The unfortunate incident reported on 3rd October 2023 by WorkSafe Victoria, involving a worker severely injured at Searoad Logistics Pty Ltd’s Port Melbourne warehouse, emphasises the paramount importance of having a traffic management plan in place. The company faced a $40,000 fine due to this incident, spotlighting the legal and financial implications of safety oversights let alone the reputational and personal damage caused.
Our Site Safety Audits service at Modus Transport and Traffic Engineering is meticulously crafted to proactively identify, assess, and offer solutions to mitigate or minimise potential hazards in a workplace. The Searoad Logistics incident mirrors the kind of real-world challenges our audits aim to prevent, underscoring the necessity of comprehensive traffic management plans, effective communication systems, and proper induction for all personnel.
WorkSafe Victoria’s Executive Director Health and Safety Narelle Beer said that the investigation identified key areas of concern including the absence of physical barriers, inadequate visibility for forklift operators, and a lack of proper induction for individuals entering the workspace. These findings strongly resonate with the core objectives of our Site Safety Audits service. Our audits provide innovative and effective mitigation strategies, focusing on enhancing pedestrian and traffic management systems to align with best practices and existing regulations across a broad spectrum of sectors.
The incident serves as a potent reminder of the inherent risks present within industrial settings with forklifts or any traffic movements, and the critical importance of pre-emptive safety measures. Our dedicated team of auditors is geared to assist businesses in fortifying their safety protocols, fostering a culture of safety and accountability.
Reflecting on such industry incidents reinforces the essence of thorough site safety audits. It’s a collaborative endeavour towards ensuring the well-being of every individual within the workplace while adhering to legal requisites. Modus remains steadfast in supporting businesses to navigate the intricacies of workplace safety, striving for a secure, compliant, and operationally efficient environment.
It’s a timely reminder with Health & Safety Month upon us that “we are better together” and having our subject matter experts run a set of traffic engineering eyes over your business to ensure that traffic management plans are in place and up to date could become a cost of not putting these safety measures into action.
