Exclusion zone
An exclusion zone is a demarcated no-go area on site around operating plant, a fall edge, or a live hazard, an isolation control briefed at induction.
Ask Chalkline about this →An exclusion zone is a demarcated area on a construction site that workers, and often the public, must stay out of because of a specific hazard: the swing or slew radius of an excavator, the drop and swing zone under a crane or hiab lift, the area beneath an elevated work platform (EWP), an unprotected fall edge, or a live hazard such as overhead power lines or an open excavation. It is one of the standard site controls and is briefed to everyone at site induction.
In the hierarchy of controls, an exclusion zone is an isolation control: it separates people from the hazard rather than removing the hazard itself, so it sits below elimination and engineering controls and must be backed by physical demarcation (hard barriers, bunting, cones, or a spotter) rather than a line on a plan. A zone that exists only in the SWMS and not on the ground is not a control. For overhead and underground electrical hazards, the minimum approach distances are set by the state electrical-safety regulator and depend on the voltage, so confirm the distance for the specific line before work starts.
On a live site the zone moves with the hazard: as the excavator tracks or the crane slews, the zone goes with it, which is why a competent spotter is often part of the control. Make the zone a site rule, brief it at induction and in toolbox talks, and re-brief it whenever the plant or the work front changes.
Also known as: No-go zone, drop zone, restricted area.
Category: WHS / Site safety.
Related
See also
References
- Safe Work Australia: Model Code of Practice, Construction work (verified 2026-05-30)
- Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (verified 2026-05-30)
Last updated: 2026-05-30. Verified: 2026-05-30. Quarterly review for currency.