Councils & Utilities

ARC11 provides remote-controlled vegetation control for sites where the use of conventional, manned machinery presents unacceptable safety, environmental, or asset risk.

We are engaged when steep slopes, unstable ground, or constrained access make traditional plant difficult to justify from a WHS and compliance perspective.

Our role is not simply to clear vegetation — it is to remove operator exposure, reduce rollover risk, and support defensible contractor selection for councils, utilities, and government asset managers.

ARC11 as a risk control measure

ARC11 is not positioned as a general replacement for conventional contractors.

ARC11 provides:

• Removal of the operator from the hazard zone through remote-controlled operation

• Reduced rollover exposure by eliminating direct operator involvement on steep or unstable terrain

• Low ground pressure to minimise disturbance on post-burn, erosion-prone, or environmentally sensitive sites

• Controlled access to embankments, batters, drains, and constrained locations where manned access is unsafe or impractical

How ARC11 is typically engaged

ARC11 is typically engaged through a straightforward, risk-led process:

1. Site information reviewed, including maps, photos, or inspection

2. Terrain, access, and exposure risks assessed

3. Remote-controlled method confirmed as appropriate

4. Scope issued with justification aligned to site conditions

5. Works delivered and documented in line with agreed methods

Why conventional machinery becomes difficult to defend

On steep or unstable terrain, the continued use of manned machinery increases both the likelihood and consequence of rollover incidents and operator injury.

Where safer, reasonably practicable alternatives exist, reliance on traditional plant may be difficult to justify if works are later reviewed by Worksafe, environmental regulators, or internal auditors.

In these situations, the key question is not whether vegetation was cleared, but whether the selected method appropriately reduced known risks. If a method exists that removes the operator from the hazard zone and reduces exposure, failure to consider or adopt that method can create avoidable liability.

When ARC11 is the appropriate contractor

ARC11 is typically engaged where one or more of the following conditions apply:

• Slopes or embankments where manned plant presents rollover risk

• Unstable, wet, rocky, or post-fire ground conditions

• Works adjacent to assets, waterways, drains, or public infrastructure

• Locations where safe operator access cannot be adequately controlled

• Projects requiring defensible contractor selection and documented risk reduction

Discuss a high-risk site

If a site involves steep terrain, unstable ground, or elevated safety or environmental risk, ARC11 can assess whether remote-controlled operation is the appropriate control.

This discussion is intended to support risk-based decision-making — not every site requires this approach.

This discussion supports risk-based decision-making and scope validation.

The risk councils are managing

Vegetation works in high-risk terrain expose councils and utilities to multiple, well-documented risks, including:

• Rollover and loss-of-control incidents involving tractors or cab-operated machinery

• Operator exposure on steep slopes, embankments, and unstable ground

• Damage to assets such as culverts, drains, batters, road edges, and services

• Environmental disturbance on post-burn, erosion-prone, or sensitive sites

• Increased scrutiny following incidents, near-misses, complaints, or audits

Documentation and defensibility

ARC11 supports council and utility compliance requirements through a structured, risk-based approach to delivery.

This includes:

• Site-specific work methods aligned to identified hazards and terrain conditions

• A WHS-focused approach consistent with the hierarchy of controls

• Clear scope definition linked directly to access, slope, and ground conditions

• Fully insured, compliance-ready operations suitable for government engagement

Our objective is not to promise zero risk, but to apply a method that can be justified if decisions are later reviewed.