A Workplace Guide for Traffic Banksmen
Table of contents
Job Description of a Traffic Banksman
1. Directing Vehicle Movement
A traffic banksman is responsible for controlling traffic and ensuring accidents don’t occur at the work sites. They aid operators and drivers in their manoeuvres with hand gestures and communication tools. For instance, they can signal a vehicle to stop and move just in time when they reverse or make a turn. By monitoring their movements on the main road, banksmen direct cranes and trucks onto the site and ensure that heavy vehicles leave the area safely.
2. Managing Traffic
Traffic marshals manage the flow of traffic within a workspace as a banksman. They direct the drivers to the truck parking areas on the site. The traffic control system should ensure no other trucks are blocking the entries or exits. Additionally, large vehicles should have enough room to leave the site or travel to the loading zones. The roadways must be designed and laid out for particular vehicles to ensure efficient operation.
3. Identifying Unsafe Areas
A banksman should be aware of potential accident-causing difficulty spots in construction zones. To prevent damage to cars or equipment during manoeuvres, they also clear away impediments and clutter from the routes.
4. Taking Care of Signalling Equipment
A traffic banksman should frequently examine the radio gear and other communication tools as a banksman to ensure they are operating as intended. A driver cannot hear them in a busy workplace, and giving directions is challenging without a communication line.
5. Teaching Hand Signals to Drivers
To prevent misunderstandings, it’s crucial to ensure drivers can comprehend the hand gestures of a banksman. They should meet with novice drivers to discuss traffic signals and communication techniques.
6. Assisting in Loading and Unloading
A banksman typically works alongside other employees to do loading and unloading tasks. They may occasionally use the loading equipment to reduce traffic jams brought on by delayed loading.
Work Environment of a Traffic Banksman
A traffic banksman works on building sites, loading and unloading ports, and factories. Trucks, cranes, lorries, cement mixers, bulldozers, and trucks are frequently seen in these situations. They spend most of their time working outside in all types of weather, so they must dress appropriately and have the necessary safety gear. Most banksmen dress in high-visibility clothing so that cars can see them both during the day and at night. The noise level at work is quite high on construction sites. For this reason, they require radio communication equipment to direct the drivers and alert the loading team when a truck arrives. Additionally, their responsibility is to maintain the office spotless and ensure efficient operation.
Coworkers of a Banksman
Depending on the industry, a traffic banksman coworkers may include signallers, riggers, and warehousing workers. Workers in the warehouse help load and unload as riggers secure items to cranes. Additionally, banksmen might collaborate with project managers, civil engineers, ground labourers, truck drivers, and other specialists.
Work Schedule of a Banksman
The work schedule of a banksman differs depending on the employer and the conditions of their employment. For instance, delivery to building sites typically occurs in the early morning or late evening when there aren’t many people present. They will therefore start early and end late. On the other hand, warehouses are active during the day, when they finish most of their duties. A bankman typically puts in 35 to 40 hours a week, including weekends and evenings as needed when they work a full-time schedule. A traffic banksman can also work on temporary or part-time contracts.
Traffic Marshal Course
When properly completed, a traffic banksman training course, also known as a traffic marshal course, entitles participants to serve as traffic marshals. By planning and setting out the roads that vehicles will use to pass through a location, they are able to safely govern the movement of vehicles there. To maintain safe segregation, a traffic marshal will make an effort to construct a one-way traffic system that will facilitate the flow of a vehicle at work through the site. They will also aim to avoid pedestrian crossings.
When traffic is high, they may personally direct cars to prevent excessive queuing.
