HB81 7-2000

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works on freeways
HB 81.7—2000
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HB 81.7—2000
FIELD GUIDE
for
TRAFFIC CONTROL AT WORKS ON ROADS
Part 7: Short-term works on freeways
COPYRIGHT
© Standards Australia International
All rights are reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without the written permission of the
publisher.
Published by Standards Australia International Ltd
GPO Box 5420, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia
ISBN 0 7337 3598 3
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HB 81.7—2000 2
PREFACE
This Handbook has been prepared to provide guidance for personnel engaged in short-term road works
on freeways, expressways, motorways, tollways and like facilities. It is applicable to works generally
not taking more than a few days and where no physical provisions such as temporary safety barriers or
major roadway diversions have been made for the protection of the work area. It is intended to be used
primarily as a field reference guide.
Handbook HB 81.2 also provides for short term works on rural freeways. Supervisory guidance (based
on volume, speed or other traffic characteristics) may be needed as to which guide workers should use in
specific situations.
The Handbook has been prepared to cover a specific area of roadworks signage. It contains only those
provisions of AS 1742.3*, which are considered to apply in the particular cases with which it deals, and
for convenience reproduces them in summary form. It is not intended to supersede AS 1742.3 and in any
cases where there appear to be differences in specified requirements or recommendations, or where
matters could be interpreted differently from that Standard, it is intended that the Standard specification,
recommendation or interpretation should prevail.
Assistance in the preparation of this Handbook was provided by representatives of the following
organizations.
Department of Transport, South Australia
Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources, Tasmania
Main Roads Department, Queensland
Roads and Traffic Authority, N.S.W.
VicRoads
WorkCover N.S.W.
Other Handbooks in this series are listed on the back cover.
* AS 1742.3, Manual of uniform traffic control devices, Part 3: Traffic control devices for works on roads.
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CONTENTS
Page
1 WHERE TO USE THIS HANDBOOK ...............................................................................4
2 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ...........................................................................................5
3 MAINTAINING A SAFE WORKPLACE ..........................................................................8
4 HOW TO USE SIGNS AND DEVICES............................................................................10
5 WORKING NEAR RAMPS ..............................................................................................15
6 ROADWORKS SPEED LIMITS.......................................................................................17
7 MOBILE WORKS.............................................................................................................18
8 TOLERANCES ON DIMENSIONS..................................................................................19
9 WORKS SITE RECORDS ................................................................................................20
10 SAFETY AUDITS.............................................................................................................21
11 ARRANGEMENT DIAGRAMS .......................................................................................21
APPENDICES
A SIGNS AND DEVICES USED IN THIS HANDBOOK ................................................42
B SAFETY AUDIT CHECKLIST .....................................................................................46
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HB 81.7—2000 4
STANDARDS AUSTRALIA
Handbook No. 81.7— 2000

Field guide for traffic control at works on roads
Part 7: Short-term works on freeways
1 WHERE TO USE THIS HANDBOOK

This Handbook should be used for short-term works on freeways, expressways,
motorways, tollways and any other divided roads with no intersections, carrying high
speed traffic and which operate like freeways.* It covers works in both urban and
rural areas, and both day and night-time works.
By ‘short term’ we mean work which would either be completed in one shift or part
of a shift while workers are in attendance. It would be work which would involve
only partly closing a roadway or ramp pavement and would not involve major
changes to traffic paths such as lane diversions, ramp closures, detours or crossovers.
Leaving work unattended on a freeway is outside the scope of this Handbook, see
Paragraph 2(d).
* All of these kinds of road are, for convenience, referred to in this Handbook as ‘freeways’.
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2 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
The following is a list of general requirements for supervisors to observe in all cases
when carrying out works on freeways:
(a) Give adequate advance warning Because of the high standard of driving
conditions on freeways, drivers may become less alert than they would normally
be on other roads. You should therefore take care that the advance warning
distances shown in the arrangement diagrams are fully provided wherever you
create a disturbance to traffic flow by closing part of the freeway. This
Handbook also advises you to provide longer taper lengths than would apply to
ordinary roads.
You will need to take particular care in planning your work if there is an exit or
entry ramp near your work area—see Paragraph 5.
The speeds on some urban freeways are consistently below 100 km/h. If this is
your case you may be able to reduce the taper and advance sign distances shown
in the diagrams, (see Paragraph 8).
(b) Delineate the works clearly Make sure that traffic is clearly shown the path it
must take past the works or at ramps where the path has been altered. Observe
the following:
(i) Place traffic cones or bollards in straight or smooth lines so that drivers can
follow them easily.
(ii) Use the arrangement diagrams at the back of the book to see how to align
cones and how far apart they should be.
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(iii) Ensure that any cones or bollards dislodged by traffic are replaced.
(iv) Place and retrieve cones and bollards from a work truck travelling in the
direction of traffic and equipped with an illuminated flashing arrow.
(c) Place signs where they will do their job properly
(i) Place signs that are on stands or tripods close to the work area, at least
1 metre clear of traffic paths. Advance signs that are further away from the
job should be post mounted and placed at the outer edge of shoulder where
they will not obstruct traffic that may need to use the shoulder or
emergency stopping lane. Arrangement diagrams show how to position the
signs.
(ii) Ensure that signs on stands or tripods cannot blow over or be dislodged by
high speed traffic.
(iii) Mount signs on posts at a height of 1 metre to 1.5 metres above the
pavement level to the underside of the sign. Make arrangements to cover
them up if the work area is to be opened to traffic at any time during the
period of the work and the signs would not be needed at such times
(e.g. overnight or at weekends).
(iv) See that signs are not obscured by vegetation, poles or other roadside
furniture.
(v) Ensure that signs cannot deflect drivers into wrong or dangerous paths.

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(d) Don’t leave work area unattended Works on freeways should never be left
unattended unless they are of a long term nature with special provision for
traffic and special work protection arrangements, both of which are outside the
scope of this Handbook. This means that if you cannot return the work area to
traffic at the end of a shift you should continue the work around the clock until
you can open it to traffic.
An exception to the above could be made in the case of a shoulder closure on a
rural freeway, see Figure 2.
(e) Do not interfere unnecessarily with traffic flow If you have to close lanes on
a freeway or reduce the traffic flow on a ramp, avoid times such as peak hours
when the lanes remaining open would not have enough capacity to handle the
traffic without queuing. You may need to obtain advice on traffic volumes and
patterns when planning your work.
(f) Don’t stop traffic You must never stop freeway traffic using either traffic
controllers or portable traffic signals (except on ramps well away from the
freeway). If traffic must be stopped in an emergency, police assistance will be
necessary.
If it appears that some disruption to traffic is unavoidable you may need to give
prior notice to regular freeway users (e.g. local press or information signs). You
will need assistance to do this.

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(g) Working at night The sign and delineation layouts in this Handbook are
equally suitable for day and night work. For work at night the following extra
procedures and precautions are needed:
(i) All signs and temporary hazard markers must be reflective.
(ii) Cones and bollards must be equipped with white reflective sleeves.
(iii) All workers must wear day/night high visibility garments.
You may need to floodlight your work area and approaches. Handbook HB 81.4
gives advice on this.
(h) Safety of workers You should take extra steps to protect your workers when
working on a freeway. These steps include making sure that the work area you
have closed to traffic is large enough to allow the work to be done safely.
Paragraph 3 sets out the minimum requirements you must observe to protect
your workers from oncoming and passing traffic.
(i) Remove the signs and cones at the finish of the work Remove all devices as
soon as they are no longer needed and remember to collect all advance signs.
3 MAINTAINING A SAFE WORKPLACE

You are required by law to maintain a safe workplace. This includes protecting your
workers from oncoming or passing traffic as well as other hazards of the job within
your work area. The basic rules for protecting your workers from traffic are as
follows:
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(a) If you have workers on foot or plant working closer than 3 metres from the edge
of the nearest running lane, you must either—
(i) provide a rigid temporary safety barrier between your work area and traffic,
see Paragraph 4(g); or
(ii) restrict workers from working closer than 1.2 metres (1.5 metres in some
States) to the edge of the traffic lane (line of cones or bollards) by means of
a containment fence comprising either a mesh fence or containment tape
and cover your work site with a 60 km/h roadworks speed limit, see
Paragraph 6; or
(iii) if you cannot restrict workers from working closer than 1.2 metres to the
edge of the traffic lane, cover your work area with a 40 km/h roadworks
speed limit.
You must not use the third option on a freeway except in an emergency. A
40 km/h limit may disrupt traffic enough to cause traffic accidents.
All of the arrangement diagrams in this Handbook assume that you will
normally choose the second option for works of a relatively short term nature.
(b) It may not be possible to provide any of the above three options to protect
workers directing or controlling traffic in an emergency. You must take
particular care about the safety of those workers in such cases.

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(c) If your entire work area including all vehicles and plant is located 3 metres or
more clear of the nearest running lane you will need no signs other than the
Worker (symbolic) sign in advance of the site. You may need to use temporary
mesh fence or containment tape between your workers and the road to make sure
all workers and plant keep outside the 3 metre limit.
4 HOW TO USE SIGNS AND DEVICES

In most cases you will need to use larger signs on freeways than on other roads. A list
of all the signs and devices you might need for this Handbook is given at Appendix
A. Where you need signs larger than the usual standard minimum size, that is also
shown in the Appendix. Use the signs as follows:
(a) Worker (symbolic) sign You will need this sign in advance of all work areas
on freeways that are covered by this Handbook.

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(b) Traffic cones and bollards Use either fluorescent traffic cones at least
750 mm high or fluorescent bollards at least 1 metre high, both equipped with
reflective sleeves for night use.
The spacings of cones on tapers and straight runs are shown in the arrangement
diagrams. The general minimum taper length to close one lane of a freeway is
200 metres. If you need to close two lanes, a single 400 metre taper will usually
be satisfactory. If for some reason you need to provide two separate 200 metre
tapers with a straight section in between, the straight section should never be
less than 200 metres long.
(c) Temporary hazard markers The arrangement diagrams show a number of
instances where temporary hazard markers are required to supplement lines of
cones or bollards. In most cases the wide hazard marker is shown. If you need a
two-way hazard marker to delineate a temporary exit nose position at an exit
ramp, use two narrow hazard markers side by side.

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Temporary hazard markers should be used instead of cones or bollards if a rural

shoulder closure is to be left unattended.
(d) Illuminated flashing arrow Use a sign trailer with an illuminated flashing
arrow as the primary means of showing traffic where it has to shift across a lane
or deviate past an obstruction. The largest size unit should be used.
Your work truck should also be equipped with an illuminated flashing arrow.
You can use this instead of the sign trailer for shoulder-only closures (see
Figure 1). You will also need it while you are setting up or removing your tapers
and other lines of cones or bollards.
The vehicle mounted flashing arrow is also needed on vehicles used for mobile
works, see Paragraph 7.

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(iii) Speed Limit signs with ROAD WORK plate These are covered in
Section 6.
(f) Containment fence To meet your obligations to maintain a safe workplace, it

will often be necessary to use a containment fence comprising either
containment tape or mesh fencing to maintain the required clearances between
your workers and traffic set out in Paragraph 3.

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(g) Temporary safety barriers You should consider using temporary safety
barriers for jobs taking longer than one or two days. They are better protection
for your workers and take away the problem of maintaining clearance between
your workers and traffic. Also, 60 km/h roadworks speed limits are not needed if
your workers have this protection. The leading end of the barrier must be either
protected or tapered away from oncoming traffic.
Safety barrier units must be of a type approved to provide physical protection
from vehicles running into them.
5 WORKING NEAR RAMPS

When your work area is on or near an entry or exit ramp you will need to make
arrangements to provide for traffic entering and leaving the freeway. It is not safe to
allow traffic to enter or leave a ramp part way along a temporary taper and you will
need to take steps to avoid this. The various possibilities are as follows:
(a) Work area some distance beyond the ramp If you can fit in the taper and the
clearance to the start of the work area after the nose of an exit ramp or after the
far end of an entry ramp, place the advance signs shown on Figures 3 and 5 in
advance of the ramp and allow extra spacing if necessary to avoid signs
obstructing ramp traffic. You will also need advance signs on an entry ramp like
those shown on the ramp in Figure 7.

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(b) Work area just beyond the ramp If the taper and clearance to the work area
will not fit in beyond the ramp you will need to use the layouts shown in
Figures 7 or 9. In these cases the taper must be fully developed before reaching
the start of the ramp.
If both freeway and ramp traffic will be light while your lane closure is in place
and you are a little too close to the ramp to fit in a full-length taper, you may
reduce the taper length to make it fit, but by never more than a quarter.
(c) Closing the right hand lane near a ramp Again, it is unsafe to have traffic
entering or leaving the freeway at a place where you are forcing freeway traffic
to merge into fewer lanes. Hence, if you have not got at least 500 metres beyond
an exit ramp nose or the far end of an entry ramp in which to fit the taper, the
advance signs, and clearance shown in Figure 4 you must extend the parallel run
of cones back across the ramp as shown in Figure 8. The taper must finish
before the start of the ramp.
(d) A work area on an exit ramp You should generally treat part closures of
ramps by using the treatments, advance sign distances and taper lengths for the
most appropriate arterial road case in HB 81.1 or HB 81.2. If at an exit ramp,
distance ‘D’ in Figure 9 is not enough to fit an arterial road treatment you need
the layout shown in that Figure. You must provide a minimum width path of
3 metres through the lines of cones for traffic leaving the freeway. Note also that
in this case you must try to position 60 km/h speed limit signs in advance of the
work area so that they won’t seem to apply to traffic not leaving the freeway.

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(e) A work area on an entry ramp The approach to a work area on an entry ramp
should be treated according to the most appropriate case in HB 81.1 or HB 81.2.
Traffic can generally be allowed to run normally onto the freeway beyond the
end of the work area. If you have a roadworks speed limit in advance of the job,
make sure you end it with signs indicating the continuing speed limit on the
freeway beyond the work area.
(f) Closing a ramp If you are not able to provide for traffic on or near ramps as
set out above, the ramp may have to be closed temporarily. This is beyond the
scope of this Handbook as it will require warnings to road users ahead of time
and may involve the setting up of detours.
6 ROADWORKS SPEED LIMITS

A roadworks speed limit of 60 km/h is always required past a work area on a freeway
where workers and plant are less than 3 metres from the edge of the nearest running
lane and do not have physical protection (i.e. solid barriers) from traffic. In most
cases the 60 signs are placed with the Worker (symbolic) signs. You must remove the
60 km/h signs when workers and plant leave the site. The 60 km/h speed limit is
dependent on you providing at least 1.2 metres clearance (1.5 metres in some States)
between your workers and the traffic stream, see Paragraph 3(a).

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An 80 km/h buffer zone 300 to 500 metres in length* as shown on the arrangement
diagrams, is also required for the whole of the time your closure is in position. The
ROAD WORK plate must be placed below the 80 signs.
Don’t forget speed limit signs at the end of the job to show drivers where the regular
speed limit resumes (mostly 100 or 110 km/h). These do not have any ROAD WORK
sign mounted with them.
Each speed limit sign must be repeated on the right-hand side of the roadway.
NOTE: Some authorities may require you to use different speed limits to those set out in this
Handbook.
7 MOBILE WORKS
Use the relevant cases set out in HB 81.3. If the appropriate case does not specifically
give separation distances between vehicles for freeway work you will need to use the
distances shown for rural work when working on freeway roadways and rural ramps.
Use the distances shown for urban work on urban ramps.
You may need an extra tail vehicle travelling on the freeway shoulder when working
in high speed traffic. It should travel 400 to 600 metres behind the first tail vehicle
and should flash only the bar or four corner lights of its flashing arrow sign.
* Instead of a buffer zone some States give advance warning of speed limits by using an AHEAD plate under
a 60 speed limit sign at the same advance distance.
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Before starting work you must also have a plan as to how you will move safely onto
the freeway to begin work and move safely off again at the end.
8 TOLERANCES ON DIMENSIONS
Many of the distances and spacings shown on the arrangement diagrams are given as
single numbers, i.e. they are not shown either as a maximum/minimum or a range.
The general tolerances allowed on these distances are as follows:
(a) Advance sign and ‘end’ sign distances, and taper lengths—
(i) minimum, 10% less than the distances shown;
(ii) maximum, 25% more than the distances shown.
(b) Spacing of delineating devices—
(i) maximum, 10% more than the spacing shown (or the upper limit of spacing
where there is a range);
(ii) no minimum.
The distances are based on approach speeds to your work site of generally, 100 km/h
or more. If you have lower approach speeds you may reduce the distances shown in
direct proportion (e.g. at 80 km/h approach speed you could make them all 20% less).
NOTE: The approach speed is the speed of traffic before it gets to your work site, not after it has
entered your roadworks speed zone or buffer zone.

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These tolerances are to give you a little flexibility as to where you place signs and
devices. You may need to move signs forward or back a little to avoid an obstacle or
a bad position for some other reason.
9 WORKS SITE RECORDS

Always keep a record of your works site. You should record the following:
(a) the Handbook number and Figure number of the arrangement diagram you have
used or most nearly fits your works site arrangement.
(b) Any variations you have made from the Figure:
(i) Changes to the general layout.
(ii) Changes to taper lengths, advance sign distances or device spacings.
(iii) Additional signs and devices used.
(iv) Different signs that have been substituted.
(v) Any signs left out.
You may need a sketch plan to record the differences.
(c) The location of speed limits that were imposed, the times and dates they started
and finished and the times at which any limits were changed during the course
of the work.
The authority for whom you are working may require you to follow a pro-forma in
recording these and any other details they require.
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If there is an accident involving the public at your site or any event from which legal
proceedings might arise, you should take particular care to record exactly the layout
of the work area and the position of all your signs and cones. Photographs can be
very useful in such cases. Record also the actual width available for traffic, the
condition of the pavement and the weather.
This information could be critical if there are legal proceedings, especially if as often
happens, the proceedings occur long after the event.
10 SAFETY AUDITS
Your work sites may be subjected to safety audits from time to time. At Appendix B
is the kind of checklist a safety auditor might use. You should use it to see how well
your work site would stand up to such scrutiny.
11 ARRANGEMENT DIAGRAMS
Select the arrangement diagram you need from the list in Table 1 and then refer to the
corresponding illustration. The illustrations are for typical cases and may need to be
modified slightly to fit a particular works site. Try to follow the principles underlying
each diagram.

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TABLE 1
SELECTING AN ARRANGEMENT DIAGRAM
Figure
Works situation Remarks
number
Shoulder or emergency stopping 1 Use this case where traffic in running lanes does not have to deviate
lane closed—attended work site at the work area. Use the mirror image of the layout for a right-hand
shoulder closure.
Shoulder or emergency stopping 2 This case is limited to rural freeways only. Note that this is the only
lane closed—unattended work site unattended works case covered by this Guide.
Left lane closed 3 Use this case where traffic can use the full width of the remaining
lanes. If near an exit or entrance ramp, see Paragraph 5 and Figures 6
and 7.
Right lane closed 4 This case is the mirror image of Figure 3. If near an exit or entry
ramp, see Paragraph 5 and Figures 6 and 7.
Closing two lanes 5 Use this case wherever you need to either close two adjacent lanes or
a lane other than the left or right lane. A single 400 metre taper will
suffice in most cases. If you need to step the taper into two 200 metre
sections (e.g. past a ramp) the parallel section between steps should
be at least 200 metres long. (Note: You cannot close a central part of
the roadway and have traffic running both sides.)
Left lane closed just beyond exit 6 Use this case where your work area is beyond an exit ramp but starts
ramp less than 250 metres (50 metres clearance +200 metres taper) after
the ramp. See Paragraph 5 for more advice on working near ramps.

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Figure
Works situation Remarks
number
Left lane closed just beyond entry 7 Use this case where your work area is beyond an entry ramp but
ramp starts less than 250 metres (50 metres clearance +200 metres taper)
after the ramp. See Paragraph 5 for more advice on working near
ramps.
Right lane closed near entry ramp 8 Use this case if you need to close the right hand lane near an entry
ramp and the taper would otherwise be opposite the area where the
ramp enters the freeway. It is not safe to have traffic entering the
freeway in the same area as you are merging lanes. See also the usage
notes on the Figure and Paragraph 5 for more advice on when to use
this Figure.
Part closure of an exit ramp close 9 Use this case where you have a work area on an exit ramp too close
to the freeway to the freeway to be able to fit in an arterial road type closure
(including advance signs) according to HB 81.1 or HB 81.2. See
Paragraph 5 for more advice on working on and near ramps.

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FIGURE 1
SHOULDER OR EMERGENCY STOPPING LANE CLOSED
ATTENDED WORK SITE
If you are not able to leave at least 1.2 metres clearance (1.5 metres in some
States) between your work area and the running lane, you may have to close
the left hand running lane, see Figure 3. A rigid safety barrier may also be an
option, See Paragraph 3.

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FIGURE 2
SHOULDER OR EMERGENCY STOPPING LANE CLOSED
UNATTENDED WORK SITE—RURAL ONLY
Each time work begins at the site you need to add all of the advance signs,
speed limit signs and the flashing arrow unit as shown in Figure 1. If the
clearance between your work area and the running lane is less than 1.2
metres, you may need to close the left hand running lane (see Figure 3) while
work is in progress.

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FIGURE 3
LEFT LANE CLOSED
If you need to have people working in all of the left lane, you will need to
locate the line of cones some way into the second lane so as to maintain the
1.2 metres minimum clearance to your work area. Ensure that if necessary,
traffic can travel in safety partly on the right hand shoulder. In the 3-lane case,
if you have to close any part of the second lane you must close it all and use
Figure 5.

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FIGURE 4
RIGHT LANE CLOSED
If you need to have people working in all of the right lane, you will need to
locate the line of cones some way into the lane beside it so as to maintain the
1.2 metres minimum clearance to your work area. Ensure that if necessary,
traffic can travel in safety partly on the left hand shoulder. In the 3-lane case,
if you have to close any part of the second lane you must close it all and use
Figure 5.

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FIGURE 5
CLOSING TWO LANES
If you need to work in the central lane only, you must close one other lane.
You cannot have traffic travelling both sides of your work area.
Use the mirror image of this diagram if you need to close the centre and right
hand lanes.

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FIGURE 6
LEFT LANE CLOSED JUST BEYOND EXIT RAMP
Use this case when distance ‘C’ is not long enough to fit in the taper plus the
50 metres clearance to the start of the work area.

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FIGURE 7
LEFT LANE CLOSED JUST BEYOND ENTRY RAMP
Use this case when distance ‘C’ is not long enough to fit in the taper plus the
50 metres clearance to the start of the work area.
Catering for a work area within the area where entering traffic merges with
freeway traffic is outside the scope of this Handbook.

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FIGURE 8
RIGHT LANE CLOSED NEAR ENTRY RAMP
YOU NEED NOT USE THIS CASE IF—
(a) the full 200 metres taper plus a 50 metres clearance to the start of the job
will fit in beyond point ‘C’; or
(b) the entire site including the 100 Speed Limit signs will fit in before you
reach Point ‘P’.
Use Figure 4 in both cases.

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HB 81.7—2000
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HB 81.7—2000 40
FIGURE 9
PART CLOSURE OF EXIT RAMP CLOSE TO FREEWAY
Use this case if there is not enough room beyond Point ‘D’ to fit an arterial
road (non-freeway) left-lane closure (including taper and advance signs) as
shown in Figure 5 of HB 81.1.

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41
HB 81.7—2000
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HB 81.7—2000 42
APPENDIX A
SIGNS AND DEVICES USED IN THIS HANDBOOK

The following table shows the various signs and devices you may need if you are
using the Handbook:
Used in advance of works left unattended. (In this

T1-1
Handbook, applies to rural shoulder works only.)
Needed in all cases where workers are working near

traffic. You will need the B size (1200×900 mm) minimum
T1-5
on freeways and possibly the C size (1800×1200 mm) on
busy urban freeways.
T2-6-1
Needed in advance of all lane closures to show traffic
which lanes are closed.
T2-6-2

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43 HB 81.7—2000
Needed at the end of any site where the advance sign

T2-16
ROADWORK AHEAD has been used.
Needed at unattended works (rural shoulders only) and in

T5-4 other places shown on the diagrams to supplement lines of
cones or bollards.
Needed to supplement cones or bollards where you have

T5-5
used them to form a temporary nose at an exit ramp.
Used to create a roadworks speed limits and restore normal

R4-1 speed limit beyond the works. Use at least the C size
(900×1200 mm) on freeways.

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HB 81.7—2000 44
Always used with speed limit signs in advance of the work

R4-3
area. Must be the same width as the speed limit sign.
Used in conjunction with the ROAD WORK (R4-3) sign to

GE9-2 warn traffic leaving the freeway that there is roadwork on
the exit ramp.
Sign trailer with illuminated flashing arrow. Needed

wherever traffic is diverted at a lane closure and elsewhere
as shown in the diagrams. The largest or Type C unit as
— specified in AS/NZS 4192* (2450×1200 mm) is required
for use on freeways for the purposes. The Type B truck
mounted unit (1500 × 750 mm) may be used for mobile
works or for setting up and dismantling tapers.
Cones or bollards are needed to form tapers and show
traffic paths through or past the works area. Traffic cones
— must be at least 750 mm high and bollards 1 metre high.
Both must be equipped with reflective sleeves for night
work.
* AS/NZS 4192, Illuminated flashing arrow signs.

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45 HB 81.7—2000
Mesh fencing or containment tape may be needed to

— maintain clearance between your workers and moving
traffic adjacent to the work area.

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HB 81.7—2000 46
APPENDIX B
SAFETY AUDIT CHECKLIST

Your work sites may be subjected to safety audits from time to time. This is the kind
of checklist a safety auditor might use. You should use it to see how well your work
site would stand up to such scrutiny.
Item Yes No N/A
PROVISION FOR WORKS
1 Has a traffic control plan been
selected or provided (e.g. an
HB 81 Figure reference)
2 Is the plan relevant for the
work
3 Are sign sizes correct
4 Are signs in pairs where
needed
5 Have roadworks speed limits
been determined correctly
6 Are flashing arrow signs
available
7 Has possible traffic
congestion been considered
and steps taken to avoid it

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47 HB 81.7—2000
Item Yes No N/A

8 Have needs of other road
users been provided for (e.g.
pedestrians, cyclists)
9 Has proper access to side
roads and properties been
provided for
IMPLEMENTATION
10 Are all roadworks signs and
devices installed according to
the plan
11 Are roadworks signs suitably
placed with regard to:
(a) sight distance
(b) drivers approaching at high
speed
(c) queue lengths
(d) visibility, shade, light glare
12 Are there any contradictory,
distracting or superfluous
signs or markings which need
to be covered up or removed
13 Are signs appropriate for
current conditions

23052_HB81_7 2/27/01 9:20 PM Page 48
HB 81.7—2000 48
Item Yes No N/A

14 Are there any damaged or
defective signs
15 Are clearances between
workers and adjacent traffic
being maintained
16 Have safety barriers been
installed correctly
17 Has containment fence been
installed where required
DOCUMENTATION
18 Is the traffic control plan
available for inspection
19 Are any required approvals
for speed limits in order
20 Are documented changes (if
any) to the control plan
available for inspection

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Handbook No. 81.7— 2000

Part 7: Short-term works on freeways

1 WHERE TO USE THIS HANDBOOK

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

3 MAINTAINING A SAFE WORKPLACE

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

4 HOW TO USE SIGNS AND DEVICES

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

Temporary hazard markers should be used instead of cones or bollards if a rural

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

(f) Containment fence To meet your obligations to maintain a safe workplace, it

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

5 WORKING NEAR RAMPS

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

6 ROADWORKS SPEED LIMITS

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

9 WORKS SITE RECORDS

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

SIGNS AND DEVICES USED IN THIS HANDBOOK

Used in advance of works left unattended. (In this

Needed in all cases where workers are working near

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

Needed at the end of any site where the advance sign

Needed at unattended works (rural shoulders only) and in

Needed to supplement cones or bollards where you have

Used to create a roadworks speed limits and restore normal

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

Always used with speed limit signs in advance of the work

Used in conjunction with the ROAD WORK (R4-3) sign to

Sign trailer with illuminated flashing arrow. Needed

* AS/NZS 4192, Illuminated flashing arrow signs.

Mesh fencing or containment tape may be needed to

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

SAFETY AUDIT CHECKLIST

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

Item Yes No N/A

www,standards.com.au © Standards Australia

Item Yes No N/A

© Standards Australia www,standards.com.au

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