Product Overview

Summary: This Fragile Item Management Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, practical steps for safely handling, storing, packing and transporting fragile goods in Australian workplaces. It reduces breakages, manual handling injuries and near misses, while supporting WHS compliance and consistent customer service outcomes across your operations.

Fragile items – such as glassware, electronics, ceramics, laboratory equipment and high-value products – present a unique combination of safety and business risks. Poor handling practices can lead not only to product damage and customer complaints, but also to cuts, puncture wounds, crush injuries and slips from broken or leaking items. This Fragile Item Management Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, step-by-step approach to receiving, inspecting, storing, picking, packing, moving and loading fragile goods in line with Australian WHS expectations.

The procedure defines clear responsibilities for managers and workers, standardises packaging and labelling requirements, and embeds safe manual handling techniques and use of mechanical aids. It also covers what to do when items are damaged, including isolation, clean-up, incident reporting and waste disposal. By implementing this SOP, organisations can significantly reduce breakages, improve staff confidence in handling delicate stock, and demonstrate due diligence to regulators, clients and insurers across warehousing, retail, healthcare, hospitality and logistics environments.

Key Benefits

• Reduce product breakages and associated write-offs, rework and customer claims.
• Minimise the risk of cuts, punctures and manual handling injuries when dealing with fragile items.
• Standardise packing, labelling and handling methods across all shifts, sites and contractors.
• Improve compliance with WHS duties by documenting clear, defensible safe work practices.
• Enhance customer satisfaction through more reliable, damage-free deliveries and presentation of goods.

Who is this for?

• Warehouse Managers
• Storepersons
• Pickers and Packers
• Logistics and Distribution Coordinators
• Retail Operations Managers
• Inventory Controllers
• E-commerce Fulfilment Supervisors
• Freight and Transport Managers
• WHS Advisors and Safety Officers
• Frontline Team Leaders in Warehousing and Logistics

Hazards Addressed

• Lacerations and puncture wounds from broken glass, ceramics or sharp packaging materials
• Manual handling injuries from awkward or unstable fragile loads
• Crush injuries to hands and feet during stacking, unstacking and loading of fragile pallets or cartons
• Slips, trips and falls from spilled contents, broken packaging or debris on floors
• Exposure to hazardous substances from damaged containers (e.g. chemicals, cosmetics, laboratory reagents)
• Eye injuries from splashes or flying fragments when fragile items break
• Psychosocial stress related to high-value stock damage and blame culture

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions (Fragile Items, High-Value Items, Hazardous Fragile Goods, etc.)
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Company Policies
• 5.0 Risk Assessment for Fragile Item Handling and Storage
• 6.0 Receiving and Initial Inspection of Fragile Items
• 7.0 Labelling, Segregation and Inventory Identification Requirements
• 8.0 Storage Requirements for Fragile Items (Racking, Shelving, Stacking Limits)
• 9.0 Safe Manual Handling and Use of Mechanical Aids for Fragile Loads
• 10.0 Picking and Packing Procedures for Fragile Items
• 11.0 Packaging Standards (Void Fill, Cushioning, Box Strength and Sealing Methods)
• 12.0 Loading, Transport and Delivery Handling Requirements
• 13.0 Management of Damaged or Suspected-Damaged Fragile Items
• 14.0 Spill, Breakage and Clean-up Procedures (Including Glass and Hazardous Contents)
• 15.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements
• 16.0 Training, Competency and Supervision
• 17.0 Incident Reporting, Investigation and Corrective Actions
• 18.0 Inspection, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
• 19.0 Document Control and Review

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and harmonised state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace (where applicable)
• AS 4084: Steel storage racking (for storage of fragile items on racking systems)
• AS/NZS 4801: Occupational health and safety management systems (superseded but still referenced in many organisations)
• ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use