for Roadworks
September 1997
Road Safety Audits have been used in Western Australia for several years. They
have, however largely focussed on projects at design stage and on existing
roads. This document extends the general principles of Road Safety Auditing as
detailed in the AUSTROADS publication Road Safety Audit for road
construction works. Before examining the checklists for road construction works it
is necessary to quickly outline some key principles of Road Safety Auditing.
A Road Safety Audit is a formal examination of an existing or future road and
traffic project, or any project which interacts with road users, by which an
independent, qualified examiner who reports on the projects crash potential and
safety performance.
The purpose of the Road Safety Audit is to examine the crash potential and
safety performance of the road or road proposal. It is a formal process using a
defined procedure rather than an informal check. The outcome of a road safety
audit is a Road Safety Audit Report, which identifies any road safety deficiencies
and if appropriate, makes recommendations aimed at removing or reducing
these deficiencies. The benefit of this is;
Road safety is given greater prominence in the minds of road designers and
traffic engineers
The total cost of a project to the community, including crashes, disruption and
trauma is reduced.
General Process
MAIN ROADS Western Australia
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The whole basic process can be summed up in a few basic straight forward
steps.
The designer or client needs to select the auditor or audit team with appropriate
skills and independence.
The designer must then provide background information by collecting plans and
site information for the auditor and provide a statement of the projects objectives.
A commencement meeting must then be held with the client, designer and
auditor all present to discuss the audit and hand over the information.
The auditor must then assess the documents (use checklists, drawings, data and
field notes) as well as inspect the site both by day and night. The types of road
users and likely conditions must be considered as a result of the inspection.
A report must be written by the auditor to identify items of safety deficiency and
make recommendations.
For major projects it is usually necessary for the client/designer plus the auditor
to once again meet, in the form of a completion meeting, where the
recommendations can be discussed.
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Roadworks Site
1. General items
1.Horizontal and Vertical Alignment
2.Turning Radii and Tapers
3.Sight and Stopping Distances
4.Traffic lane Safety and Visibility
5.Street Lighting and other Delineation
6.Roadworks Signs
7.Access to Property
3. Traffic Signals
1.Temporary Traffic Signals
2.Location
3.Visibility
4.Signals Display
5.Traffic Movements
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5. Road Pavement
1.Pavement Defects
2.Skid Resistance
3.Ponding
4.Loose Screenings
Page 5
Horizontal And
Vertical
Alignment
Issues to be considered
Comments
Tapers
Sight and
Stopping
Distances
Page 6
Item
4
Traffic Lane
Safety and
Visibility
Street Lighting
and other
Delineation
Issues to be considered
Comments
Roadworks Signs
7
Access to
Property
Page 7
Item
1
Signs
Issues to be considered
Comments
Location/
Placement
Day/Night Signs
Requirements
4
Control
Delineation and
Reflective
Markers
Page 8
Item
6
Pavement
Marking
Issues to be considered
Comments
Detours
Page 9
Item
1
Temporary Traffic
Signals
Issues to be considered
Comments
Location
Visibility
Signal Display
Traffic
Movements
Page 10
Paths
Elderly and
Disabled
Cyclists
4
Safe Grates
5
Warning
Issues to be considered
Comments
Page 11
Pavement
Defects
Skid Resistance
3
Ponding
Loose
Screenings
Issues to be considered
Comments
Page 12
Item
1
Speed
Restriction Signs
2
Speed
Management
Signs
Requirements
Issues to be considered
Comments
Page 13