16
ROAD SAFETY
TRAFFIC
CONTROL
AHEAD
–SLOW DOWN
Traf?c Management Association of Australia
With the announcement that the building and
construction industry has hit a three-year high,
expect more delays on the roads. It has become
the norm to have ‘Roadwork Ahead’ signs on any
stretch of local, state or interstate road, but are
we taking notice of the Traffic Controllers, who are
risking their lives to keep roadworkers, construction
crews, the public and vehicle users safe?
Traffic Management Association of Australia
(TMAA) President, Stephen O’Dwyer, said there
needs to be more awareness of the ‘human
element’ in Traffic Control.
O’Dwyer said the Traffic Controllers are trained to
ensure they safely navigate the worksites and the
surrounding diverted traffic, but many motorists
still ignored the safety mechanisms designed to
protect everyone.
“Excessive speeds through worksites remains a
critical issue for Traffic Controllers and road and
construction workers,” he said.
“With the Traffic Controller at the coal face on
every site, it is imperative speed reductions are
adhered to, ensuring safe passage for all.
“We are still finding statistics on near misses,
accidents and incidents, and sadly fatalities for
Traffic Controllers across the country.”
O’Dwyer said the TMAA had been registered in
2011 to work with five state associations to further
professionalise the industry and raise public
awareness to the need for safety on all worksites
and for Traffic Controllers in their daily duties.
Govlink Issue 2 2013
He said the TMAA worked with Traffic
Management Association of South Australia
(TMASA), Traffic Management Association of
New South Wales (TMAN), Traffic Management
Industry Association of Victoria (TMIAV),
Traffic Management Association of Western
Australia (TMAWA) and the Traffic Management
Association of Queensland (TMAQ) to further
safety within the industry.
He said that each of the state-based associations
had shared agendas such as training and
regulation, and were working with state
government to promote these initiatives.
“If you look at South Australia, for example, the
overarching issue of regulatory procedures for
Traffic Control companies remains critical to
the safety and professional standards of rogue
companies who are directly flouting training and
safety structures and endangering their staff on
the road. The TMASA remains vigilant in working
with the South Australian road authorities to raise
the bar,” O’Dwyer said.
“This also remains a critical issue also in Western
Australia, where the TMAWA is lobbying strongly
to ensure a benchmark standard for companies
being selected for work. In Queensland, New
South Wales and Victoria, regulatory schemes are
enforced for work on state-controlled roads and
the push will be to these regulations enforced on
local roads as well,” he added.
“Despite the eastern states having regulatory
procedures in place, there is still much work to