Following the overloading of a hotbox at an asphalt plant, the vehicle was driven to the tip off area, RAP stock yard for the loading shovel to remove the excess material. While the loading shovel was removing the freshly mixed asphalt there were two individuals within the area wearing minimal PPE in close proximity to both the hotbox and moving mobile plant. There was a clear risk of either driver being struck by the front end loader or covered with very high temperature material.
Following a review of this incident the following root causes were identified;
- The operative was not fully focused on the unloading of material onto the hotbox when the discharge gate was opened with the wrong vehicle in position
- A risk assessment was not completed even though this was an activity not covered within daily activity RAMS
- Due to a lack of safety focus on site, resulting from a can-do attitude, procedures were not followed with production put before safety
- PPE signage was not clear within the RAP yard
- A lack of support from the site supervisor to manage the activity safely.
