Product Overview

This Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) sets out the high-level procedures, hazards and controls required to manage pedestrian safety around mobile plant and machinery on Australian worksites. It is a comprehensive, consolidated document that covers multiple aspects of pedestrian interaction with mobile plant, machinery and equipment to support strong WHS compliance and incident prevention.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Managing pedestrian movements when mobile plant is working near or around walkways, loading areas and work zones
• Safe systems of work for personnel operating and working around powered mobile plant such as forklifts, loaders, EWPs and skid steers
• Control measures for working around rotating equipment including guarding, exclusion zones and lock-out procedures
• Working in close proximity to machinery with moving parts, crush points, nip points and entanglement hazards
• Managing pedestrian and worker exposure when working near cranes and other heavy lifting machines
• Controls for working near exposed rotating shafts, couplings, belts and pulleys to prevent entanglement and contact injuries
• Risk controls for working near high-powered machinery including plant start-up, isolation and emergency stop procedures
• Design and enforcement of pedestrian exclusion zones, designated walkways and crossing points around mobile plant
• Implementation of traffic management plans, spotters and communication protocols between operators and pedestrians
• Use of high-visibility clothing, signage, barriers and lighting to clearly separate plant and pedestrian areas
• Safe reversing, loading, unloading and manoeuvring of mobile plant in shared work areas
• Pre-start checks, defect reporting and maintenance to ensure mobile plant safety systems are functional
• Emergency response procedures for plant–pedestrian incidents, near misses and uncontrolled movements

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for civil contractors, construction companies, warehousing and logistics operations, manufacturing facilities, plant hire businesses, and site supervisors managing any work where pedestrians and mobile plant or machinery operate in the same area.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice: Guidance on identifying and controlling risks associated with plant and machinery.
• Traffic Management for Workplaces (Safe Work Australia Guidance): Principles for separating pedestrians and vehicles, and designing safe traffic flows.
• Managing Risks in Construction Work Code of Practice: Requirements and controls for construction activities involving mobile plant and pedestrian interfaces.
• Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination Code of Practice: Ensuring workers and PCBUs consult on traffic and pedestrian safety risks.
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice: Risk management framework for identifying, assessing and controlling plant–pedestrian hazards.
• Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice: Consideration of traffic routes, access ways and segregation of plant and pedestrians in site layout.
• AS/NZS 4024 Safety of Machinery (series): Safety principles for machinery guarding, emergency stops and protection from moving parts.
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017