Product Overview

Summary: This Emergency Response Plan for Roadwork Sites SOP sets out clear, practical steps for managing incidents on and around live roadworks in Australia. It helps your crews respond quickly and confidently to crashes, worker injuries, traffic incidents, hazardous spills, and severe weather, while maintaining traffic control and meeting WHS and road authority requirements.

Roadwork sites are some of the most exposed and unpredictable workplaces in Australia, with workers operating only metres from live traffic, heavy plant, and the public. When an incident occurs, there is rarely time to think from first principles: everyone on site must know exactly what to do, who to call, and how to keep people safe while maintaining traffic flow where possible. This Emergency Response Plan for Roadwork Sites SOP provides a structured, step-by-step framework for dealing with emergencies in these dynamic environments, from vehicle collisions and struck‑by incidents to medical emergencies, hazardous material spills, fire, and severe weather events.

The procedure is tailored to Australian roadwork conditions and integrates WHS obligations with state and territory road authority requirements. It clarifies roles and responsibilities between the principal contractor, traffic controllers, subcontractors, and emergency services, and sets out communication protocols, site maps, access routes, and traffic management adjustments during an emergency. By implementing this SOP, businesses can demonstrate due diligence, reduce confusion and panic during critical events, and provide workers with the confidence that there is a tested plan in place to protect them and the public.

This document also supports pre-planning and training, with guidance on toolbox talks, drills, and coordination with local emergency services. It helps organisations capture lessons learned after an incident and continuously improve their emergency readiness across multiple sites and projects.

Key Benefits

• Ensure rapid, coordinated response to crashes, injuries, and other emergencies on or near roadwork sites.
• Reduce the risk of secondary incidents by clearly defining how to adjust or shut down traffic management during an emergency.
• Demonstrate compliance with WHS legislation and road authority requirements through a documented, repeatable emergency plan.
• Improve worker confidence and competence via clear roles, communication protocols, and training requirements.
• Streamline incident reporting, debriefing, and continuous improvement across multiple roadwork projects.

Who is this for?

• Roadwork Site Supervisors
• Traffic Controllers
• Civil Construction Project Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Forepersons and Leading Hands
• Principal Contractors
• Local Government Infrastructure Managers
• Road Maintenance Contractors
• Utilities Field Supervisors (working in road reserves)

Hazards Addressed

• Vehicle strikes on workers or plant within the work zone
• Motor vehicle collisions in or approaching the roadwork area
• Uncontrolled interaction between live traffic and emergency vehicles
• Medical emergencies involving workers, contractors, or members of the public
• Spills of fuel, oils, concrete, or other hazardous substances onto the road surface or into drains
• Fire involving vehicles, plant, or nearby vegetation
• Severe weather events impacting visibility, stability of traffic control devices, or worker safety
• Slip, trip, and fall hazards during evacuation or emergency movement
• Psychological stress and trauma following serious incidents

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope – Application to short-term, long-term and mobile roadwork sites
• 2.0 Definitions and Abbreviations – Key emergency and traffic management terminology
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities – Principal contractor, site supervisor, traffic controller, first aider, workers, subcontractors
• 4.0 Emergency Planning – Site-specific emergency plans, maps, assembly points, and access routes for emergency services
• 5.0 Communication Protocols – Internal communication, call trees, radio use, and contacting 000 and road authorities
• 6.0 Incident Types and Response Procedures – Vehicle strike, collision in work zone, medical emergency, fire, hazardous spill, security threat, severe weather
• 7.0 Traffic Management During Emergencies – Stopping works, lane closures, detours, and coordination with police and road authorities
• 8.0 Evacuation Procedures – Triggers, safe routes, assembly areas, head counts, and managing members of the public
• 9.0 First Aid and Initial Medical Response – On-site treatment, handover to paramedics, and privacy considerations
• 10.0 Coordination with Emergency Services – Pre-planning, site access, briefings, and control of the scene
• 11.0 Incident Reporting and Notification – WHS regulator, road authority, client, and internal reporting requirements
• 12.0 Post-Incident Review and Recovery – Debriefs, lessons learned, corrective actions, and psychological support
• 13.0 Training, Drills and Competency – Inductions, toolbox talks, scenario exercises, and record keeping
• 14.0 Document Control – Version management, review frequency, and responsibilities for updates
• 15.0 Appendices – Sample emergency contact list, site emergency plan template, emergency signage examples, and checklists

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and equivalent state and territory WHS Regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Construction Work
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (AGTTM) and relevant state road authority supplements (e.g. TMR QLD, TfNSW, DoT VIC)
• AS 3745:2010 Planning for emergencies in facilities
• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems
• National Standard for Construction Work (where adopted by jurisdiction)