Plant / people interface
Do not enter any area where plant is operating until the operator has switched off and acknowledged you.
On average, seven workers die each year after accidents involving vehicles or mobile plant on construction sites.
93 more are seriously injured. (HSE statistics)
Construction vehicle accidents are caused by
- inadequate planning and control
- inadequate separation of pedestrians and vehicles.
Please keep away from plant when the engine is running.
- Five minutes after the photo on the right was taken (October 2010) on a Highways Agency widening scheme near M25 junction 29, the traffic marshal was killed by the reversing dozer. Mihai Hondru was directing the lorry when the bulldozer reversed into him.
The bulldozer driver had assumed he would move out of the way. He was found guilty of breaching CDM regulations and given a six month suspended prison sentence, and fined £2,500. His employer was fined and went into liquidation.
- In January 2016, Ian Walker died on the Third Don crossing project in Aberdeen, UK. Ian was a working supervisor / ganger. After refuelling a 14t wheeled excavator, the operator slewed the cab 180 degrees to drive back to his workplace. Ian was trapped between the counterweight at the back of the machine and the fuel tank. The investigation is ongoing.
- On 10 October 2016, Robert English died at the M1 Junction 18-16 smart motorway project when a 6 tonne forward tipping dumper struck him.
- On 4 October 2016 David Green died at a site in Essex when a dumper overturned.
Before starting work, make sure your briefing includes exclusion zones and the safe system of work.
- There must be a plant exclusion zone with a physical barrier around operational mobile plant
and vehicles. - Yellow, amber and red zones must be identified in the work package plan or method statement.
- There must be safe pedestrian access to and within site areas.
Any exceptional task that requires workers to enter zones, eg kerb laying, disconnecting attachments, slinging loads, off-loading materials from fork lift trucks or lorry beds, must have a safe system of work.
The safe system of work must be specific to your site. There must be a clear system of communication between the plant operator and workers performing the task.
Site pedestrian and construction vehicle signs and road markings must be provided to the standards set by the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations.
Vehicle marshals must have an unobstructed walking route that is not in the direct route of the reversing vehicle.
Never use the same route that the plant or vehicle is about to travel. If you slip, trip or fall, the operator may not notice and may not stop.
Vehicle marshals who are required to direct reversing plant or vehicles must be in a place of safety at all times until the plant or vehicle is isolated.
Drivers and vehicle marshals must maintain constant visual contact during reversing operations.
If you have a concern regarding plant or vehicle movements on your site, raise it with your supervisor or manager immediately. Don’t wait until an incident occurs.