Product Overview

Summary: This SOP sets out safe, practical lifting techniques for handling heavy tyres in Australian workplaces, from workshops and depots to mine sites and transport yards. It helps businesses control the significant manual handling risks associated with tyres, reducing injuries while supporting efficient, consistent work practices.

Handling heavy tyres is a high-risk manual task that can easily result in serious musculoskeletal injuries if it is left to “common sense” or informal practice. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, step-by-step method for safely lifting, moving and positioning heavy tyres, whether they are for passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, agricultural machinery or off-the-road (OTR) equipment. It focuses on practical controls such as assessing the load, using mechanical aids, working in teams, and applying correct body positioning and lifting techniques that reflect current Australian WHS expectations.

By implementing this SOP, businesses create a consistent, documented system for managing the hazards associated with tyre handling, including awkward postures, sudden load shifts, pinch points and crush risks. It supports compliance with hazardous manual task requirements under WHS legislation and gives supervisors a robust training and induction tool. The result is fewer manual handling injuries, less unplanned downtime, and a safer, more professional workshop or yard environment that workers can trust.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders, back strains and soft tissue injuries associated with heavy tyre handling.
• Ensure consistent, best-practice lifting techniques are used across all shifts, sites and teams.
• Demonstrate compliance with WHS manual handling and hazardous manual task obligations for tyre-related work.
• Improve productivity by standardising the use of tyre dollies, jacks, hoists and other mechanical aids.
• Support effective training, induction and competency assessment for new and existing workers.

Who is this for?

• Tyre Fitters
• Heavy Vehicle Mechanics
• Workshop Supervisors
• Fleet Maintenance Managers
• Mining and Quarry Maintenance Teams
• Agricultural Machinery Operators
• Warehouse and Logistics Workers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Transport Depot Managers
• Mechanical Service Centre Owners

Hazards Addressed

• Musculoskeletal injuries from lifting, carrying and manoeuvring heavy or awkward tyres
• Back strains and sprains from poor posture and overreaching
• Crush and pinch injuries to hands and feet when positioning tyres on hubs or racks
• Slips, trips and falls while moving tyres across cluttered or uneven surfaces
• Impact injuries from tyres falling from stands, racks, vehicles or handling equipment
• Fatigue-related errors when repeatedly handling heavy tyres over a shift
• Struck-by incidents involving moving vehicles or mobile plant in workshops and yards

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Tyre Classifications (Light, Heavy, OTR)
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Hazard Identification – Heavy Tyre Handling Tasks
• 6.0 Risk Assessment for Tyre Lifting and Movement
• 7.0 Required Tools, Equipment and Mechanical Aids
• 8.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements
• 9.0 Pre-Task Checks – Work Area, Equipment and Tyres
• 10.0 General Principles of Safe Lifting and Body Mechanics
• 11.0 Step-by-Step Procedure: Manual Handling of Heavy Tyres
• 12.0 Step-by-Step Procedure: Using Mechanical Aids (Dollies, Hoists, Jacks, Handling Frames)
• 13.0 Team Lifting Techniques and Communication
• 14.0 Safe Techniques for Removing and Fitting Tyres on Vehicles and Rims
• 15.0 Handling OTR, Agricultural and Oversized Tyres
• 16.0 Housekeeping and Storage of Tyres to Minimise Manual Handling Risks
• 17.0 Traffic Management and Interaction with Mobile Plant
• 18.0 Incident, Near Miss and Discomfort Reporting
• 19.0 Training, Induction and Competency Requirements
• 20.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement of the Procedure

Legislation & References

• Safe Work Australia – Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice
• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations – Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• AS/NZS 4024.1: Safety of machinery (relevant to mechanical lifting aids and handling equipment)
• AS/NZS ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use