

ü     Increased  need  for  more  strict  OHS  requirements  

 

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We  Have  Come  A  Long  Way  

Changes  followed  for  traffic  industry…    ü     Increasing  requirement  for  traffic  control  

ü     More  private  traffic  management  companies  

ü     More  professional  approach  required  

ü     Be�er  equipment  standards  required  

ü     Police  were  no  longer  an  efficient  op�on  

ü     OHS  legisla�on  increased  

 

Working  near  Traffic  • Working  around  live  traffic  is  considered  to  be  a  High  Risk  ac�vity  as  recognized  by  Workplace  Health  Safety  Queensland.  

• Highest  risks  are  passing  motorists  and  site  traffic  such  as  reversing  plant.  

• The  PCBU  has  the  responsibility  for  managing  traffic  hazards.  

• If  workers  are  on  foot  or  using  mobile  plant  within  3m  of  the  trafficable  area,  then  a  min  of  60km  speed  restric�on  shall  apply  

• If  workers  are  on  foot  or  using  mobile  plant  within  1.2m  of  the  trafficable  area,  then  a  min  of  40km  speed  restric�on  shall  apply  

 

Where  Are  We?  

Current  Industry  Snapshot…  ü   Traffic  Controllers  Licenced  through  TMR  including  Criminal  

History  check  

ü   Code  of  Prac�ce  introduced  in  2008  ü   Four  (4)  levels  of  Traffic  Management  Training  

ü   Traffic  Industry  Inves�ga�on  by  Qld  Workplace  Rights  Ombudsman  in  2009  

ü   New  TMR  Traffic  Management  Registra�on  Scheme  in  2011  

ü   Na�onal  HWSA  Safety  Campaign  by  State  OHS  Inspectorate  in  2011  

ü   Industry  Group  –  Traffic  Management  Associa�on  of  Queensland  (TMAQ  &  TMAA)  

ü   New  Traffic  Controller  Training    (including  20  hours  of  prac�cal  onsite  training)  

Where  Are  We?  

Fast  Facts…  ü   25,000-­‐26,000  Licenced  Traffic  Controllers  in  Queensland  

ü   Approx.  88  Traffic  companies  registered  with  TMR  

ü     OHS  requirements  for  Traffic  Controllers  to  have  a  rest  pause  or  other  du�es  for  15  minutes  every  2  hours  

ü   Biggest  issues  from  Ombudsman’s  inves�ga�on  was  rest  pauses  and  access  to  ameni�es  ie.  toilets  

ü   Females  are  30%  of  the  workforce  

Where  To  From  Here?  

ü   First  needed,  last  called  !!!  ü   Smarter  and  safer  ways  to  work  –  traffic  

lights,  electronic  dockets  

ü   Current  labour  shortage  applies  to  Traffic  Controllers  –  we  need  to  plan  

ü   Be�er  training  courses  and  be�er  trained  and  safer  TC  personnel  

ü   Moves  to  standardise  legisla�on  and  guidelines  na�onally  

ü   Con�nual  effort  to  ensure  everyone  ‘goes  home  safe’  

What’s  In  It  For  Me?  

Quality  traffic  management  benefits…    ü   A  safer  project,  be�er  culture  and  a�tude  

ü   Be�er  PR  and  community  rela�ons  –  we  are  the  front  line  

ü  Efficiency/be�er  value  –  more  �me  on  the  road…                  -­‐  up  to  1.5  hours/night  

ü   Planning  aids  efficiency  

ü   Be�er  outcomes  through  commitment  and  loyalty  

ü   Builds  partnerships,  not  just  subcontractor  agreements  

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Traffic  Guidance  Schemes  

ü The  MUTCD  used  to  provided  for  standard  diagrams.    These  are  now  only  examples  and  worksite  situa�ons  are  not  specifically  covered.    The  Principles  of  the  MUTCD  need  to  be  applied.  

ü TGS  should  be  prepared  for:  ü Short  term  and  mobile  works  (not  involving  road  closure)  

ü Work  involving  rela�vely  simple  part-­‐roadway  closures  

ü Complex  traffic  arrangements  

TMAQ  &  THIESS  

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Na�onal  Data  In  excess  of  4200  reported  incidents    involving  Mobile  Plant  annually      50%  involve  sprains  and  strains    17%  involve  contusions  or  open  wounds    13%  involve  fractures,  disloca�ons  or  amputa�ons.    A  total  of  70%  of  claims  involve  two  or  more  weeks’  absence  from  work.      On  average,  seven  incidents  result  in  fatali�es    A  further  93  are  seriously  injured  

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Recent  Fatali�es  

  Nov  2013  Road  worker  killed  due  to  a  reversing  incident  in  Charleville    Qld,  Nov.  2010  –  Two  men  died  in  separate  incidents  a�er  they  were  hit  by  reversing  to  a  trucks  at  roadwork  sites  in  Brisbane  &  Mackay    Melbourne,  December  2011  –  A  road  worker  has  died  a�er  being  struck  by  a  street  sweeper    Fulton  Hogan  –  4  fatali�es  in  2012.  –  Truck,  roller,  grader,  tractor  

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What  are  your  current  control  measures  for  working  near  

Mobile  Plant?  

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Study  by  WHSQ  found:  

  92%  of  SWMS’s  adequately  iden�fied  and  evaluated  risks    91%  iden�fied  suitable  controls    25%  of  worksites  failed  to  implement  controls    Communica�on  strategies  for  safety  did  not  have  a  significant  impact  on  compliance    Periodic  monitoring  resulted  insignificant  reduc�on  in  compliance  

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Study  by  WHSQ  found:  

  1/3  of  SWMS  had  NO  worker  input    SWMS  created  with  worker  input  had  greater  levels  of  compliance    Workers  believe  that  only  ¾  of  the  SWMS  were  suitable  for  the  task    Workers  under  25  had  a  lower  level  of  understanding  of  SWMS  requirements  

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Mobile  Plant  Hazards  that  have  resulted  in  Fatali�es  

  plant operated near persons    reversing plant    rota�ng  plant  (eg.  excavators)    load  shi�ing  ac�vi�es    delivery  vehicles    working  near  electric cables    entering  or  leaving  the  worksite    working near an  embankment  or  trench    parking  of  plant  and  other  construc�on  vehicles  

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Risks  for  working  with  or  around  Mobile  Plant  

  being  run  over,  hit  or  crushed      falling  loads    people  falling  from  makeshi�  elevated  work  pla�orms    slips,  trips  and  falls      contact  with  power  lines    exposure  to  exhaust  fumes  in  confined  areas  

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Mobile  Plant  Blind  Spots                  

If  you  can’t  see  the  operator,  the  operator  can’t  see  you!  

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Truck  

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Backhoe  

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Excavator  

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Managing  the  Risk    operators  must  be  competent  and  licensed,  or  directly  supervised  

  separate  mobile  plant  and  people  where  possible    have  clear  zones  for  loading  and  unloading  opera�ons    maintain  and  inspect  plant  item  regularly    use  appropriate  a�achments    use  plant  item  only  for  the  purpose  they  were  designed  

  keep  to  safe  speed  limits    carry  loads  as  close  to  the  ground  as  possible    secure  the  mobile  plant  from  unauthorised  opera�on       26  

Hierarchy  of  Control  

 

PPE

use PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) [least effective control measure]

Administration

apply administrative arrangements [e.g limit entry or time spent in a hazardous area]

Engineering

change work processes or the physical work environment [e.g. by redesigning work, plant, equipment, components or premises]

Isolation

separate people from the harm

Substitution

replace with something less harmful

Elimination

get rid of the harm or prevent therisk [most effective control measure]

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Elimina�on  

This  involves  controlling  the  hazard  at  the  source.  Examples  may  include:    removing  plant  and  people  from  the  same  work  area  by  changing  work  processes    using  traffic  lights  instead  of  a  traffic  controller  to  control  traffic  at  roadwork  sites.  

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Subs�tu�on  

This  involves  replacing  the  hazard  with  another  that  has  a  lower  risk.    

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  An  example  may  include  replacing  an  item  of  mobile  plant,  which  has  a  restricted  field  of  vision  to  one  that  has  a  clear  field  of  vision.  

 

Isola�on  This  involves  removing  or  separa�ng  people  from  the  source  of  the  hazard.  Examples  may  include:    

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  using  physical  barricades    using  exclusion  zones      segrega�ng  the  work  processes  through  distance  and  �me;  eg.  allowing  earthworks  to  finish  before  survey  work  begins  

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Engineering  

This  involves  changing  physical  characteris�cs  of  the  plant  or  work  area  to  remove  or  reduce  the  risk.  Examples  may  include:    

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  Convex  mirrors    reversing  cameras    proximity  detec�on    re-­‐design  of  plant  to  allow  for  clear  line  of  sight    Audible  warning  devices  

Administra�ve  This  includes  policies,  procedures,  signs  and  training  to  control  the  risk.  Examples  may  include:    developing  and  implemen�ng  a  Vehicle  Movement  Plan    developing  and  implemen�ng  a  construc�on  safety  plan    developing  and  implemen�ng  a  work  method  statement      organising,  coordina�ng  and  monitoring  work  processes  to  reduce  interac�on  between  workers  and  mobile  plant  

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Road  Worker  Struck  by  Street  Sweeper    

  A  traffic  controller  died  a�er  being  reversed  over  struck  by  a  street    4th  work-­‐related  death  in  10  days  in  Victoria  &  20th  for  the  year  (2011)    Worksafe  Victoria  – “December  was  the  busiest  month  in  the  year,  with  many  workers  under  pressure  to  finish  work  to  �ght  deadlines  before  Christmas”  

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Road  Worker  Struck  by  Street  Sweeper    

  Worksafe  Victoria  –  ‘‘The  big  point  is  these  are  not  freak  accidents...they’re  doing  very  rou�ne  jobs  for  their  industry  so  it’s  not  a  ma�er  of  saying  'he  was  unlucky’  or  'they’re  occupa�onal  hazards’.’’  

–  ‘‘Individuals  can  make  a  difference,  whether  that’s  a  CEO  or  a  board  member  of  an  organisa�on,  right  through  to  managers  and  supervisors  and  the  people  actually  doing  the  job.’’  

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Control  Measures  -­‐  Technology  

  Alarms    Vehicle  mounted  beacon    Cameras    Proximity  detec�on  

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Vehicle  Movement  Plans  

When  planning  for  works,  any  poten�al  conflict  between  work  ac�vi�es  and  movement  of  workers  or  members  of  the  public  must  be  iden�fied  and  risk  mi�ga�on  strategies  

implemented.    

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Vehicle  Movement  Plans  Vehicle  movements  within  worksites  must  be  planned,  taking  into  account:    all  mobile  plant    loca�on  of  the  site  office    designated  delivery  area  and  loading  bays    stockpile  and  storage  areas    designated  parking  areas  for  staff  and  visitors    other  site  traffic    controlled  access  to  and  from  the  site    site  workers  on  foot  and  other  pedestrians  

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Vehicle  Movement  Plans  

A  site  specific  Vehicle  Movement  Plan  (VMP)  is  to  be  used  where  any  of  the  following  condi�ons  exist:    There  are  more  than  20  repe��ve  vehicle  movements  per  day    Plant  is  travelling  on  site  faster  than  40km/hr    Plant  is  reversing  over  100  metres    Other  specific  hazards  to  pedestrians  on  site  from  plant  carrying  out  work.  

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Enquiries:  Troy  Stahlhut    

M|  0432  799  761  E|  troy@evolu�ontraffic.com.au