Mobile Plant Working Near-Around Safe Work Method Statement

If urgent access to an exclusion zone is required but radio communication with the operator cannot be established, do not enter the zone regardless of urgency. First, verify your radio is functioning by calling another worker or supervision to confirm your transmission is being received. Check the radio channel matches the channel announced at pre-start meeting. If your radio is working but the operator still doesn't respond, the operator may have radio volume turned down, radio switched off, or battery depleted. Locate a site supervisor, traffic controller, or spotter who can physically approach the operator and request work stoppage for your access. Never attempt to gain operator attention by walking into exclusion zones waving arms—operators may be focused on their task and not notice you until too late. If the work is genuinely urgent affecting site safety or progress, explain the urgency to supervision who can authorise alternative approaches such as complete plant shutdown for the period you need access. Remember that most 'urgent' needs can wait a few minutes for proper communication protocols to be established. The consequences of entering exclusion zones without clearance include your death—no work task is urgent enough to justify that risk.

Staying outside marked exclusion zones provides minimum baseline safety, but does not eliminate all struck-by risks. General guidance suggests maintaining at least 5 metres clearance from any mobile plant even outside formal exclusion zones, increasing this distance for larger equipment or faster-moving vehicles. When machinery is travelling rather than working in fixed positions, maintain greater clearance as travel paths may vary. Consider the specific hazards of each plant type: excavators create swing radius hazards extending well beyond the machine body; reversing trucks create particular danger even at distances; loaders carrying raised buckets may have stability issues affecting their movement path. Position yourself where operators can see you—standing directly in front or behind machinery places you in maximum blind spot zones even outside exclusion boundaries. Work on the opposite side of barriers or structures from mobile plant where possible, using physical objects as shields. If your work task requires you to be closer than 5 metres to operating plant for extended periods, this should trigger discussion with supervision about whether exclusion zones need expansion, whether plant operations should be paused for your work duration, or whether additional controls such as dedicated spotter assignment are required. Never assume that staying outside marked zones provides complete protection—these zones mark areas of highest risk but struck-by incidents can occur beyond zone boundaries if both workers and operators become complacent.

If you observe another worker bypassing exclusion zone protocols, entering zones without radio clearance, or otherwise placing themselves in danger near mobile plant, you have both a moral and potentially a legal responsibility to intervene. Under WHS legislation, workers have duties to take reasonable care for their own safety and the safety of others who may be affected by their actions. This extends to intervening when you observe unsafe acts. Your immediate priority is preventing injury—if the person is in imminent danger, use the emergency stop protocol by calling 'STOP STOP STOP' on the radio or approaching the plant operator directly if you are close enough to signal them to stop without placing yourself at risk. If the immediate danger passes without incident, approach the worker and politely remind them of correct exclusion zone protocols. They may be new to the site, may not have understood induction, or may have simply forgotten in the moment. If the worker responds defensively or dismisses your concerns, escalate to your supervisor or the site safety representative. Document what you observed including the time, location, who was involved, and what unsafe action occurred. If you witness repeated violations by the same individual, this information helps supervision address the pattern through retraining or, if necessary, removal from site. Never feel you are 'dobbing' on colleagues by reporting unsafe behaviours—struck-by incidents are typically fatal and you may prevent someone's death by speaking up. Most modern construction sites encourage worker-to-worker safety interventions and have amnesty policies protecting those who report concerns from retaliation.

When multiple mobile plant units operate in the same area, exclusion zones become more complex and require careful coordination. Each individual machine creates its own exclusion zone based on its reach, swing radius, or travel path. These zones may overlap creating areas where multiple operators must coordinate before ground workers can receive clearance for entry. In such situations, sites typically assign a senior operator, supervisor, or dedicated traffic controller who coordinates all movements and grants access clearances. Before entering any area where multiple machines operate, you must contact the designated coordinator rather than individual operators. The coordinator will direct all operators to pause, confirm all machinery is stopped and operators are aware of your presence, and then grant clearance for your entry. You may be assigned an escort or spotter who maintains radio contact with the coordinator throughout your time in the multi-machine area. When multiple machines operate, timing becomes critical—coordinators may establish cycles where plant operates for defined periods, then stops for ground worker access windows, then resumes operation. Understanding and following these schedules reduces conflict between production needs and safety requirements. Complex multi-machine operations may justify establishing temporary hard-barrier exclusion systems creating complete physical segregation, or may require scheduling work in stages where only one machine operates while others are shut down. Attend pre-start meetings carefully when multiple plant units will operate—the coordination protocols will be explained and may differ from simpler single-machine scenarios.

Crossing active haul routes where trucks are continuously travelling between loading and dumping points requires careful planning and timing. The safest approach is identifying designated pedestrian crossings where haul routes are interrupted by gates or barriers controlled by traffic controllers. Wait at crossings until traffic controllers signal clearance to cross. If designated crossings don't exist, determine whether your work can be scheduled during planned breaks in haulage operations—many sites schedule regular breaks every 2 hours allowing safe ground worker access. If you must cross active haul routes, choose crossing points with maximum visibility in both directions. Position yourself where you can see approaching trucks from as far as possible—avoid crossing near corners, crests, or other locations where trucks appear suddenly. Before crossing, establish radio contact with the haul route coordinator or individual truck operators if known, informing them you need to cross and requesting confirmation the route is momentarily clear. Wait for positive acknowledgment. Look both directions carefully remembering trucks may approach from either direction on haul routes. Make eye contact with any visible truck drivers before proceeding—verify they have seen you and are stopped or slowing. Cross at 90 degrees to the haul route taking the shortest path across rather than walking diagonally which increases exposure time. Move briskly but do not run which could cause stumbling. Once across, immediately radio that you have cleared the haul route. Never assume truck drivers will stop for you—loaded trucks require significant stopping distances and drivers' visibility may be obscured by loads or dust. Treat crossing haul routes with the same caution as crossing busy public roads.

Delivery drivers, suppliers, consultants, clients, and other visitors to construction sites are subject to the same exclusion zone protocols as construction workers, but often require additional supervision due to unfamiliarity with construction hazards and site-specific procedures. All visitors must complete site induction before accessing construction areas—this is non-negotiable regardless of how briefly they will be on site. Delivery drivers pose particular challenges because they frequently need to access areas near mobile plant to deliver materials. Sites should establish designated delivery zones separate from active construction areas where possible. When deliveries must occur in areas with mobile plant operations, implement positive control systems: delivery vehicles are met at site entry by a site representative who escorts the vehicle to the delivery point, coordinates with plant operators to pause operations during unloading, and escorts the vehicle off site. Delivery drivers should remain in their vehicle cabins during unloading performed by site personnel where this is feasible. If drivers must exit vehicles to assist unloading, they must don high-visibility vests provided by the site and remain under constant supervision by site personnel. Never allow delivery drivers to wander the site unescorted or approach operating plant to ask questions. Professional visitors such as consultants and engineers may believe their professional status exempts them from protocols—it does not. All visitors must be inducted, must comply with exclusion zone protocols, and should be accompanied by site personnel when accessing active construction areas. Explain to visitors that protocols exist for their protection and that principal contractors have legal duties to ensure visitor safety.