Traffic Management

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that:

• Work is carried out without any injury to road users and
• A safe work environment is provided for workers that are working in or adjacent to the road corridor.

This procedure applies to all HY projects where work is carried out on or adjacent to a road.

Responsibilities

HY Project Team

• Ensure Traffic Management Plans and Traffic Guidance Schemes are developed by qualified personnel if required for the project
• Ensure permits have been obtained from jurisdictional authorities
• Ensure traffic management documentation is developed in accordance with development approvals and contract conditions
• Ensure Traffic management is implemented and maintained in accordance with the project’s Traffic Guidance Scheme and approvals
• Ensure applicable Council or Government Transport Authority Work Permits are implemented prior to commencing work
• Ensure only trained and competent persons perform work on site
• Ensure worker competencies and qualifications are verified prior to commencing work
• Ensure that SWMS are provided for any work that is carried out on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor that is in use by traffic other than pedestrians

Hazard Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)

Risks associated with work on or adjacent to a road must be identified as part of the Project Risk Assessment.  This includes risks for:

• Personnel setting up, operating, changing and dismantling traffic guidance schemes
• Adjoining properties with access near or at the site
• Vulnerable road users such as cyclists, pedestrians and the mobility impaired
• Construction traffic that needs to exit and enter the traffic stream (including delivery drivers)

When identifying controls, the following traffic management hierarchy must be taken into account:

• Around the work area – remove traffic from the worksite entirely by diverting it around the work (i.e. via detour or side track)
• Through the work area – periodically stopping traffic (by traffic controllers) to allow the work to progress without exposure to traffic. then releasing traffic through the worksite when workers have vacated the works
• Past the work area – separate traffic from workers either by a physical barrier or through the means of a separation space

Traffic Management Competencies

Personnel in traffic management roles must be competent for the category of road that the temporary traffic management applies to.

• Category 1 (most urban streets and lower volume rural roads)
• Category 2 (high-volume roads)
• Category 3 (expressways = high-volume & high-speed roads)

Personnel must be appropriately licenced for the work that they are undertaking as per relevant state requirements.  Traffic management roles are classified as follows:

• Traffic Controller – responsible for the manual control of traffic through the use of a Portable Traffic Control Device or a Stop/Slow bat. They may also confirm and remove signs and devices, and cover as required, as part of ceasing work activities.
• Traffic Management Implementer – responsible for the traffic management and the workers under their direction. This includes implementing and monitoring traffic guidance schemes as well as closing down the work activities.
• Traffic Management Designer – responsible for the planning and initial risk assessment of a worksite. They are also responsible for developing the Traffic Management Plan and Traffic Guidance Schemes.

Project Traffic Management Plan

HY’s Project Traffic Management Plan (PTMP) is intended to document the site-specific information and requirements and is not to be used in place of a Traffic Management Plan described below per the MUTCD. The document described below shall be an appendix to HY’s PTMP.

The Project Traffic Management Plan is to be used to document on site traffic processes, including but not limited to:

• Internal roadways and haul roads
• Traffic signs and speed limits
• Pedestrian paths and crossings
• Site access and delivery processes

A Traffic Management Plan must be developed that is specific to the unique requirements of each project site.  It must be prepared by a competent and qualified person and be based on a risk assessment.  The Traffic Management Plan must include:

• Identified issues, hazards and risks to road workers, road users and the road environment at the work site
• Methods for controlling the risks
• Approvals from relevant authorities (as required)
• Traffic Guidance Schemes
• Management of community expectations, including stakeholder consultation
• Implementation process
• Monitoring, maintaining, improving and recording keeping
• Traffic control devices removal process
• Review and evaluation process

The PTMP must be reviewed for adequacy periodically throughout the duration of the project.

A SWMS must also be developed for all work that is carried out on, in or adjacent to a road in use by traffic other than pedestrians.

Road Occupancy Licence (NSW Only)

A Road Occupancy Licence (ROL) is required for any activity likely to impact on traffic flow, even if that activity takes place off-road.  Examples of road occupancies are:

• Road maintenance such as re-surfacing, or line-marking
• Lane closures around a building site (as a hazard reduction) or to get cranes or other equipment in and out
• Grass cutting along a median strip possibly requiring the road shoulder or a lane to be closed

A Road Occupancy Licence allows the applicant to use a specified road space at approved times, provided certain conditions are met.

 Log-in details to submit and manage applications are available on SharePoint.

Traffic Guidance Schemes

A Traffic Guidance Scheme (TGS) is used to describe the arrangement of signs and devices to warn, instruct and safely guide road users around, through or past a works site or temporary hazards.  They can be either:

• Short term – where a TGS is required only while work personnel are in attendance. Duration is generally limited to a single work shift or lesser period where road conditions are returned to normal when the shift or lesser period ends
• Long term – where a TGS is required to operate both day and night and may be left unattended

The Traffic Guidance Scheme must:

• Form part of the TMP
• Be site specific or site suitable
• Control the risks identified in the TMP
• Be prepared by a competent person

Prior to implementation, an on-site risk assessment must be conducted to ensure that the TGS is appropriate for the road environment.

Implementation Of Traffic Guidance Schemes

Signs and devices must be:

• Erected and displayed in a defined order before work commences at the work site
• Routinely monitored and maintained by a competent person to ensure the safe and efficient of the implemented TGS
• Remain in place until all work has been completed
• Removed in a defined order from the work site when no longer applicable

Personnel must be aware when positioning signage and ensure an unobstructed “escape route” in event of emergency.  Where practicable, a vehicle should be positioned to protect personnel against oncoming traffic.

Approval for erection and removal of certain regulatory traffic control devices may need to be obtained from the appropriate authority.  Approval must be obtained from the relevant state authority prior to the use of any sign or device that is not specified in the MUTCD.

Temporary speed zones must:

• Only apply while the relevant conditions exist
• Only be displayed when workers, plant or traffic controllers are on-site
• Be removed or covered at other times unless deemed necessary for traffic safety purposes

A record must be kept of the dates and times that the temporary speed zone is in operation, including any changes made, with the names of persons erecting, changing or removing signs.

Inspections

Signs and devices must be inspected prior to installation to ensure that they are in good condition and performance is not impaired.  This includes:

• Mechanical condition – items that are bent, broken or show surface damage must not be used
• Cleanliness – items must be free from accumulated dirt, road grime or other contamination
• Colour – items that have become colour faded to a point where they have lost their daylight impact must be replaced
• Retroreflectivity – items whose retroreflectivity is degraded from long use or surface damage must be replaced

Daily Record Keeping

Daily records of the sign arrangement or traffic guidance scheme must be kept.  As a minimum, the record should include:

• Name of TMI in charge of site
• Date
• Location
• Identification of job (including, reference numbers if applicable)
• Time of inspection
• Detail of adjustments and modifications made and by whom
• Name of person authorising and modifications
• Comments
• Reference number of traffic management plan or traffic guidance scheme
• Provision for hand over from one TMI to another during shift change
• Weather conditions
• Onsite traffic controllers (if any) and TMI details.

A checklist that includes the following must also be completed as part of the daily record:

• Are signs upright, clean, visible, level & stable
• Are taper lengths correct
• Are speed limit signs correct and doubled up
• Are sign spacings correct
• Are cone/bollard alignments straight & spaced correctly
• Are devices operating correctly
• Have pedestrians and cyclists been catered for
• Are lane widths adequate
• Are vehicle queue lengths acceptable
• Is road surface condition adequate
• Installation and removal times
• Are free from tampering and vandalism

Pedestrian Management

Pedestrian movement must be controlled and managed when vehicles entering and leaving site.  Members of the public must be excluded for all Hansen Yuncken work areas.  Pedestrian management to be conducted in professional manner.

Ensure temporary ramps, footpaths and access ways:

• Are inspected regularly, are free from any trip or slip hazards and comply with local building codes
• Provide for prams, strollers, wheelchairs and other mobility devices

Emergency Response

Where traffic management is being undertaken as part of work at a site, the procedures for the response to an emergency related to traffic management must be included in the Emergency Response Plan.

The TMP must detail all procedures to be undertaken in the event of an incident occurring (e.g. road crash or vehicle breakdown) including facilitation of passage past the incident, first aid response, emergency services contact and clearing the site.

Definitions and Abbreviations

ROL – Road Occupancy Licence

TGS – Traffic Guidance Scheme

TMP – Traffic Management Plan

PTMP – Project Traffic Management Plan

References

• AS 1742.3: Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices – Traffic control for works on roads
• Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (2019)
• Road Occupancy Manual (Transport Management Centre NSW) 2015
• Federal Safety Commission (FSC) Audit Criteria – H15 Traffic

Associated Documents

• HYer Standard – Traffic Management
• Quick Guide – Chain of Responsibility
• Transport and Deliveries procedure
• Mobile Plant procedure