What do Temporary Traffic Management Updates mean for your business?

Dec 12, 2019

 

A revised Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual has come into effect (Aug 2019) in relation to the provision of traffic signs and associated provisions. Minister Ross enacted the provisions with the signing of a Ministerial Directive to Road Authorities under Section 95(16) of the Road Traffic Act 1961. Amongst the new provisions is updated signage requirements (type, size, shape, retro-reflectivity, etc.) and the requirement to implement TM provisions whenever a worker is located within 1.5m of a live lane – for example, if a worker that must ascend a ladder that is founded within 1.5m of the live lane, then traffic management is required.

 A transition period applied until 1^st June 2020. Until that time, the old OR the new standards can be implemented on a project, but not both. Beyond that time, using the old standards on a project can only be done so with written approval by the Roads & Transport Authority.

To complement the Chapter 8 revision, two new Guidance documents were also published, namely:

• Temporary Traffic Management Operations Guidance – pertaining to the implementation and tear-down of traffic management equipment, and:
•  Temporary Traffic Management Design Guidance – pertaining to the design requirements for Traffic Management Designers.

 

What does this mean for?…..

• Clients – have a duty to ensure competent Designers are appointed on their construction project. In order to assist Clients with this duty, competence requirements for Traffic Designers has now been detailed and provided in table format.
• Designers – have a duty to ensure their designs and specifications are safe to implement. In order to assist Designers communicate design safety provisions, a Design Risk Assessment (DRA) template has been provided to be used to communicate design safety considerations and requirements.
• PSDP’s – have a new requirement to include a Preliminary Temporary Traffic Management Plan (PTTMP) with the Preliminary Safety & Health Plan. The PTTMP is intended to outline the main parameters that require implementation by the Temporary Traffic Management Designer as part of the Temporary Traffic Management Plan.
• Contractors / PSCS – must familiarise themselves with the new provisions and prepare to implement them on, or before, 1^st June 2020
• Workers ­– will ultimately be safer at work.

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