What do you need to be a traffic controller?

Owing to the flourishing building industry, traffic controllers are in high demand in Australia. An increasing number of people seek these jobs as they are flexible, rewarding and satisfying; these jobs offer you a great deal of inner satisfaction as you are providing an invaluable service to communities all over Australia. If you are thinking of becoming a traffic controller, here is everything that you need to know about traffic management and what traffic controllers do and how you can become one.
 
Things that you need to be a traffic controller
A Unique Student Identifier (USI) number is mandatory for anyone who wishes to undertake accredited training is Australia. To obtain a USI, visit www.usi.gov.au and click on Create My USI and follow the steps. You will require a USI number when you enroll for a traffic management training course.
 
There are a few items that you need to have like the following:

• Steel Toe Cap Boots: These must be steel toe cap.
• Hard Hat: A hard hat is a broad and brimmed hat with florescent bands; it is a protective gear.
• High Vis Top and Trousers: You are required to wear long-sleeved florescent shirts with a reflector band. The label “traffic controller” should be labelled across the top. Trousers must be of full length.
• Earplugs: You need to wear earplugs to protect your eardrums from any heavy machinery or road work that may be on the construction site.
• Protective Eyewear: Protective eyewear that adheres to Australian standards must be worn to avoid workplace hazards.
• Sunscreen: Sunscreen is another requirement for traffic controllers to wear on their own accord.

Equipment

• Stop and Slow Bat: It is a double-sided hand-held bat that says STOP on one side and SLOW on the other.
• Witch Hat/Cone: This is used to warn drivers of hazardous areas in and around construction sites.
• Chevron: Chevrons are black and yellow signboards with black arrows to help traffic controllers when diverting traffic.
• Danger Tape: It is a tape used to block unsafe areas for anyone on a construction site.
• Barriers and Barricades: These are used to divert traffic from the area with barriers. They can be road traffic barriers, post and rope barriers, orange cones and so forth.
• Signs: Traffic controllers use signs ranging from Stop, Go, to keep Left/Right, etc.

Besides, you will need a construction ticket and license. A White Card is mandatory for someone who aspires to work on a construction site or in a construction position. A Blue Card empowers the traffic controller to control the traffic through any roadwork site. A Yellow Card enables the traffic controller to set up traffic control plans.