UK trade-and-hazard guidance by the Riskora Editorial Team
Being struck by moving plant is consistently among the top three causes of UK construction fatalities, and the failure pattern is almost always the same: poor segregation, blind-spot reversing, and pedestrian routes that cross plant haul roads. HSG144 and CITB Site Safety Plus both treat vehicle-pedestrian interface as a designed-out risk, not a behavioural one. A plant RAMS must show the segregated layout, banksman positions, exclusion zones and 360-degree visibility aids — not just a 'pedestrians be aware' instruction.
Build RAMS for this trade and hazardNo account required for the preview · No card required
Construction (Design and Management) Regs 2015
Regulation 27 & Schedule 2
Traffic routes must be suitable, sufficient and segregated from pedestrian routes so far as is reasonably practicable. Loading bays must protect pedestrians.
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regs 1992
Regulation 17
Every workplace shall be organised so that pedestrians and vehicles can circulate in a safe manner.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regs 1998 (PUWER)
Regulation 28
Self-propelled work equipment must have devices to prevent risk to pedestrians (audible alarms, visible flashing beacons, mirrors, cameras).
Every UK RAMS reviewer applies the hierarchy of controls in the order below. Defaulting straight to PPE is the single most common reason a RAMS fails review.
1. Eliminate
Phase plant-intensive activities outside pedestrian working hours. Use one-way haul roads with no pedestrian crossing points.
2. Substitute
Use 360-degree camera-equipped plant in lieu of banksman-only operations. Substitute reversing for drive-through layouts.
3. Engineering controls
Physical segregation barriers (concrete, water-filled). Designated crossing points with give-way priority to pedestrians. 360-degree camera, proximity detection (RFID tags), white-noise reverse alarms.
4. Administrative controls
Banksman (SLG-trained) for all reversing manoeuvres. Daily site induction including traffic plan walkthrough. Designated parking zone away from working area. Driver competency cards (CPCS / NPORS) checked.
5. PPE (last line)
Hi-vis class 3 (full sleeves) for all on-foot personnel. Helmet, boots. Drivers wear seatbelts at all times.
Including a generic traffic management plan but no marked-up site layout drawing showing pedestrian routes, plant routes and crossing points. PCs require a drawing — words alone are routinely rejected.
An illustrative extract structured for principal-contractor review. Site-specific facts must be substituted and checked by a competent person.
Traffic management plan (drawing TMP-2026-07 attached) shows a one-way perimeter haul road with three designated pedestrian crossing points (CP-01 to CP-03), each with give-way priority signage and Heras-fenced approach. All plant fitted with 360-degree camera (Brigade Backeye 360), white-noise reverse alarm, and proximity detection (Brigade Sidescan, alerts driver and pedestrian). SLG-trained banksman (T. Walker, SLG cert ref BSG-2025-411) controls all reversing within the active work zone. Drivers hold valid CPCS Blue (Construction Plant Operator) cards, checked at sign-on. Pedestrian routes are physically segregated from haul road by concrete barriers (Defender 50, 1.0m height).
Daily traffic plan walkthrough at induction. Camera and proximity detection check at start of shift. Banksman certificate verification. Weekly review of any near-miss reports involving plant.
Is a banksman enough for reversing plant?
A banksman is necessary but not sufficient. CDM 2015 and HSG144 expect designed-in segregation as the primary control, with banksmen as a back-up for unavoidable reversing. Relying on a banksman alone — particularly without 360 cameras — is a common HSE inspection finding.
What is a SLG ticket?
SLG is the CITB Signaller training certificate — the formal qualification for a banksman directing plant. PCs typically require SLG or equivalent (e.g. CPCS A73) before allowing anyone to direct reversing plant on site.
Are white-noise reverse alarms better than tonal?
Yes — white-noise (broadband) alarms are easier to localise (you can tell where the sound is coming from), they propagate less to neighbouring properties (reducing nuisance complaints), and they remain effective when multiple plant items reverse simultaneously.
Riskora prompts the right hazards for your trade, you confirm what applies on your site, and the document downloads to clean PDF in minutes.
Or browse all trade × hazard guides.