Product Overview

Summary: This Seasonal Tyre Storage Safe Operating Procedure sets out safe, compliant and efficient methods for handling, storing and rotating tyres between seasons. It helps Australian workplaces prevent manual handling injuries, fire risks and product damage while maintaining clear traceability and stock control across busy seasonal changeover periods.

Seasonal tyre storage is a high-volume, repetitive activity that combines manual handling, stacking, and storage of bulky items in confined workshop and warehouse spaces. Without a clear procedure, businesses can quickly encounter safety incidents, lost customer sets, fire hazards and inefficient use of valuable floor space, particularly during peak seasonal changeover. This SOP provides a structured, step-by-step framework for safely receiving, tagging, handling, storing, retrieving and disposing of seasonal tyres and wheel assemblies in line with Australian WHS expectations.

The document is designed for automotive workshops, tyre retailers, dealerships and fleet operators who store customer or fleet tyres on-site between seasons. It addresses practical issues such as safe lifting and movement of tyres, segregation of damaged stock, fire and chemical risks, clear labelling and documentation, and controlled access to storage areas. By implementing this SOP, businesses can reduce manual handling injuries, improve compliance with WHS and fire safety requirements, and deliver a more professional, traceable and customer-focused seasonal storage service.

Key Benefits

• Reduce manual handling injuries by standardising safe techniques and use of handling aids for lifting, rolling and stacking tyres.
• Ensure compliant storage practices that minimise fire load, trip hazards and blocked access ways in workshops and warehouses.
• Improve stock accuracy and traceability with clear labelling, recording and retrieval processes for customer and fleet tyre sets.
• Streamline seasonal changeover periods by defining efficient workflows for intake, storage, retrieval and inspection of tyres.
• Extend tyre life and product quality by specifying correct stacking methods, environmental conditions and inspection criteria.

Who is this for?

• Workshop Managers
• Tyre Fitters
• Service Advisors
• Automotive Dealership Managers
• Fleet Managers
• Warehouse Supervisors
• WHS Managers
• Storepersons and Yard Hands
• Logistics and Operations Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Manual handling injuries from lifting, carrying, rolling or stacking tyres and wheel assemblies
• Musculoskeletal disorders from repetitive movements and awkward postures
• Trips, slips and falls due to poorly stored tyres, cluttered aisles or obstructed walkways
• Crush injuries from unstable tyre stacks or collapsing racking
• Fire risk from increased combustible load and blocked exits in storage areas
• Exposure to chemicals and residues such as oils, greases and tyre dressings
• Vehicle and pedestrian interaction hazards in shared workshop and storage areas
• Cuts, abrasions and pinch injuries from tyre beads, rims and handling equipment

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Seasonal Storage Context
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Required Equipment, Tools and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• 6.0 Pre-Storage Checks and Area Preparation
• 7.0 Tyre Intake, Identification and Labelling Procedure
• 8.0 Safe Manual Handling and Use of Mechanical Aids
• 9.0 Stacking, Racking and Storage Configuration Requirements
• 10.0 Environmental Conditions (Temperature, Sunlight, Contaminants and Ventilation)
• 11.0 Fire Safety, Housekeeping and Access Control
• 12.0 Retrieval, Inspection and Handover of Seasonal Tyres
• 13.0 Management of Damaged, Aged or Unserviceable Tyres
• 14.0 Recordkeeping, Inventory Control and Customer Documentation
• 15.0 Training, Competency and Supervision Requirements
• 16.0 Incident Reporting, Non-conformances and Corrective Actions
• 17.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement of the Procedure

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• AS 4084: Steel storage racking
• AS 3745: Planning for emergencies in facilities