Austroads has approved eight new skill sets for traffic workers and developed an operational framework for training providers in an effort to increase safety and consistency in traffic management.
Austroads Chief Executive, Geoff Allan, said the safety of road workers and road users at and around road worksites is a key area of concern for the Austroads member agencies and industry.
“Our aim is to significantly increase safety and standards to ensure traffic controllers and all who work on road construction and the plethora of sites across the country have a consistent best practice,” Mr Allan said.
“We have conducted significant consultation with industry, including both the training and traffic control sectors, and state and territory transport departments to approve eight new skill sets for the three core temporary traffic management roles – Traffic Controller, Traffic Management Implementer and Traffic Management Designer.”
The skill sets provide requirements for individuals wishing to qualify for these temporary traffic management roles in a variety of environments from urban streets and low-volume rural roads to motorways and freeways.
To ensure consistency in training provision, a Registered Training Organisation Operational Framework for Temporary Traffic Management has also been developed.
The framework includes the arrangements for the application, prerequisite conditions, and mutually recognised processes for companies that provide training on the Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management.
It provides guidance on how to become an approved training provider, how to obtain training materials, the oversight, reporting and audit mechanisms.
Any change to the temporary traffic management training environment in any state or territory is a decision by the individual jurisdiction.
With the introduction of the new skill sets and operation frameworks comes a graduated training approach.
“This approach requires individuals to build up their skills and experience before they undertake qualifications to work in more complex environments,” Mr Allan said.
“It will enhance safety and will enable a career pathway for individuals to progress within and across temporary traffic management roles.
“This approach has been used successfully in other road safety initiatives, most notably, the graduated licensing scheme.”
The skill sets prescribe the required units of competency per training course and include requirements for the practical learning experience.
The change aims to ensure that individuals have the opportunity to gain sufficient practical experience before working independently.
Individuals who have achieved a relevant temporary traffic management qualification will be mutually recognised across participating states and territories.
“This will provide participating agencies with an assurance that traffic workers can safely perform the relevant temporary traffic management task and it will also make it easy for individuals when moving from one state or territory to another,” said Geoff.
More details about the skill sets can be found on the National Training Requirements page here.
