Vehicle interactions – that is, how vehicles, mobile plant, pedestrians and fixed equipment interact on site – present some of the most serious risks in mining and energy. The MEU is committed to reducing the incidence of adverse vehicle interactions, pushing for safer systems, transparency, and accountability from employers.
What are adverse vehicle interactions?
Adverse vehicle interactions include collisions, near-misses, and unsafe contacts involving:
- Heavy mobile plant (haul trucks, loaders, dozers, etc.)
- Light vehicles (utes, crew vans)
- Pedestrians (workers, visitors)
- Fixed plant & infrastructure
Risks can arise from poor visibility, too many vehicles operating in close quarters, inadequate road design, failure of communication, vehicle defects, and operator error.
Why are they dangerous?
Poor vehicle interaction control can lead to severe incidents:
- Fatalities or serious injuries due to collisions
- Crushing, run-overs, being struck by moving equipment
- Psychological trauma for those involved or who witness near or actual incidents
Key risk factors
These are common contributors to adverse vehicle interactions:
- Intersection points or road crossings where vehicle types mix (heavy & light) or cross pedestrian routes
- Blind corners, crests, or sharp bends; poor lighting and visibility
- Poor road conditions: surface quality, gradients, drainage, loose material/slippery surfaces
- Inadequate signage, road rules, inconsistent traffic control measures
- Overloaded or faulty vehicles, poor maintenance
- Fatigue, distraction, lack of training or competence of drivers/operators
- Lack of separation or segregation of traffic flows
- Lack of adequate authority or enforcement of rules
Employer/Operator responsibilities
Employers have a strong duty to prevent adverse vehicle interactions. Key employer duties include:
- Designing mine layouts and road networks that separate heavy vehicle, light vehicle, and pedestrian traffic wherever possible
- Ensuring roads and operating areas are well maintained: drainage, surface evenness, visibility, lighting
- Implementing and enforcing a Transport Management Plan or equivalent, covering traffic flow, road rules, speed limits, access, intersections, parking, etc.
- Using the layered defence approach: multiple overlapping controls, not a single measure
- Procuring and maintaining safe vehicles and plant: good brakes, mirrors, cameras, alarms, lights etc.
- Ensuring operators are competent: training, licensing, authorisation to operate mobile plant, refresher training, inductions.
- Monitoring and auditing the effectiveness of vehicle interaction controls (near misses, incidents, hazard reports) and being open to continuous improvement.
How can you protect yourself
Things you can do to make your workplace safety include:
- Always use designated walkways; stay clear of mobile plant routes unless required and safe to do so
- Ensure you are visible to operators: high visibility clothing, stay out of blind zones
- Communicate clearly with vehicle operators: make eye contact, use signals/radios as needed
- Stay alert for vehicle movements, especially around intersections, corners, loading zones
- Report any hazards: degraded roads, missing signage, vehicles in poor condition
- Never assume a driver sees you – if in doubt, take extra precaution
- Participate fully in training and site inductions about vehicle-site traffic rules
Union’s role
The MEU plays a critical part in ensuring these safety controls aren’t just policies, but practiced:
- Ensuring site safety reps and delegates are involved in audits of traffic and vehicle interaction controls
- Advocating for regular reporting of incidents and near-misses involving vehicles, and that these feed into improvements
- Ensuring transparency: workers see the results of traffic audits, risk assessments, and what changes are being made
- Pushing for stronger enforcement and regulation where standards are weak or ignored
Staying safe at work
If you see or experience unsafe vehicle interactions, raise it with your delegate or safety representative as soon as possible.
Podcast
Listen to our Podcast Episode on Eliminating Vehicle Accidents at mine sites