Safety is the number one priority when it comes to any workplace or worksite. Ensuring the safety of not only the workers but also pedestrians, people driving past and contractors entering the site. When you have a worksite or event that is going to impact the roads surrounding the site, extra care needs to be taken. In these situations a traffic control plan needs to be put in place. This plan is there to ensure that the disruption to the roads is not done in a dangerous way. The plan ensures the safety of those on the roads and also those entering the site from the roads. But what is a traffic control plan and how does it work?

What is a traffic control plan?

A traffic control plan is a requirement for all construction sites and events that are going to impact the roads in any way. The plan involves assessing the impact that there will be on the roads and how it will be addressed.

The assessment will include details on how pedestrians will be impacted and whether their walkways will be closed off. It will detail how the traffic and vehicles will be impacted and whether detours will need to be in place. It will also have information about how the construction vehicles will assess the site and if there needs to be closures of roads to assist with this.

Once the assessment has been completed the plan is put together in a diagram form so that it can be seen how the roads will be impacted.

Why is it needed?

A traffic control plan is a workplace health and safety requirement. It is there to keep not only those working on the site safe but also those who are driving or walking in the vicinity of the site. This means that a copy of the plan should be readily available on the job site for all employees, contractors and inspectors to view when needed.

It is a legal requirement to have a traffic control plan in place. Traffic control plans must adhere to the respective guidelines of each Australian State and Territory, chiefly the Australian Standard 1742.3. The NSW Traffic Control guidelines, for instance, detail requirements for specific signage, approach speeds of vehicles and traffic volume parameters.

When is a traffic control plan needed?

Any business that is conducting works that will impact the roads and disrupt the normal flow of traffic require a traffic control plan. This includes construction sites, roadworks and special events taking place.

The traffic control plan needs to be completed by an experienced consultant such as the team from Transport and Traffic Planning Associates. The reason for this is because there are many requirements and regulations that need to be adhered to. By having an experienced consultant complete the plan, you can be guaranteed that it meets or exceeds these regulations and requirements.

The plan needs to be in place for the entirety of the time that the roads will be impacted. This includes having the signage visible on the roads and the plan accessible for the employees and contractors.

Each state has it’s own requirements, so it is important that you check this before going ahead. Find out what exactly your state requires and ensure that this is included in your traffic control plan.

TTPA

A traffic control plan needs to be completed and executed correctly in order to provide safety for both the workers and those who are accessing the areas nearby the work site. This includes both pedestrians and motorists on the roads.

At Transport and Traffic Planning Associates, our team have many years’ experience in creating and executing traffic control plans. We aim to provide the highest quality safety within our plans and provide you with only the best outcome for your event or jobsite.

For more information about how we can help or to get started on the traffic control plan for your next project, get in touch with the team today.