Hazards when working on a roadside include high-speed traffic, poor visibility, weather and ground conditions. Workers could be struck by a passing vehicle or crushed by the vehicle moving off the jacks.

Other risks related to isolation and communication arise if workers are required to work off-site or provide roadside assistance.

Safety solutions

Ensure workers are comprehensively trained (and regularly retrained) in traffic control procedures and dynamic risk assessments when undertaking roadside maintenance. When working on a roadside workers should consider:

  • the safety of the work area, such as lighting, visibility, hazards, ground stability
  • erecting signage and lighting from/on/around/adjacent to the disabled vehicle and the assistance vehicle to warn approaching drivers, such as high-visibility triangles/cones, flashing lights
  • wearing high-visibility, retro-reflective clothing to capture vehicle headlights at dusk/night
  • the vehicle payload stability
  • whether lifting or manual handling aids are required to assist with the task, such as wheel dolly, brake drum lifter
  • keeping up two-way communication with the workshop supervisor or another person
  • the need for additional traffic control, such as police
  • towing the vehicle to a safe work area before repairs are attempted.

Further information