Pre-Start Checks for Traffic Control Crews: A Practical Daily Checklist

A traffic control pre-start checklist confirms, before anyone steps onto the road, that the crew is qualified and fit for work, the TGS, SWMS and permits are correct, vehicles and equipment are safe, radios work, and everyone understands the set-up, their positions and the hazards. Run it every shift, record it, and don't start until every "no" is fixed.

Many traffic control incidents and near misses can be traced back to something a decent pre-start would have caught: the wrong plan revision, a missing sign, a radio with a flat battery, or a controller who'd had four hours' sleep. This article gives you a practical daily checklist, explains why each item matters, and lists the common shortcuts to avoid. Adapt it to your company's procedures, your SWMS and the requirements of each client and road authority.

Why the pre-start matters

The pre-start does three jobs:

• Confirms the controls are in place before exposure starts. Work on or next to a road used by traffic is high-risk construction work, and the SWMS and TGS are the core controls. The pre-start is where you check they're actually ready.
• Briefs the crew. Every person should know the layout, their position, the set-up order, the escape route and what to do if something goes wrong.
• Creates a record. A dated, signed record of who was there, what was checked and what was fixed is valuable if anything happens later, and many principal contractors expect to see it.

In NSW practice, traffic control is also inspected at the start and end of every shift and at suitable intervals during it, with records kept on the project's forms. The pre-start comes before the start-of-shift inspection, not instead of it.

Before leaving the depot

A lot of the pre-start can happen before the crew reaches site:

• Job details confirmed: address, start time, client contact, work type.
• Current TGS revision, SWMS, permits and any client documents downloaded or printed.
• Equipment loaded against the TGS list, with spares and sign covers.
• Vehicle pre-start completed for every ute, truck, TMA and trailer (lights, tyres, beacons, arrow board, load restraint), with defects reported.
• Batteries charged for radios, lights, arrow boards and VMS boards.
• PPE for the conditions: day or night hi-vis, wet weather gear, sun protection.

The daily pre-start checklist

Use this on site before set-up. Each item should be a clear yes or no.

Any "no" needs action before work starts, and the action should be recorded.

Fit for work and fatigue

Traffic control involves long shifts, early starts, night work and long drives. A tired controller reacts slower and makes worse decisions, in a job where both matter.

At the pre-start, ask every worker directly whether they're fit for work today. Cover:

• Sleep and rest since the last shift.
• Illness, injury or medication that could affect alertness.
• Alcohol or other drugs, in line with company policy.
• Anything else that might stop them doing the job safely.

Make it safe for people to say no. If a worker says they're not fit, the right response is to swap roles, get a replacement or adjust the job, not to pressure them to carry on. Companies should set their own fatigue limits from a risk assessment; for example, TrafWise uses defaults of 12 hours per day, 50 hours per week and 10 hours' rest between shifts, but these are company settings, not law. SafeWork NSW's Code of Practice on managing the risk of fatigue at work commenced on 20 February 2026; see SafeWork NSW for the current version. Our guide to fatigue management in traffic control goes further.

Walking the TGS on site

Before any equipment goes out, the crew leader should walk or drive the site with the TGS and compare the two:

• Does the road match the drawing: lanes, intersections, driveways, bus stops, footpaths?
• Can every sign go where shown and be seen by approaching drivers?
• Can the tapers and buffers be achieved as drawn? Distances and taper lengths come from the TGS and the applicable standard for the road's speed, so don't shorten them to fit.
• Are there new hazards: a school pick-up, an event, other roadworks, a damaged surface?
• Which permanent signs will need covering?

If the site doesn't match the plan, stop and get advice. A TGS must be prepared, and substantially changed, by a suitably qualified person. If you need a refresher, read how to read a TGS or our overview of what a traffic guidance scheme is.

Running the briefing

A good briefing is short, specific and two-way. Cover:

1. The job: what the work crew is doing today and for how long.
2. The layout: which TGS, the set-up order (furthest advance warning sign first), and who places what.
3. Positions: where each controller stands, sight lines, and the escape route for every position.
4. Communication: radio channel, call signs, hand signals as a backup, and what to do if radio contact is lost.
5. Hazards: traffic speed and volume, plant movements, pedestrians, weather, heat or cold, and anything unusual about this site.
6. Breaks and rotation: when, and who relieves whom.
7. Changes and incidents: who can authorise changes, how to stop work, how to report an incident or near miss, and site preservation for notifiable incidents.
8. Questions: ask each person to repeat their role, especially new starters.

Then confirm the SWMS has been read and signed. Our article on SWMS for traffic control explains what that document should contain.

Extra checks for night works and bad weather

Night shifts and poor weather change the risk, so add these to the standard checklist when they apply:

• Lighting: work area and controller positions lit as the TGS and permit require, with lights aimed so they don't dazzle approaching drivers.
• Visibility of devices: signs and cones clean and reflective, flashing lights and arrow boards working, and spare batteries on the truck.
• Night-rated PPE: hi-vis clothing suitable for night use, with reflective tape in good condition, and head torches for anyone moving around the site.
• Fatigue: extra attention to rest since the last shift, especially for crew coming off day work or with a long drive home.
• Weather: rain, fog, wind or glare that reduces sight distance or could blow signs over. Check sign stands are weighted as the manufacturer recommends and that the TGS conditions still allow the work.
• Heat: water, shade, sun protection and a break plan for hot days, plus a clear way for workers to say they're feeling unwell.
• Noise and neighbours: any permit conditions on noise, reversing alarms or start times near homes.

If conditions get worse during the shift, run a short re-brief and an extra inspection. Don't wait for the next scheduled check.

After the pre-start: set-up and first inspection

Once the pre-start is complete:

• Set up in the order shown on the TGS, working from the protected side and using vehicle positioning or a TMA where the plan requires it.
• Cover conflicting permanent signs.
• Do the start-of-shift inspection against the TGS and record it.
• Fix any differences before the work crew starts.
• Agree with the work crew's supervisor that the site is ready.

Through the shift, inspect at suitable intervals and whenever conditions change. At the end, pack down in reverse order, uncover permanent signs, inspect the site after removal and record it.

Common pre-start mistakes

• Tick-and-flick. The form is signed in the ute without anyone being briefed.
• No site walk. The crew sets out from memory of a similar job.
• Old TGS revision. The office updated the plan; the crew has last week's version.
• Fatigue question skipped, or asked in a way nobody can honestly answer.
• Late arrivals not briefed. Someone joins at 9 am and never signs the SWMS.
• Defects noted but not acted on. A failed beacon written down, then driven on for a week.
• No record kept, so there's nothing to show the client or regulator later.

Next steps

Print the checklist above, adapt it to your SWMS and client requirements, and make it a non-negotiable part of every shift. For model guidance on WHS duties and consultation, see Safe Work Australia. If you run a traffic control company, TrafWise puts the SWMS sign-off and pre-start on each crew member's phone, and flags any failed check to the office before work starts.