Site planning is the planning and design process you undertake for new and ongoing:
- developments
- projects
- activities.
The decisions you make when planning can prevent or reduce the risk of harm to human health and the environment from your site activities. For example, if you design your site so waste storage is located away from site boundaries, it will reduce the risk of odour or noise from waste trucks harming your neighbours.
When planning, consider the timing of activities over the life cycle of your business. Risks may change as your business evolves.
Site management is ongoing oversight of your:
- activities
- infrastructure
- personnel
- interactions with the local community.
Active management of your site incorporates:
- identifying ongoing hazards, risks and controls
- maintaining effective controls.
For example, good site management could include:
- keeping a daily record of the condition of controls
- monitoring performance
- maintaining key plant and equipment
- ongoing hazard identification.
Site planning and management can prevent or reduce many risks – for example, from odour, noise, sediment, erosion or dust.
All industries can benefit from:
- site planning before starting activities, and
- ongoing site management to prevent or reduce risks of harm.
Understand the risks from your activities
Understand what site activities have risk of harm to human health and the environment. Implement control measures to prevent or mitigate these risks.
To do this, examples of what to consider include:
- what people and sensitive receptors could be harmed by your activities
- how to avoid generating harm, such as from dust, odour and noise
- the most appropriate equipment and work practices to reduce risk from your activities
- the need to maintain equipment and vehicles according to manufacturer instructions
- alternatives if you cannot reduce the risk of harm through avoidance or reduction.
Understand your project's duration and timeframes for activities. This helps inform:
- appropriate selection and implementation of controls over the short-term and long-term
- planning for how these controls may need to be modified over time.
During site planning, or as soon as possible afterwards, make sure you have identified effective control solutions.
Keep records of these processes once your site is in operation.
For more information on preventing or reducing risk, visit Risk management process.
For specific information about odour control, visit Site planning and management to control odour.
Consider planning requirements
When planning, make sure you follow all state and local laws – for example, local planning laws and building regulations.
You can find out more from your local council or Victorian Building Authority.
We assess some planning proposals for potential risks to human health and the environment. Learn more about our role in land use planning and development.
Preventative maintenance program and environmental management system
Having a preventative maintenance program or environmental management system (EMS) provides a systematic and methodical approach to planning, implementing and reviewing your control measures.
For some activities that need a permission, you may need to document your EMS as part of your risk management and monitoring program.
Include monitoring and maintenance of your current controls in your preventative maintenance program or EMS. Monitoring and maintenance makes sure the controls are effective and working as planned. For high-risk activities, have a contingency plan in case the control measure fails.
You can monitor and maintain controls by:
- conducting regular site inspections
- conducting routine maintenance inspections
- consulting with staff
- recording incidents and near misses
- logging community complaints and the actions you took to resolve the issues.
Record all site and maintenance inspections.
Proximity to sensitive receptors and neighbours
Manage the timing of your activities and operations to minimise impact on neighbours. Particularly if your site’s neighbouring properties include sensitive receptors such as:
- private residences
- aged care facilities
- hospitals
- schools
- childcare centres
- kindergartens
- universities
- other areas where people gather.
Manage the timing of activities such as:
- receiving materials, including onsite storage and handling
- production
- construction
- maintenance processes.
If you are getting ongoing complaints, engaging with the local community can:
- help inform you of the problem
- check the extent of dissatisfaction.
For example, you could:
- organise a community meeting with locals
- hold an open public meeting to see if there is a more widespread problem in surrounding areas.
This supports the community to:
- raise their concerns
- provide input into solutions in a collaborative and transparent manner.
You can better manage impacts as they happen if you're regularly consulting with affected communities.
Complaints response system
Implementing a complaints response system is critical to managing issues on your site. It allows you to respond to complaints promptly and effectively.
Responding promptly can help you develop and maintain good relationships with your surrounding community.
Effectively investigating complaints:
- helps you identify where existing control procedures need improvement
- leads to identifying and implementing new controls.
Use complaint records to:
- build up a long-term picture of issues on your site
- provide a measure of the cumulative impacts of repeated incidents.
For more information on managing specific complaints, visit:
Weather conditions
Understand the weather conditions of your site. Is the site regularly wet, humid, dry or hot?
Consider how to respond to adverse weather conditions – for example:
- hot, dry and wet periods
- high winds
- heavy rainfall events
- days with poor air quality.
Be flexible and adjust your work plan or schedule as necessary.
Understand the wind direction around your site. This can tell you the best way to set up your site to help minimise impacts on sensitive receptors.
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