Traffic Management Guide - Events

							                                           Draft guide
                               Traffic Management: Events

This guide provides information for persons conducting a business or undertaking who have
management or control of the workplace at which a public event is held.
Introduction
Managing traffic at public organised events is essential in providing a safe workplace. Events can
include recreational, social, sporting, fundraising or artistic events. Traffic at events can include
cars, trucks, electric powered carts and pedestrians such as workers, event participants and event
patrons.
A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has a duty to ensure, so far as is
reasonably practicable, that workers and other persons at the workplace are not exposed to health
and safety risks arising from the business or undertaking. This duty includes implementing
measures to control the risks of persons being injured due to the movement of powered mobile
plant at the workplace. A PCBU also has a duty to consult, co-operate and co-ordinate activities
and to provide any information, training and instruction that is necessary to protect persons from
risks to their health and safety.
A PCBU for an event can include an event organiser. The event organiser is the person or entity
whose name principally appears on the relevant application forms for the event.
Event organisers should ensure the safety of event patrons, participants and workers (including
volunteers), and should establish procedures for traffic management at events.
The safest way to protect pedestrians is to eliminate the hazard, which means removing the use of
all vehicles including powered mobile plant or removing all pedestrians from traffic areas. This
could be achieved by designing the layout of the workplace to eliminate the interaction of
pedestrians and vehicles.
Where this is not reasonably practicable, the risks must be minimised so far as is reasonably
practicable. This can be achieved by careful planning and by controlling vehicle operations and
pedestrian movements at an event.
The key issues to consider for managing traffic at events are:
      traffic routes
      public transport and emergency service access
      walkways and crossings
      parking
      crowd safety
      developing a traffic management plan.
The local road traffic authority should be contacted for the relevant requirements where an event
interacts with a public road system.
Consultation, co-operation and co-ordination
Safety at an event is more easily achieved when people communicate with each other about the
potential health and safety risks and work together to find adequate solutions to these risks.
Sometimes event organisers and other business operators involved in event activities will both
have responsibility for health and safety matters. In these situations, event organisers should

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communicate with all necessary persons and work together in a co-operative and co-ordinated way
so all risks are eliminated or minimised so far as is reasonably practicable. This could include pre-
event planning meetings to identify potential traffic hazards and decide what needs to be done to
control the risks.
Consider the health and safety standards of third party delivery drivers, contractors and their sub-
contractors in relation to their selection and training procedures, maintenance of vehicles, use of
regular or ad-hoc drivers and incident records.
Information, instruction and training
Under the WHS Act a PCBU must provide workers and others at the workplace with adequate
information, training and instruction.
All workers need to know and understand the traffic rules, site safety policies and procedures for
the workplace. It is important to make sure that visiting drivers are aware of the layout of the event
site, the route they need to take and any relevant safety procedures, for example parking and
unloading vehicles. Unauthorised personnel should not be allowed to drive vehicles at the event
site.
Other persons at the workplace, so far as they’re able, must comply with any reasonable
instruction that is given by the PCBU. They must also take reasonable care for their own health
and safety and that they do not adversely affect the health and safety of others.
Traffic routes
Traffic routes should be separate for both vehicles and pedestrians at an event site.
Easily identifiable collection and drop off areas that provide adequate waiting space without
interfering with traffic flows should be provided for disabled people, taxis and public transport.
Traffic routes should be:
      clearly sign-posted to indicate restricted parking, event patron parking, speed limits, vehicle
       movement and other route hazards
      one-way if possible, with adequate passing space around stationary vehicles
      wide enough for emergency vehicle access and the largest vehicle using them, including
       the load
      designed with separate entries and exits for large vehicles and include turn around points
       for vehicles
      designed with adequate visibility at junctions so emerging drivers can see and be seen by
       approaching drivers.
Speed limits should be implemented and enforced.
Loading/unloading areas should be designed or modified to avoid, where possible, the need for
vehicles to reverse where there is potential for interaction with pedestrians or other vehicles. All
users of loading/unloading areas should have good sight of other users.
Emergency services access and their ability to get to an incident should be addressed. Entry and
exit areas should be adequate for emergency services and provisions made for safe passage of
emergency vehicles through pedestrian traffic areas.




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Walkways and crossings
Pedestrian barriers should be provided at entries and exits to prevent pedestrians walking in front of
vehicles.
If this is not reasonably practicable consider:
      railings or bollards to protect ‘blind’ or convex corners of buildings
      gates that are interlocked, chicaned or hinged so they open towards the pedestrian - these
       methods create a stop or pause in the pedestrian’s movement
      traffic routes wide enough for safety where separation is not practicable
      mirrors for both pedestrians and vehicles to supplement other controls
      pedestrian routes that represent paths people would naturally follow which will
       encourage pedestrians to stay on designated safe routes and avoid taking potentially
       hazardous shortcuts
      separate, clearly marked footpaths or walkways (e.g. using lines painted on the
       ground or different coloured surfacing along with sturdy or light weight barriers and
       signage).
If pedestrians have to cross vehicle routes at an event site consider:
      overhead walkways
      physical barriers with inward opening gates
      traffic light systems
      traffic management officers on both sides to aid pedestrians
      clearly visible ground markings, lights and signs, and
      clear pedestrian and vehicle visibility.
Parking
If onsite parking is provided there should be separation between event and patron vehicles.
Patron vehicles should only be parked in designated areas and away from event work areas where
practicable.
Walkways leading to and from parking areas should be separated from vehicle routes, clearly
marked, signposted, adequately lit and unobstructed.
Disabled parking should be clearly identified, easily accessible and located as close as practicable
to an event site, facilities and entries and exits. Access should be provided between any car
parking space for disabled people and any adjoining pathway or building.
Crowd safety
Entries and exits should be managed efficiently so they do not create crowds which could interfere
with traffic flows. Workers and event participants should have a separate entries and exits.
Entries and exits can be safely managed by considering the following:
      provide an adequate number of gates
      ensure gates open on time
      provide adequate numbers of staff including security




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      clearly marked exits to eliminate confusion
      a designated area for bag and identification checks, if required.
Traffic management plans
A traffic management plan can help manage risks and communicate information regarding control
measures. It may include details of:
      traffic controls including illustrations of the layout of barriers, walkways, signs and general
       arrangements to warn and guide traffic around, past, or within an event site
      travel paths for vehicles, including entries and exits, routes for special or heavy vehicles, or
       traffic crossing another stream of traffic
      preferred access routes to an event site
      pedestrian routes
      the number of entries and exits and how they will be managed
      monitoring and controlling site access provided to delivery vehicles throughout an event
      parking arrangements including over-flow parking
      suitable provisions for people with disabilities (e.g. ramps at entries and exits)
      communication between the traffic monitors and event management in case of an
       emergency.
If applicable, for the bulk transfer of raw materials, product or livestock onto or off an event site,
special consideration should be given to freight vehicle movements including trains and trucks onto
and off the site in co-ordination with the relevant transport company.
The traffic management plan should be regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure it is effective
and to take into account any changes at the workplace.
All workers should be familiar with the traffic management plan and receive sufficient information,
instruction, training, and supervision.
More information
More information about how to manage traffic at a workplace is available in the Code of Practice:
Traffic Management in Workplaces.
Further guidance on consultation is available in the Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety
Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination.
Further guidance on the risk management process is available in the Code of Practice: How to
Manage Work Health and Safety Risks.
Codes of Practice and other resources are available on the Safe Work Australia website.
There may be further material available in the State or Territory where the event is being held.
There may also be State or Territory approval processes required before an event can take place.




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