What this is
What is a traffic management plan?
What is a traffic management plan?
A site-level document that sets out vehicle and pedestrian routes, crossing points, speed limits, one-way flow, turning areas and parking, and the rules that govern how vehicles move around the site. It is the reference every contractor, haulier and visitor is briefed against on arrival.
Who owns the traffic management plan?
The site lead owns it, but it is only as good as its agreement with warehouse operations, who control layout, and the safety function, who set the separation standard. A plan drafted by safety alone routinely misses the reversing moves and blind corners that operations knows about from daily use.
How is a traffic management plan different from a layout drawing?
A layout drawing shows where things are. The plan states the rules that govern movement through that layout: who has priority, where pedestrians cross, what speed applies. A site can have an accurate drawing and an unenforced set of rules, which is where most incidents originate.
Scope
When is a traffic management plan required?
The plan is the standing document for the whole yard and building perimeter. Using it to cover a single change, or a single dock, or a single area of racking produces a document that is right about one thing and silent about the rest of the site.
Use this template when
- A site does not yet have a documented traffic plan, or the existing one predates the current layout
- The annual review or a layout change has fallen due and the plan needs re-issuing
- A new haulier, contractor or agency driver needs the rules of the site before they move a vehicle on it
- An incident or near miss involving a vehicle has raised a question about routes, speed or separation
- A linked assessment needs the plan to exist first: vehicle pedestrian assessment, contractor induction
Do not use it for
- Warehouse Layout Change Review, which assesses a single proposed change to racking, aisles, pick faces or routes ahead of updating this plan
- Loading Dock Safety Check, which checks levellers, restraints and pedestrian separation at the dock itself, not the wider yard
- Pedestrian and Vehicle Segregation Assessment, which assesses separation adequacy at a specific location rather than site-wide rules
- Reversing and Manoeuvring Assessment, which assesses a specific reversing manoeuvre rather than the plan's general reversing rule
- Anything outside KnowSafe, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process
Compliance mapping
Which ISO 45001 cl.8.1 requirements does this satisfy?
ISO 45001 treats vehicle movement as an operational hazard to be planned and controlled, ranking engineering separation above behavioural rules, with the plan itself standing as the operational control.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 45001 cl.8.1 | Operational planning and control: the process is planned, implemented, controlled and reviewed at a defined interval | Header |
| ISO 45001 cl.8.1.2 | Hazards eliminated or risk reduced through engineering measures ahead of behavioural controls | Routes and separation |
| HSE HSG136 | Site transport safety: segregation of pedestrians and vehicles, designated crossing points and adequate turning and manoeuvring space | Routes and separation |
| ISO 45001 cl.8.1.1 | Operating criteria established, with controls implemented in accordance with them | Rules |
| OSHA 1910.178(l)(1) | Only trained and authorised operators permitted to operate powered industrial trucks | Rules |
| ISO 45001 cl.7.4 | Communication process determined for what is communicated, when, and to whom, including contractors and external parties | Communication and maintenance |
| ISO 45001 cl.8.1.3 | Temporary and permanent changes managed, with operational controls reassessed following the change | Communication and maintenance |
What it does not cover
- Warehouse Layout Change Review, which is the assessment that should happen before a racking, aisle or route change is made, and which this plan is updated to reflect afterwards.
- Vehicle Pedestrian Assessment, which examines separation adequacy at a specific interaction point in more detail than a site-wide plan can.
- Contractor Induction, which is where the plan is delivered to an individual driver and their understanding checked, not assumed from the document existing.
- Powered Truck Daily Check, which confirms the vehicle is fit to operate; the plan governs where and how it moves, not whether it should be running at all.
- Racking Inspection, which addresses damage from vehicle contact, a separate record from the routes meant to prevent the contact.
Global
Traffic Management Plan requirements by country
The duty to plan and control vehicle movement is broadly consistent across major regimes; what varies is whether a documented plan is explicitly named or implied by a general duty.
OSH Act General Duty Clause; OSHA 1910.178 for powered industrial trucks
No standalone traffic plan requirement, but recognised vehicle-pedestrian hazards fall under the General Duty Clause and equipment-specific standards.
Absence of a named standard is not absence of duty; enforcement follows from a documented, foreseeable hazard left uncontrolled.
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, reg.17; HSE HSG136 guidance
Traffic routes must be organised so pedestrians and vehicles can circulate safely; HSE guidance sets out what a competent transport plan should contain.
HSG136 is guidance, not law, but a plan departing from its structure needs its own justification if tested after an incident.
ISO 45001 cl.8.1
Vehicle movement is an operational hazard requiring planned and controlled measures, following the hierarchy of controls, under the management system.
Certification auditors expect to see the plan tested against the actual layout, not just held on file and reviewed on schedule.
How to complete it
How to complete a traffic management plan, step by step
The fields prompt for what the plan should contain. Whether the record is defensible depends on judgement calls the form does not make for you.
A plan is only correct if someone has walked the routes it describes and confirmed the markings, signage and physical separation match what is written. Signing off against a CAD drawing that was never re-checked on the ground is the single most common way this record becomes wrong unnoticed.
Reversing designed out, and where it cannot be, covered by a specific rule, is the judgement that most affects the plan's real value. A plan that notes reversing as a general hazard without stating where it is unavoidable has documented the problem without controlling it.
Issued to hauliers and briefed at induction are different things: one is distribution, the other is evidence of understanding. A haulier who received the pack by email and never had it walked through is functionally unbriefed, and that gap is what an investigation finds after an incident involving an agency driver.
An annual date guarantees the plan is looked at once a year and nothing about the eleven months between. Naming layout change and vehicle incident as review triggers, and acting on them when they occur, is what keeps the document current between scheduled reviews rather than only at them.
What auditors find
Most common traffic management plan findings
Traffic plan findings concern the gap between the document and the yard, and between issuing the plan and it reaching a driver's understanding.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Routes marked on the plan are not painted or signed on the ground. | ISO 45001 cl.8.1 | Walk the route network against the plan at each review; correct markings or correct the plan, whichever is accurate. |
| Reversing is noted as a hazard but no rule states where it is unavoidable. | ISO 45001 cl.8.1.2 | Name the specific reversing locations and the control at each: banksman, camera, or restricted access. |
| Plan not reissued after a documented layout change. | ISO 45001 cl.8.1.3 | Link the plan to the layout change process so a change automatically raises a review. |
| Hauliers issued the plan by document only, with no evidence of briefing. | ISO 45001 cl.7.4 | Record briefing separately from issue: who delivered it, to whom, and confirmed understanding. |
| Speed limits set but not signed, or signed but not enforced. | HSE HSG136 | Confirm signage is physically present at the point speed changes, and name who enforces it. |
| Visitor and contractor vehicles follow no rule distinct from site fleet. | ISO 45001 cl.8.1.1 | State visitor and contractor rules explicitly, including where they may park or drive unescorted. |
Case in point
Case in point: the plan that was correct in the office
A distribution site had a current, signed plan showing a one-way system, a marked pedestrian crossing at goods-in, and a five mile an hour limit through that stretch. It had been reviewed on schedule and issued to the regular haulier fleet at induction.
An agency driver, unfamiliar with the route, reversed across the marked crossing to reach a bay that was easier to approach that way. The crossing markings had faded and were barely visible from the cab. No one was struck, but the investigation found the plan accurate on paper and unreadable on the ground, and the agency driver had received the induction pack but no walked briefing.
The template
The template, field by field
The form exactly as it installs. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it.
4 sections
- Reference
- SAF-140
- Archetype
- Plan
- Record ID
- TMP-2026-000
- Scoring
- Plan current
- Direction
- High is good
- Singleton
- No
- Basis
- ISO 45001 cl.8.1
- Links
- Links Vehicle pedestrian assessment, Contractor induction
- Tags
- Warehouse, Traffic
- Sections
- 4
- Fields
- 43
- Follow up fields
- 3
- Repeating sections
- 0
- Links out
- 3
Header
10 fieldsPlan ID*
Auto sequence. Format TMP-2026-000.
The record's own ID. Other templates point at this value.
Status*
Drives who this goes to next.
- Planned2 pts
- In progress2 pts
- Complete3 pts
- Deferred0 pts
- Open0 pts
- Closed3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Version*
Issue Date*
Next Review Due*
Site*
Site ID*
Format SITE-000.
Links to FDN-001 Site ID
Owner*
Approved By*
The Document Everybody Is Briefed Against
Contractors, hauliers, agency drivers and visitors all get told the traffic rules from this plan. If it does not match what is painted on the ground, they will follow the ground.
Routes and separation
9 fieldsSite Plan Attached
Vehicle Routes Defined*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Pedestrian Routes Defined*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Physical Separation Where Practicable*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Crossing Points Designated*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
One Way System Where Practicable*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Reversing Designed Out Where Possible*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Turning Areas Adequate*
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- No0 pts
Speed Limits Set And Signed*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Rules
8 fieldsVehicle Types Covered*
Authorisation Requirements Stated*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Parking Rules Defined*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Loading And Unloading Rules Defined*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Driver Exit From Cab Rules Defined*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Visitor And Contractor Rules Defined*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
High Visibility Requirement Stated*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Mobile Phone And Distraction Rules*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Communication and maintenance
16 fieldsBriefed At Induction*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Issued To Hauliers*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Signage Matches The Plan*
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Markings Maintained*
- Yes3 pts
- Faded1 pt
- Absent0 pts
Reviewed After Layout Change*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Reviewed After Any Vehicle Incident*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Plan Document
Document ID
Format DOC-0000.
Links to FDN-008 Document ID
Action Required*
Raise the action record, then enter its reference here.
- No2 pts
- Yes0 pts
Priority
- High0 pts
- Medium1 pt
- Low3 pts
CAPA ID
Format CAPA-2026-00000.
Links to FDN-014 CAPA ID
Action Owner
Site Manager*
Signature*
Safety Lead*
Second Signature*
SAF-140 · record IDs look like TMP-2026-000 · Links Vehicle pedestrian assessment, Contractor induction
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The plan itself is a static document. What determines whether it holds up is whether a layout change reaches it, whether a haulier was really briefed, and whether the markings are still there.
Holds the plan against the site register, flags it for review when a layout change or vehicle incident is logged, and keeps issue and briefing evidence together.
Connects the plan's vehicle types and rules to the powered truck and mobile plant checks confirming the vehicles are fit to follow them.
Delivers the plan as part of contractor and haulier induction and records confirmed understanding, not just issue.
Watches layout change and incident records for events that should trigger a review, and raises it rather than waiting for the annual date.
This template lives in KnowSafe — safety and compliance. Incidents, hazards, permits, inspections and the critical controls behind them.
Meet KnowSafe→Glossary
Traffic Management Plan definitions and key terms
- Traffic route
- A defined path for vehicle movement, distinguished on the plan from pedestrian routes and from areas where both may cross.
- Segregation
- Physical or procedural separation of vehicles and pedestrians, ranked above signage or rules alone under the hierarchy of controls.
- Designated crossing point
- A marked, fixed location where pedestrians are expected to cross a vehicle route, as opposed to crossing anywhere convenient.
- One-way system
- A route arrangement that eliminates or reduces oncoming and crossing vehicle conflicts by fixing the direction of travel.
- Banksman
- A trained person directing a reversing or manoeuvring vehicle where the manoeuvre cannot be designed out of the route.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about traffic management plan
How often should the traffic management plan be reviewed?+
Annually as a backstop, and immediately after any layout change or vehicle incident. The annual date catches drift nobody noticed; the change and incident triggers catch the changes that actually invalidate the plan, and they matter more.
Who should be involved in writing the plan?+
The site lead who owns it, warehouse operations who control the layout, and safety who sets the separation standard. A plan written by any one of the three alone tends to miss what the others know from daily use of the yard.
Does issuing the plan count as briefing?+
No. Issue is distribution; briefing is confirmed understanding. A driver who received the document and never had it walked through is functionally unbriefed, and the record should capture the two separately.
What takes priority: signage or physical separation?+
Physical separation. Signage and speed limits are behavioural controls that depend on compliance; separation, one-way flow and designed-out reversing remove the opportunity for conflict entirely, which is why they rank above signs in the hierarchy of controls.
Should visitor cars be covered by the same plan as site vehicles?+
Yes, but with distinct rules. Visitors and contractors do not know the site, so their rules need to be more restrictive on where they may drive unescorted or park, not simply a copy of the fleet rules.
What happens if the plan and the painted markings disagree?+
Drivers and pedestrians follow what they can see, not what they were told at induction months earlier. Treat any disagreement as an immediate defect: repaint to match the plan, or correct the plan and reissue it.
Keep going
Related templates and programmes
Industries this is written for
Programmes this belongs to
Used together in Warehouse and Dock Safety
Manual Picking Ergonomic Assessment
Assesses a pick face for reach, height, weight, rate and travel over a shift
Pallet Build and Wrap Assessment
Assesses the build of a pallet by hand, covering bending at the base layer, reach at the top and wrapping posture
Powered Truck Daily Check
Checks a forklift before each shift, covering forks, mast, hydraulics, brakes, horn, lights and data plate
Mobile Plant Defect Report
Reports a defect found on any mobile equipment at any time, not only at pre-use check
Reversing and Manoeuvring Assessment
Assesses reversing at each regular location, and whether it can be designed out
Racking Inspection
Checks pallet racking for damage, overload and missing components against the damage classification in use
More in Warehouse Safety
Racking Inspection
Checks pallet racking for damage, overload and missing components against the damage classification in use
Racking Damage Report
Reports damage found on racking at any time, not only during inspection
Loading Dock Safety Check
Checks dock levellers, edge protection, lighting, restraints and pedestrian separation before and during loading
Trailer Restraint and Chock Record
Records that a trailer is restrained and its keys controlled before anyone enters it
Mezzanine and Edge Protection Check
Checks handrails, toe boards, pallet gates and floor openings on raised storage areas
Pallet and Load Condition Check
Checks pallets and made up loads for damage, overhang, stability and wrap quality before they are stored or shipped
Written and reviewed by
Siddarth Singh
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knowella
Certified Safety Professional and industrial and systems engineer with more than a decade inside food supply chain, freight and manufacturing operations. This page was written against the current text of the standards it cites, not against secondary summaries of them.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals
- MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- MS and BS, The Ohio State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Six Sigma Black Belt
Sources and last review. Reviewed 16 August 2026 against:
- ISO 45001:2018 clauses 8.1, 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.3 and 7.4
- Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, regulation 17 (GB)
- HSE HSG136 — Workplace Transport Safety
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178 — Powered industrial trucks
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your jurisdiction’s regulator.