RT Vehicles Driving Standard

HSEC-B-15
Group Standard
C3 – Vehicles and driving

Group Title: Vehicles and driving
standard
Function: Health, Safety, Environment and Communities (HSEC)
No. of Pages: 4
Approved : Effective: Supersedes: Auditable From:

21 January 2015 1 April 2015 C3- Vehicles and 1 April 2015
driving (2008)
Owner: Approver: Target Audience:

Global head of Health, Safety, Executive Committee All Rio Tinto staff and
Environment and Communities each Rio Tinto Group
business and function
Direct Linkages to other relevant Policies, Standards, Procedures or Guidance notes:
Rio Tinto management system standard, Tyre and rim Group procedure,
C3 – Vehicles and driving guidance note
Document purpose:
To support implementation of the Group Safety policy by providing the minimum requirements for
preventing injuries and fatalities while using or interacting with vehicles, underground or surface mobile
mining equipment operated by Rio Tinto employees or contractors, on or off Rio Tinto operations, for Rio
Tinto business purposes.
Standard C3 – Vehicles and driving Page 1 of 4

C3 – Vehicles and driving
Intent and scope
This standard applies to employees and contractors working at all Rio Tinto business units and
managed operations, through all stages of their lifecycle from exploration through to closure.
This standard applies to all vehicles, owned and operated by Rio Tinto or its contractors, which are
used on Rio Tinto operations or off-site for Rio Tinto business purposes.
The intent is to prevent injuries and fatalities from:
• vehicle/vehicle interactions,
• pedestrian/vehicle interactions, and
• single vehicle incidents.
Control requirements
Requirements in this standard apply in addition to any defined in the Rio Tinto Management System.
At all times, the elimination of risk is the priority.
Planning
Risk analysis
1.1 For each type of vehicle there must be a risk assessment involving operators and maintainers
that addresses all aspects of operation and maintenance for the tasks for which the vehicle is
used.
1.2 All vehicles must be maintained in accordance with specified maintenance schedules.
1.3 All vehicles must undergo a pre-operational safety check. The frequency and content of the
pre-operational safety check must be determined by a risk assessment.
Implementation and operation
Traffic management
1.4 Each operation must have an approved traffic management plan.
1.5 All vehicle activity must be risk assessed to determine the potential for interaction between
vehicles, vehicles and pedestrians, vehicles and track/rail operations and controls must be
implemented to avoid inadvertent contact.
1.6 Each surface mining operation must establish procedures for operating in designated pit areas,
including that:
a) no vehicle can approach within 50 metres of heavy mobile equipment without first making
positive contact with the operator of that equipment, and
b) if overtaking is permitted on site, positive contact must be made before overtaking any heavy
mobile equipment.
1.7 In underground mining, no vehicle or person can approach heavy mobile equipment without
first making positive contact with the operator of that equipment.

Journey management
Each operation must have a risk based journey management procedure.
Transported loads
1.9 Prior to loading or unloading a load that is to be or has been transported to site or transported
from site, a risk assessment must be completed to ensure the load:
a) will not shift, roll, tip over, fall or move once unsecured,
b) will be stable prior to unloading, and
c) will not inadvertently release hazardous substances or chemical energy.
1.10 All transported loads must be restrained or secured with devices that allow the potential stored
energy to be released in a controlled manner.
Vehicles
1.11 All new light vehicles must as a minimum have the following safety features:
a) electronic stability control,

b) anti-lock braking systems,
c) three point seat belt with pre tensioner, and
d) side, curtain and front air bags.
Some requirements in this clause may not apply to forklifts and/or underground light vehicles.
1.12 All vehicles used for work purposes must be fitted with:
a) fixed seats and safety belts for the driver and all passengers, unless a risk assessment
approved by the area manager specifies otherwise,
b) a speedometer or like means of informing operators of vehicle speeds for vehicles capable of
exceeding the lowest speed limit, and
c) warning devices to help prevent inadvertent interaction with pedestrians and/or objects.
1.13 The driver and all passengers must wear seat belts, where fitted, at all times.
1.14 When operating a vehicle, mobile phones and other portable electronic devices whether hands
free or not must only be used by the driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is stationary and in a
safe location.
1.15 If two way radios are to be used they must be:
a) located so that the driver is not distracted and is able to maintain their focus on operating the
vehicle, and
b) used in accordance with a procedure.
1.16 There must be a risk-based process for periodically testing the effectiveness of braking
systems.
1.17 No vehicle is to tow equipment unless it is engineered to do so.

Tyre and rim safety
1.18 There must be demonstrated job competencies and safe work procedures for all tyre
maintenance, servicing activities and tyre fire emergency response. The competencies must
specify the frequency for re-certification, which must not exceed three years.
1.19 Each operation must establish a tyre management plan for tyres and rims used on heavy
mobile equipment, which must:
a) be audited and reviewed by an independent competent person or group at least every two
years, and
b) comply with the Tyre and rim Group procedure.
Competency
1.20 All persons required to drive/operate vehicles must be deemed competent and authorised to
operate those vehicles.
1.21 There must be a process to re-assess competency at a frequency derived from a risk
assessment appropriate for each vehicle/equipment type.
1.22 For surface mining, there must be a process in place that:
a) limits the number of people that drive in an open pit, and

b) ensures familiarisation of changes to the open pit after an absence of two weeks, or more
frequently based on risk.

RT Vehicles Driving Standard

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

RT Vehicles Driving Standard

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

HSEC-B-15

C3 – Vehicles and driving

Function: Health, Safety, Environment and Communities (HSEC)

Approved : Effective: Supersedes: Auditable From:

Owner: Approver: Target Audience:

Direct Linkages to other relevant Policies, Standards, Procedures or Guidance notes:

Standard C3 – Vehicles and driving Page 1 of 4

Implementation and operation

1.4 Each operation must have an approved traffic management plan.

Standard C3 – Vehicles and driving Page 2 of 4

Each operation must have a risk based journey management procedure.

a) electronic stability control,

1.15 If two way radios are to be used they must be:

1.17 No vehicle is to tow equipment unless it is engineered to do so.

Standard C3 – Vehicles and driving Page 3 of 4

1.22 For surface mining, there must be a process in place that:

a) limits the number of people that drive in an open pit, and

Standard C3 – Vehicles and driving Page 4 of 4

You might also like