How to Prepare Your Site for Heavy Haulage Delivery

Understanding how to prepare your site for heavy haulage delivery is critical for safety, efficiency, and avoiding costly delays.

Site preparation for heavy haulage includes understanding road weight limits, overhead clearances, regulations and permits, and ensuring suitable ground conditions.

Having safely transported thousands of tonnes of equipment across WA, we’ve seen the difference proper site preparation makes. 

In this guide, we’ll cover how to prepare your site for heavy haulage delivery to ensure a safe, smooth operation.

6 Steps of Site Preparation Heavy Haulage

1. Assess Site Access and Entry Points
2. Ensure Ground Conditions Are Suitable
3. Clear and Prepare the Work Area
4. Arrange the Right Equipment and Support
5. Confirm Compliance and Safety Requirements
6. Communication with your Transport Partner

1. Assess Site Access and Entry Points

First, the site must be assessed to ensure adequate entry and access points. This prevents delays and keeps the delivery process running smoothly.

A good site plan for heavy haulage delivery should include:

• A clear loading/unloading zone with proper signage and access
• A safe perimeter
• Confirmation that all entry gates and driveways are suitable for large vehicles
• Suitable turning circles for large vehicles that frequently need to make wide turns
• Adequate overhead clearance (double check nearby powerlines, signage, and trees)
• Identification of any restrictions, such as weight limits on nearby roads

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2. Ensure Ground Conditions Are Suitable

Once you develop a detailed site plan, it is crucial to confirm that the site can handle the weight of heavy vehicles and trailers.

With trucks, trailers, and cargo weighing thousands of tonnes, soft ground is a nightmare.

Unstable surfaces, slopes, soft ground, and standing water can cause delays, serious accidents, and expensive damage to equipment.

To ensure stable, suitable ground for heavy haulage delivery, we recommend:

• Using compacted gravel or reinforced pads where necessary
• Avoid soft ground, slopes, or unstable surfaces that could cause safety risks
• Use soil compaction testing and grading to ensure level surfaces and prevent ground shifting or settling
• Performing detailed soil testing to identify soil type and soil moisture content

• Installing culverts and grading the site for runoff, where necessary
• Establishing drainage solutions, such as ditches or trenches to direct water away from delivery sites

3. Clear and Prepare the Work Area

A safe loading and unloading zone must be free of any obstacles, equipment, or restrictions. Vehicles, people, fences, and utility lines must all be out of the way to prevent serious accidents.

We always tell our clients to have as few staff members as possible involved in the unloading process. Before heavy haulage delivery, staff members must know exactly where they should or shouldn’t be.

To ensure a clear, safe work area for heavy haulage delivery, we recommend:

• Removing any obstacles, such as fences, vehicles, or equipment
• Identifying and marking utility lines
• Completing a thorough site check to identify and mitigate any hazards
• Designating an area for debris to ensure a clear, organised unloading zone

• Creating safe zones for unloading and manoeuvring.
• Putting up barriers to indicate safe zones where people can remain during the unloading and manoeuvring of heavy haulage equipment
• Clear signage indicating the perimeter, work zones, and dangerous areas
• Ensure workers and contractors are briefed on safety procedures
• Supplying on-site workers with adequate training, including what to expect during heavy haulage delivery
• Supplying PPE to on-site staff, including hard hats, safety glasses, steel-toed boots, gloves, and high-vis vests

4. Arrange the Right Equipment and Support

Unloading Equipment and Additional Support

Cranes, forklifts, or rigging gear may be required for unloading. Before heavy haulage delivery, ask yourself

• Do I need additional equipment, such as a forklift?
• Do I have the appropriate rigging gear?
• How will I transport the items, goods, or equipment that are delivered?
• Do I need additional staff members to operate cranes or forklifts during unloading?

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Arrange Pilot or Escort Vehicles

Pilot vehicles guide the main heavy haulage vehicle and alert road users to the presence of oversized equipment.

A heavy haulage escort vehicle may be needed to ensure the safe transport of oversized loads in WA. Escort vehicle regulations vary by region, load type, and load size, and are often complex.

Wondering, “Do I need an escort vehicle for oversized load transport”? See our guide here: Do You Need Pilot Vehicles for Oversized Loads?

Or, contact our team and we’ll help you determine if an escort vehicle is needed.

5. Confirm Compliance and Safety Requirements

This is an area we often see our clients forget about. However, it is a critical step in a safe heavy haulage delivery.

Heavy haulage regulations and permits can be complicated, requiring extensive knowledge of local rules. Failing to meet safety regulations can result in accidents, fines, and delays.

Before heavy haulage transport, ensure:

• Required permits and approvals are in place.
• All safety regulations for traffic management and site operations will be met
• Local authorities are notified
• Road closures are identified
• Escorts are lined up, if required

Learn more about oversized load transport regulations and permits in our guide here: Oversized Load Regulation and Permits: A Complete Guide

6. Communicate with Your Transport Partner

Communication is one of the most crucial aspects to include on your heavy haulage delivery checklist. From transport to arrival to unloading, communication helps maximize safety and prevent delays.

Here are key ways to collaborate with your transport partner:

• Provide updated site maps, delivery schedules, and contact details
• Keep open lines with drivers, site managers, and AWH coordinators
• Establish emergency communication channels

Final Checklist Before Delivery

Here is an example heavy haulage delivery checklist:

• Access routes confirmed
• Ground conditions stabilised
• Obstacles cleared
• Equipment organised
• Safety compliance checked
• Communication plan in place, including emergency protocols

Australia’s Heavy Haulage Experts

Knowing how to prepare your site for heavy haulage delivery is non-negotiable.  Proper site preparation ensures the highest level of safety and efficiency. Without adequate site preparation for heavy haulage, you are at risk of dangerous accidents, legal issues, and costly damage to equipment.

Protecting our workers, your staff, and your expensive machinery is our number one priority. We’re proud of our impeccable safety record and our reputation as Australia’s trusted heavy haulage provider.

We ensure the highest safety standards from start to finish of heavy haulage transport. Our team at Australia Wide Haulage can help you assess, plan, and execute your delivery safely. Contact us today to discuss your heavy haulage project.