Product Overview

Summary: This Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, practical framework for monitoring and managing air quality risks in tyre workshops across Australia. It helps businesses control exposure to hazardous fumes, dusts, and gases, supporting WHS compliance while protecting the health of tyre fitters, mechanics, and other workshop staff.

Tyre workshops can be deceptively high-risk environments when it comes to air quality. Activities such as tyre fitting and removal, use of compressed air, brake and clutch work, wheel alignment, welding, cutting, and the use of solvents and cleaning agents all generate airborne contaminants. Without a structured approach to air quality monitoring, workers may be exposed to hazardous substances such as respirable dust, rubber and brake dust, welding fumes, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide from idling vehicles, and ozone from certain equipment. This exposure can lead to respiratory illness, long-term occupational disease, and increased workers compensation claims, as well as regulatory scrutiny from WHS regulators.

This Air Quality Monitoring in Tyre Workshops SOP provides a step-by-step system for identifying airborne contaminants, determining monitoring requirements, conducting air sampling, interpreting results, and implementing corrective actions. It aligns with Australian WHS regulations and recognised standards, giving you a defensible process for demonstrating that you have assessed and controlled airborne risks “so far as is reasonably practicable”. The procedure also supports better ventilation design, selection and maintenance of extraction systems, and the effective use of respiratory protective equipment. By embedding this SOP into your workshop operations, you create a safer, healthier environment for workers and visitors while reducing the likelihood of non-compliance, enforcement notices, and reputational damage.

Key Benefits

• Ensure systematic identification, measurement, and control of airborne contaminants specific to tyre workshop activities.
• Reduce the risk of respiratory illness, long-term occupational disease, and related workers compensation costs.
• Demonstrate due diligence and compliance with Australian WHS legislation and exposure standard requirements.
• Standardise air quality monitoring practices across multiple sites, contractors, and shifts.
• Support informed decisions about ventilation upgrades, local exhaust systems, and respiratory protective equipment.

Who is this for?

• Tyre Workshop Managers
• Automotive Service Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• Fleet Maintenance Supervisors
• Automotive Workshop Owners
• Compliance and Risk Managers
• OHS Consultants in Automotive and Mechanical Services

Hazards Addressed

• Inhalation of rubber dust and particulate matter generated during tyre fitting and removal
• Exposure to brake and clutch dust, including potential asbestos in older components
• Exposure to welding fumes and metal particulates from repair and fabrication work
• Inhalation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from solvents, adhesives, and cleaning agents
• Carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides from idling vehicles and internal combustion engines
• Ozone generation from certain high-voltage tyre equipment or UV curing systems
• Build-up of exhaust fumes in poorly ventilated workshop bays
• Secondary exposure to airborne contaminants carried on clothing and surfaces

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Terms (Airborne Contaminants, Exposure Standards, Monitoring Types)
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, Managers, Supervisors, Workers, HSRs, Consultants)
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Guidance
• 5.0 Air Quality Hazards in Tyre Workshops
• 6.0 Risk Assessment and Determining the Need for Monitoring
• 7.0 Types of Air Monitoring (Baseline, Personal, Static, Investigative, Validation)
• 8.0 Monitoring Equipment Selection, Calibration and Maintenance
• 9.0 Pre-Monitoring Planning (Sampling Strategy, Locations, Times, Tasks)
• 10.0 Step-by-Step Air Monitoring Procedure
• 11.0 Data Recording, Chain of Custody and Laboratory Analysis
• 12.0 Interpreting Results Against Workplace Exposure Standards
• 13.0 Control Measures and Corrective Actions (Ventilation, Substitution, Process Changes, PPE)
• 14.0 Integration with Respiratory Protection Programs
• 15.0 Communication of Results to Workers and Consultation Requirements
• 16.0 Health Surveillance and Follow-Up Actions Where Required
• 17.0 Recordkeeping, Review and Continuous Improvement
• 18.0 Training and Competency Requirements for Monitoring Personnel
• 19.0 Emergency Response for Elevated Contaminant Levels
• 20.0 Document Control and Revision History

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory equivalents)
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory equivalents)
• Safe Work Australia – Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
• AS/NZS 1716: Respiratory protective devices
• AS 1668.2: The use of ventilation and air conditioning in buildings – Mechanical ventilation in buildings
• AS/NZS ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use