Road Roller Operations (Smooth & Padfoot) SWMS

Road roller operations using smooth-drum and padfoot machines are core to subgrade preparation, pavement construction and earthworks compaction across civil, road and bulk earthworks projects. The work involves heavy mobile plant operating in close proximity to ground workers, traffic corridors, batters and other plant, while transmitting whole-body vibration to operators and ground-borne vibration to adjacent structures and services. Under WHS Regulation 2011 r291 (and equivalent state provisions), operation of powered mobile plant, work adjacent to traffic corridors and work involving structures that may collapse are all classified as High Risk Construction Work, mandating a documented Safe Work Method Statement before work commences. This SWMS addresses smooth and padfoot roller compaction, pass-count discipline, edge and batter work, traffic interface controls and operator exposure management. It is the PCBU's duty under WHS Act s19 to ensure the SWMS is prepared in consultation with workers, complied with on site, and reviewed when controls change or an incident occurs.

Hazards identified

7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.

1. 1Elimination — Eliminate edge compaction by redesigning batter profiles so rolling occurs only on stable horizontal platforms with minimum 1 metre offset from any drop-off or excavation edge.
2. 2Elimination — Remove ground workers from the active compaction zone entirely by sequencing survey, level checks and quality testing outside the roller exclusion zone.
3. 3Substitution — Substitute manual edge compaction with remote-controlled trench rollers or walk-behind compactors where edge clearances are less than one drum width from the batter crest.
4. 4Engineering — Fit and verify ROPS/FOPS certified to AS 2294, reverse alarms, 360-degree camera systems and proximity detection on all rollers operating on the project.
5. 5Engineering — Install physical exclusion barriers, water-filled barriers or concrete jersey kerbs between the compaction work area and live traffic lanes per AS 1742.3.
6. 6Engineering — Use vibration-isolated operator seats compliant with ISO 7096 and monitor whole-body vibration exposure against ISO 2631-1 daily action values.
7. 7Administrative — Implement documented pass-count plans, exclusion zones marked by spotters with two-way radio, and pre-start inspection records signed by the operator each shift.
8. 8Administrative — Schedule rotation of operators every two hours during high-vibration or high-temperature work to manage fatigue and cumulative vibration dose.
9. 9Administrative — Conduct daily pre-start toolbox using this SWMS, with operator licence verification (LR class or higher), competency records and sign-on register retained for the project duration.
10. 10PPE — Issue high-visibility Class D/N garments to AS/NZS 4602.1, safety footwear to AS/NZS 2210.3, hearing protection to AS/NZS 1270 and respiratory protection to AS/NZS 1716 when working near hot mix asphalt.

Applicable Codes of Practice

High-Risk Construction Work triggered

Worked example

On a regional highway widening project, the day-shift supervisor opens this SWMS at the 6:30am pre-start brief in the site office donga before mobilising a 12-tonne smooth drum roller and a padfoot machine onto the subgrade. Working through the hazard register, the crew identifies that today's task includes edge compaction within 1.5 metres of a 2-metre embankment — triggering the rollover control set. The supervisor nominates a dedicated spotter with UHF channel 12, marks the exclusion zone with bunting and confirms the operator holds a current LR licence and roller competency unit. The operator signs the SWMS sign-on register, conducts the pre-start plant inspection logged against the SWMS pre-start checklist, and confirms ROPS, reverse alarm and seat vibration isolator are functional. Mid-morning, the crew encounters an unmarked telecommunications pit within the rolling line; under the SWMS change-management clause, work stops, the supervisor adds the new hazard to the SWMS amendment page, dial-before-you-dig is re-verified, and the pass plan is adjusted to maintain a 1-metre offset from the pit lid. All affected workers re-sign the amended SWMS before rolling resumes. The amended document is retained on the project file and uploaded to the principal contractor's compliance portal at end of shift.

Related legislation

• WHS Act 2011 (model)
• WHS Regulation 2025
• AS 2550 — Cranes, hoists and winches; AS 1418 series

Frequently asked questions