Roll-away incidents involve the unintentional movement of a vehicle due to improper immobilisation. This includes a wide variety of mobile plant including cars, trucks, trailers and heavy machinery.
Since 2020 in South Australia alone, vehicle roll-away incidents have been responsible for three worker deaths and seven serious injuries. In most cases, these incidents have occurred due to a simple error in failing to engage the handbrake.
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA), all employers have a duty to eliminate, or minimise, the risks to the health and safety of their workers and any visitors to their business. Given the nature of work undertaken by MTA members, managing the risks of roll-away vehicles should be a priority.
SafeWork Australia has released a new fact sheet to provide guidance to employers and workers about managing the risks of vehicle roll-aways in the workplace.
It provides a number of common-sense approaches to identifying roll-away hazards and implementing appropriate control measures, such as:
- Marking out exclusion zones around vehicles
- Parking vehicles on flat surfaces
- Utilising wheel chocks
- Conducting regular toolbox meetings with employees to remind them of the available control measures to prevent vehicle roll-aways.
If you require any assistance, including conducting WHS Audits of your workplace, please get in touch with the MTA Workplace Relations Team at wr@mtasant.com.au or on 8291 2000.
