12 July 2023
Commencing July 17, SafeWork SA inspectors will make unannounced visits to workplaces within the transport, postal and warehousing industries to audit workplace traffic management systems.
Powered mobile plant such as forklifts and delivery vehicles are a major cause of workplace death and injury in Australian workplaces. ReturnToWorkSA data for South Australia shows that powered mobile plant has contributed to the most injury claims within the transport, postal and warehousing industries for FY 2017-18 to FY 2019-20.
Since January 2020, SafeWork SA has issued:
- 65 Improvement Notices involving the ineffective traffic management of powered mobile plant.
- 7 Prohibition Notices involving loading activities of powered mobile plant.
Throughout the six-month campaign, Inspectors will visit metropolitan and regional businesses across the state to measure compliance of workplace traffic management systems of powered mobile plant and delivery vehicles that operate in the same area as pedestrians to ensure they are adequately protected.
Compliance activities will also focus on:
- systems, records and training,
- operations, inspection and testing of powered mobile plant,
- how loading and unloading of material is undertaken.
- lifting attachments being suitable for the load being lifted
- high risk work licensing
If a non-compliance identified during the audit cannot be remedied while the inspector is on site, a statutory notice will be issued.
The inspectors will also provide advice, information and education in relation to traffic management.
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA), business owners are responsible for ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, that plant is without risks to the health and safety of any person.
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