RAMS for Site Traffic Management

Site traffic management is one of the most consistently underestimated risks on a construction project. Collisions between vehicles and pedestrians remain a leading cause of fatal and serious injuries in the industry. A RAMS for site traffic management must go beyond a general statement of intent — it must reflect the actual site layout, the vehicles operating, and the controls in place before anyone arrives on site.

Legal Basis

The duty to assess risk sits with the employer under Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. This requires a suitable and sufficient assessment of risks to employees and others who may be affected, including pedestrians on site. CDM 2015 (Regulation 36) imposes specific duties on principal contractors to organise traffic routes to separate vehicles from pedestrians where reasonably practicable, ensure routes are suitable for the vehicles and people using them, and provide adequate signing. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 also apply to construction sites so far as practicable, reinforcing requirements for safe traffic routes.

Key Hazards and Controls — Hierarchy of Risk

**Elimination and Substitution**

The first question is whether vehicle movements can be eliminated or reduced. Can deliveries be consolidated, materials pre-fabricated off site, or plant repositioned to remove the need for vehicles in certain zones entirely? Fewer vehicle movements mean fewer exposures.

**Engineering Controls — Segregation First**

Physical segregation of vehicles and pedestrians is the priority control and should be pursued before any administrative measure. This means dedicated pedestrian routes protected by barriers, Armco, or hoarding — not just paint or cones. Where vehicle and pedestrian routes must cross, raised crossings, signalised crossings, or hard barriers with controlled opening points should be used. One-way systems remove the need for reversing in shared areas and should be designed into the traffic management plan from the outset. At excavations, edge protection (substantial barriers, not just tape) must prevent vehicles from approaching the edge uncontrolled.

**Administrative Controls**

Where full physical segregation is not achievable, administrative controls follow. Banksmen must be trained, clearly identifiable, positioned with a clear view and escape route, and must not direct traffic and perform other tasks simultaneously. Reversing should be minimised; where unavoidable, a trained banksman is required. Site speed limits (typically 10 mph or lower on confined sites) must be enforced — not just posted on a sign. Delivery booking systems help manage peak traffic and prevent multiple large vehicles manoeuvring simultaneously. Safe routes for pedestrians must be signed, lit, and maintained clear of obstructions. Visitors and new starters must receive a site induction covering traffic routes before they enter the site.

**PPE**

High-visibility clothing is the last line of defence, not the control. It supports segregation; it does not replace it.

Common Failings That Get a RAMS Rejected

The most frequent reasons a traffic management RAMS is returned or rejected include: no site-specific layout plan showing actual pedestrian and vehicle routes; reliance on hi-vis and banksmen with no physical segregation described; reversing controls stated as "avoid where possible" without specifying how; failure to address delivery vehicles specifically (the highest-risk movements on many sites); no reference to CDM 2015 traffic route duties; and controls not matched to the actual phase of work (access routes change as a project progresses — the RAMS must reflect this).

What the Document Must Include

A compliant traffic management RAMS should contain: a site plan or annotated drawing showing vehicle routes, pedestrian routes, crossing points, parking, delivery areas, and exclusion zones; identification of all vehicle types operating (HGVs, telehandlers, dumpers, concrete wagons); specific controls for reversing, including banksman deployment; speed limit signage and enforcement method; a description of how segregation is maintained during deliveries; emergency vehicle access provisions; induction arrangements covering traffic routes; review triggers if the site layout changes; and named responsible persons for monitoring compliance. A generic document without a site plan attached will not demonstrate the risk assessment is suitable and sufficient for the specific site.