Product Overview

Summary: This Roadside Clearance Standards SOP sets out clear, practical requirements for safely planning and carrying out vegetation and obstacle clearance along roadsides. It helps Australian organisations protect workers, road users and the public while maintaining compliant clear zones around traffic corridors, utilities and critical infrastructure.

Roadside clearance work exposes crews to a unique combination of high‑risk hazards: live traffic, chainsaws and brush cutters, working near utilities, uneven terrain and changing weather conditions. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, step‑by‑step approach for planning and delivering roadside clearance activities in accordance with Australian WHS legislation, road authority requirements and local government expectations. It defines minimum clearance envelopes, safe work zones, traffic control requirements and vegetation handling methods so that your teams can work efficiently without compromising safety.

The procedure is designed for organisations responsible for maintaining safe roadside environments, including councils, road agencies, civil contractors and utilities. It addresses key operational pain points such as inconsistent clearance standards between crews, inadequate traffic management, and poor documentation of site risk assessments. By implementing this SOP, businesses can demonstrate due diligence, reduce incident rates, and maintain clear, defensible records of how roadside hazards—such as overhanging branches, obscured signage and encroaching vegetation—are identified, controlled and monitored over time.

Key Benefits

• Ensure consistent roadside clearance standards across all crews, assets and geographic regions.
• Reduce the risk of worker injury from live traffic, vegetation handling and equipment use.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS legislation and road authority requirements.
• Streamline planning, permitting and traffic management for roadside works.
• Improve public safety by maintaining clear sightlines, signage visibility and safe clear zones.

Who is this for?

• Road Maintenance Supervisors
• Civil Works Managers
• Local Government Infrastructure Officers
• Vegetation Management Contractors
• Traffic Management Planners
• Arborists and Vegetation Control Crews
• WHS Managers and Safety Advisors
• Utilities Field Supervisors (power, telecommunications, water)
• Construction Project Managers (road and rail corridors)
• Parks and Gardens Coordinators

Hazards Addressed

• Vehicle strikes on workers from live traffic and work vehicles
• Contact with moving plant and equipment (mowers, slashers, chippers, EWP)
• Chainsaw and brush cutter injuries (cuts, kickback, flying debris)
• Falls on uneven, sloping or unstable roadside terrain
• Working near overhead and underground utilities (electricity, telecommunications, gas, water)
• Exposure to noise, vibration and airborne contaminants (dust, pollen, exhaust)
• Struck-by hazards from falling branches and debris
• Manual handling and musculoskeletal injuries from lifting and dragging vegetation
• Heat stress, UV exposure and adverse weather conditions
• Bites and stings from insects, snakes and other fauna in roadside vegetation

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Abbreviations
• 3.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Guidance
• 4.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 5.0 Pre-Start Planning and Risk Assessment
• 6.0 Roadside Clearance Standards and Minimum Clearances
• 7.0 Traffic Management and Work Zone Setup
• 8.0 Vegetation Assessment and Selection of Control Methods
• 9.0 Safe Use of Plant, Tools and Equipment
• 10.0 Working Near Utilities and Other Services
• 11.0 Environmental and Cultural Heritage Considerations
• 12.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements
• 13.0 Step-by-Step Roadside Clearance Procedure
• 14.0 Waste Handling, Mulching and Disposal of Vegetation
• 15.0 Hazard Reporting, Incidents and Near Misses
• 16.0 Emergency Preparedness and Response
• 17.0 Training, Induction and Competency Verification
• 18.0 Inspection, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
• 19.0 Records, Documentation and Audit Requirements

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and corresponding state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 and state/territory equivalents
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Plant in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks
• AS/NZS 1742: Manual of uniform traffic control devices (for temporary traffic management near worksites)
• Austroads Guides and state road authority manuals for clear zones and roadside hazard management
• AS 1744: Standard alphabets for road signs (supporting signage visibility and clearance)
• AS/NZS 1891 series: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices (where work at height is involved)
• AS/NZS 2161 series: Occupational protective gloves (for vegetation and equipment handling)
• AS/NZS 2210 series: Safety, protective and occupational footwear
• AS/NZS 1337.1: Personal eye protection
• AS/NZS 1801: Occupational protective helmets