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Traffic Management Code of Practice
Barriers
Steel Star Pickets
Current Issues
Road Management Act 2004 Worksite Safety – Traffic Management Code of Practice (Victoria)
This Code, released in early 2005 as part of the Road Managament Act 2004, is intended to provide ‘practical guidance’ to traffic management practitioners.
It is largely based on AS1742.3 2002: Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, Part 3: Traffic Control Devices for Works on Roads. It gives more guidance than AS1742.3 on some issues, but less on others, and contains some inconsistencies within itself and between itself and AS1742.3, and some ambiguities that could expose particular areas to interpretation. Nevertheless, it serves as a useful tool to supplement AS1742.3 and its field guides. Changes include the use of multi-message assemblies and signs to be used within them, the use of VMSs, offsets to workers in differing speeds, road & roadworks environments, working offsets to barriers, and the phasing out of concrete barriers with untested shear key connectors.
Barriers
A new type of steel barrier has been approved for use in Victoria by VicRoads. The barrierGuard 800 is a metal barrier that is anchored to the road at either end.
Refer to VicRoads RDN 9-12a Accepted Safety Barrier Products for accepted barrier products prior to October 2005 (which does not include the aforementioned barrier).
Also, VicRoads released Bridge Technical Note ‘Temporary Precast Concrete Barriers For TL-3 Loading’ which explains concepts such as length of need, which is the additional upstream and downstream length of barrier required to shield the workzone from the path of an errant vehicle. The length of need concept is sometimes confused with the additional barriers that may be required for correct anchorage. These are two unrelated topics that can overlap.
Recently VicRoads has released safety alerts for fatige cracking in barrier screens (Alert 56), tipping over of steel barriers fitted with screens (Alert 49 and 57), and barriers located too close to excavations (Alert 50).
Steel Star Pickets
Often on construction sites, steel star pickets are used to mount signs and fences. However, Australian Standard AS1742.3 and the Standards Australia Field Guides for Traffic Control at Works on Road advocate the use of alternative posts. They do this to reduce the risks that these steel posts pose to errant motorists/motorcyclists and to workers on site. These guides suggest that timber or plastic posts be used in lieu of star pickets.
It is encouraging to see at least one major project contractor (Thiess John Holland) take the initiative and phase out the use of steel star pickets within the clear zone. This was communicated through an internal safety alert and follow-up tool box sessions. Generally it has been followed through very well on site, with timber posts being used.
Timber Posts
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