Product Overview

Summary: This Traffic and Pedestrian Management Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, practical framework for safely managing vehicle movements and pedestrian access on Australian worksites and facilities. It helps businesses control high‑risk interactions between people and plant, meet WHS and road authority expectations, and keep projects moving without compromising safety.

Wherever vehicles, mobile plant and people interact—on construction sites, in warehouses, at depots, on civil works or during events—the risk of serious harm is high. This Traffic and Pedestrian Management Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, step‑by‑step approach to planning, implementing and monitoring safe traffic and pedestrian flows in line with Australian WHS obligations. It covers everything from initial site assessment and traffic management planning through to signage, barriers, spotters, traffic controller duties, and ongoing review.

The SOP is designed to solve common pain points such as unclear access routes, ad‑hoc parking, unsafe reversing practices, and inconsistent use of traffic controllers and spotters. It gives your team a consistent method for segregating vehicles and pedestrians, controlling entry and exit points, managing deliveries, and communicating changes in traffic conditions. By adopting this procedure, businesses can significantly reduce the likelihood of collisions, near misses and public complaints, while demonstrating due diligence to regulators, clients and principal contractors across Australian jurisdictions.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of vehicle–pedestrian collisions through clear separation, controls and communication.
• Ensure compliance with WHS legislation, local road authority requirements and client traffic management expectations.
• Standardise how traffic and pedestrian risks are identified, assessed and controlled across all sites.
• Improve site efficiency by streamlining deliveries, plant movements and access routes.
• Demonstrate due diligence with documented, repeatable processes that stand up to audits and incident investigations.

Who is this for?

• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Traffic Controllers
• Warehouse and Logistics Managers
• Facilities and Operations Managers
• Civil and Roadworks Contractors
• Event Operations Managers
• Local Government Works Supervisors
• Principal Contractors

Hazards Addressed

• Vehicle and mobile plant collisions with pedestrians
• Vehicle‑to‑vehicle and plant‑to‑plant collisions
• Reversing and blind‑spot incidents involving trucks, forklifts and earthmoving equipment
• Unauthorised access by the public or visitors into high‑risk work areas
• Struck‑by incidents from moving vehicles, loading and unloading activities
• Slips, trips and falls caused by poorly defined pedestrian routes or debris in walkways
• Traffic congestion at site access points leading to unsafe manoeuvres
• Poor visibility due to weather, lighting or site layout impacting driver and pedestrian awareness

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Terms
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, Site Supervisor, Traffic Controller, Workers, Visitors)
• 4.0 Regulatory and Standards Framework
• 5.0 Site Assessment and Traffic Risk Identification
• 6.0 Development of Traffic and Pedestrian Management Plans
• 7.0 Vehicle and Pedestrian Separation Controls (barriers, exclusion zones, walkways)
• 8.0 Signage, Line Marking and Lighting Requirements
• 9.0 Control of Entry, Exit and Delivery Points
• 10.0 Use of Traffic Controllers, Spotters and Signallers
• 11.0 Safe Work Practices for Vehicles and Mobile Plant (speed limits, reversing, parking)
• 12.0 Pedestrian Route Design and Accessibility Considerations
• 13.0 Communication, Induction and Toolbox Talks on Traffic Management
• 14.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements for Traffic Areas
• 15.0 Managing Traffic During High‑Risk Activities and Peak Periods
• 16.0 Emergency Access, Egress and Incident Response Procedures
• 17.0 Monitoring, Inspection and Corrective Actions for Traffic Controls
• 18.0 Review, Consultation and Continuous Improvement of Traffic Management
• 19.0 Recordkeeping, Documentation and Audit Requirements
• 20.0 Appendices – Sample Traffic Management Plan, Checklists and Inspection Forms

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory equivalents)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (and state/territory equivalents) – traffic and mobile plant provisions
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice
• AS 1742 Set: Manual of uniform traffic control devices
• AS/NZS 4801: Occupational health and safety management systems (superseded but still referenced in many systems)
• ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems
• Austroads Guides and relevant state/territory traffic control manuals for works on roads (e.g. NSW TfNSW Traffic Control at Work Sites manual)