Plan
Every site should be laid out so pedestrians and plant can move about safely, and traffic management routes need to be suitable for the individuals and plant using them. Where the same traffic route is used by both pedestrians and plant, physical separation should be put in place if possible with barriers, and visual and audible warning materials implemented.
Risk Assessment
A Risk Assessment must be completed before installation of a traffic management system. The Risk Assessment must take into account the protection of pedestrians, and the findings from the Risk Assessment and the contents of the Safe System of Work must be communicated to all personnel during the site induction.
Control
The process of creating RAMS will identify exclusion zones for mobile plant and equipment. Exclusion zones can be classified depending on their level of risk and colour coded.
Yellow Zone
The Banksman must remain within this zone to be able to direct the plant operator. All personnel approaching operating plant must do so from this zone to gain visual contact with the plant operator and authorisation from the before Banksman entering Plant Interface Zones.
Amber Zone
Entry prohibited until positive visual contact is confirmed by the plant operator (e.g. thumbs up), authorisation from the Banksman given, the dipper arm / attachment is grounded, the machine is immobilised using the safety lever and the engine is switched off.
Where work in the amber zone is unavoidable, a robust, task specific safe system of work must be produced.
Red Zone
Entry prohibited unless the machine is completely isolated, the engine is switched off and a specific safe system of work is in place that prevents the machine being operated either inadvertently or deliberately.
Tasks that require working within amber and red zones include:
- Drainage
- Piling
- Bearing tests
- Plant maintenance
- Archaeology
- Earth moving
- Lifting operations
- Kerb laying
Working within amber and red zones requires a Safe System of Work to be in place:
- Ensure the Risk Assessment and Method Statement fully covers the work involved.
- Have a full plan of when and how to enter and exit safely.
- Only those who need to reach the machine bucket or lifting point areas may enter a restricted area.
- Those entering the restricted area must be experienced in working alongside excavators, be fully briefed on working within a restricted zone, informed on the specific risks involved, agree on the means of communication to be used whether radio, verbal or hand signals, and the operator must be able to see those working in the restricted zone at all times.
To enter the red zone:
- Make eye contact with the operator.
- Indicate that you with to approach.
- Wait for the operator to ground the excavator’s bucket/attachment.
- Wait for the operator to isolate the machine and switch the engine off.
- Only approach once the operator indicates with a thumbs-up that it’s safe to do so.
- Only approach through the amber zone.
- Leave the same way you entered.
- The plant operator can only move when you are outside the restricted area.
Remember
- Do not enter an exclusion zone unless signaled by the operator.
- Plant operators must not operate machine when unauthorized persons are in exclusion zone.
- Any task that requires workers to enter zones, e.g. kerb laying, disconnecting attachments, slinging loads, off-loading materials, must have a safe system of work.
- The safe system of work must be specific to your site. There must be a clear system of communication between the plant operator and workers performing the task.
