Earlier this year Fulton Hogan in Australia set the goal to move workers on foot out of live lanes. It represents a critical risk for our people, making up almost 20% of recorded safety-related incidents.
“Working in and around live traffic is not just a challenge for Fulton Hogan, but for our industry as a whole,” said Matthew MacMahon, Chief Executive Officer, Fulton Hogan Infrastructure Services – Australia.
“No one should feel at risk in the workplace, yet we see our traffic controllers stepping into live lanes of traffic everyday with little protection other than a STOP SLOW bat to confront oncoming vehicles,” explained Matthew.
There are many complex elements to achieve this objective in its entirety, but Fulton Hogan will focus on traffic controllers as a first step. As such, from 1 June 2021, anyone undertaking traffic control for or on behalf of Fulton Hogan must align with the goal and apply changes to how they manage traffic.
FULTON HOGAN’S TRAFFIC GOAL
MOVE TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS OUT OF LIVE LANES FROM 1 JUNE 2021
WHAT ARE THE CHANGES?
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- REDUCE the use of STOP/SLOW bat by using alternate traffic management methods, making it the last resort device.
- The appropriate Fulton Hogan approval must be obtained to use STOP/SLOW bats BEFORE commencement of work.
- Traffic controllers to be positioned a minimum of 1.2m from live traffic when working near live lanes, unless STOP/SLOW two-up manager approval is received.
As part of this process, Fulton Hogan reviewed what traffic management approaches that could be used to support this goal. A traffic control guideline was developed based on the hierarchy of controls; with the safest and preferred option being a road closure, down to the last resort option being a STOP/SLOW bat with the appropriate approval.
Alternate traffic control devices were also reviewed, which included the GIBNEY® Barrier – a horizontal STOP/SLOW barrier arm that is opened and closed by the operator 1.2m from the live lane. It was evaluated by the Australian Roads Research Board (ARRB) as part of the Transport Infrastructure Product Evaluation Scheme (TIPES) and was successful in satisfying the requirements of the Product Evaluation Panel assembled by ARRB for the device.
Following its successful TIPES evaluation, Fulton Hogan has partnered with DeNeefe Signs/ Traffic Technologies, a traffic management signage specialist located in Victoria, and Blackroo Industries, an Indigenous owned enterprise that provides meaningful work to Indigenous inmates in the Muswellbrook region of NSW to manufacturer the device.
The changes are intended for us to look at alternate ways that keep traffic controllers safe and out of the live lanes.
We welcome your support to help us achieve safer outcomes for all our people working in the industry.
For more information email: staysafe@fultonhogan.com.au.
NOTE:
- Fulton Hogan two-up manager approval to be added to traffic plans if STOP/SLOW bat is required for ongoing use; it is your Fulton Hogan contact’s responsibility to supply this.
- STOP/SLOW bats can be used only for intermittent works without two-up approval such as;
- In the case of an emergency, such as a call out or incident. This should be considered and documented in the traffic management plan as to what devices are required in case of emergency as other options may still be available.
- Short-term needs such as holding traffic to let a vehicle exit/or enter a side road or slip lane.
- If an existing device fails or is unable to be operated such as a boom gate in high winds, or a set of traffic lights that becomes unserviceable during a shift.
ARRB – TIPES Certificate – Gibney Barrier 2022
The Gibney Operators Guide (AU edition v4)
Generic Traffic Guidance Schemes (TGS) for using Gibney Gates – 100-40 km/h (Generic Plan 1A)
