Working Around Mobile Plant

Why it matters

Excavators, loaders, telehandlers, and trucks share the ground with workers on foot, and the operator often cannot see the person right beside the machine. Work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant is high risk construction work. Most struck-by incidents happen because someone on foot was somewhere the operator did not expect.

Hazards

• ⚠ Workers on foot in the operator's blind spots
• ⚠ People in the slew or reversing path of a machine
• ⚠ No separation between plant traffic and pedestrians
• ⚠ Reversing with no spotter or reversing aid
• ⚠ Being under or too close to a suspended load

Controls and safe practices

• ✓ Separate plant and people under the hierarchy of controls (reg 36): physical barriers and exclusion zones first.
• ✓ Establish traffic management: set routes for plant, walkways for people, and keep them apart.
• ✓ Use a trained spotter with agreed signals when separation is not possible or when reversing.
• ✓ Make eye contact with the operator before approaching, and never assume you have been seen.
• ✓ Stay out of the slew zone and never stand under a suspended load.
• ✓ Wear high-visibility clothing in all plant areas.

Crew discussion questions

1. Where do plant and people cross paths on this site?
2. Who is spotting, and what signals are we using?
3. Where are the blind spots on the machines we are running?
4. Are the exclusion zones clear and understood?

Applicable WHS citations

reg 36

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