Product Overview

Summary: This Recycling and Salvaging Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, safe and compliant methods for sorting, handling and processing recyclable and salvageable materials in Australian workplaces. It helps businesses maximise resource recovery while controlling manual handling, plant, traffic and contamination risks in line with WHS and environmental obligations.

Recycling and salvaging activities often involve high-traffic work areas, mobile plant, sharp and unstable materials, dust, hazardous residues and complex segregation requirements. Without a structured procedure, workers can be exposed to significant risks such as crush injuries, manual handling strains, slips and trips, and exposure to hazardous substances, while businesses face contamination charges, rejected loads and regulatory scrutiny. This Recycling and Salvaging Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, step-by-step framework to manage these risks and standardise how recyclable and salvageable materials are identified, sorted, handled, stored and dispatched.

Developed for Australian conditions, this SOP aligns recycling and salvaging practices with WHS duties and environmental expectations, whether you operate a materials recovery facility, council transfer station, construction site, warehouse, manufacturing facility or salvage yard. It defines roles and responsibilities, safe work methods, traffic and pedestrian controls, PPE requirements, housekeeping standards and emergency actions for spills, fires and injuries. By implementing this SOP, businesses can demonstrate due diligence, improve recovery rates, reduce contamination and create safer, more efficient recycling operations that support circular economy goals and corporate sustainability commitments.

Key Benefits

• Ensure recycling and salvaging activities are carried out in compliance with Australian WHS and environmental requirements.
• Reduce injuries related to manual handling, mobile plant, sharp objects and unstable loads in recycling and salvage areas.
• Improve material recovery rates by standardising sorting, segregation and quality control processes.
• Minimise contamination, rejected loads and associated disposal costs through clear acceptance and handling criteria.
• Streamline staff training and onboarding with a consistent, documented procedure for all recycling and salvaging tasks.

Who is this for?

• Operations Managers
• WHS Managers
• Facility Managers
• Recycling Centre Supervisors
• Waste and Resource Recovery Coordinators
• Construction and Demolition Project Managers
• Warehouse and Logistics Supervisors
• Local Government Waste Services Managers
• Environmental and Sustainability Officers
• Recycling and Salvage Yard Team Leaders

Hazards Addressed

• Manual handling injuries from lifting, pushing and stacking recyclables and salvageable materials
• Crush and struck-by incidents involving forklifts, loaders and other mobile plant
• Cuts and puncture wounds from sharp metal, glass, timber and demolition waste
• Slips, trips and falls due to poor housekeeping, uneven ground and debris
• Exposure to dust, fumes and airborne contaminants from sorting and processing activities
• Chemical exposure from contaminated containers, residues and incompatible waste streams
• Fire and explosion risks from flammable materials, lithium batteries and gas cylinders
• Noise exposure from compactors, balers, conveyors and heavy vehicles
• Ergonomic strain from repetitive sorting, bending and twisting tasks
• Biological hazards from putrescible or contaminated materials (e.g. mould, sharps, animal waste)

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology (Recyclable, Salvageable, Contaminated, Hazardous, etc.)
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Pre-Start Requirements and Site Readiness Checks
• 6.0 Traffic Management and Mobile Plant Controls in Recycling Areas
• 7.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements
• 8.0 Material Acceptance Criteria and Contamination Controls
• 9.0 Safe Sorting, Segregation and Salvaging Procedures
• 10.0 Use of Equipment (Conveyors, Balers, Compactors, Forklifts and Hand Tools)
• 11.0 Manual Handling and Ergonomic Controls
• 12.0 Storage, Stacking and Housekeeping Requirements
• 13.0 Handling of Hazardous and Problematic Waste Streams (Batteries, Chemicals, Sharps, Gas Cylinders)
• 14.0 Environmental Controls (Dust, Noise, Litter and Runoff Management)
• 15.0 Emergency Procedures (Spills, Fires, Injuries and Plant Incidents)
• 16.0 Incident Reporting, Non-Conformance and Corrective Actions
• 17.0 Training, Induction and Competency Assessment
• 18.0 Inspection, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
• 19.0 Document Control and Record Keeping

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and corresponding state and territory WHS Acts and Regulations
• Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities: Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Hazardous Manual Tasks: Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work: Code of Practice
• AS/NZS 4801:2001 Occupational health and safety management systems (superseded but still widely referenced)
• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
• AS/NZS 3816:1998 Management of clinical and related wastes (where applicable to contaminated recyclables)
• AS/NZS 1170.1:2002 Structural design actions – Permanent, imposed and other actions (for storage racking and load limits)
• Environment Protection Acts and waste/resource recovery regulations applicable in the relevant state or territory (e.g. NSW Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997)