Trucks and Heavy Vehicles SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers planning, inspecting, operating and securing trucks and heavy vehicles across loading, transport and site tasks. It supports task planning and risk management for vehicle movement, freight, trailer operations, dangerous goods, tanker transfers and close-out activities.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Plan journeys, routes, loads and task communication
• Inspect vehicles, safety equipment and related components before use
• Set up site traffic controls and manage vehicle movements
• Manoeuvre vehicles and access cabs or trailers
• Couple, uncouple and operate trailer axles or suspension
• Load, secure and transport general freight
• Load and unload specialised vehicles and release restraints
• Transport dangerous goods and transfer tanker loads or solutions
• Fit tyre chains and conduct post-repair test drives
• Clean up, secure equipment and complete sign-off

Who is this for?

Suitable for contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out truck and heavy-vehicle activities.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template includes references relevant to the documented work, including:

• Applicable Commonwealth, state or territory WHS/OHS legislation and regulations.
• Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks (guidance only; confirm adoption in the relevant jurisdiction).
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the risks of plant in the workplace (guidance only; confirm adoption in the relevant jurisdiction).
• Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace (guidance only; confirm adoption in the relevant jurisdiction).
• Model Code of Practice: Hazardous manual tasks (guidance only; confirm adoption in the relevant jurisdiction).
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the risk of falls at workplaces (guidance only; confirm adoption in the relevant jurisdiction).
• Australian Dangerous Goods Code, current edition, where dangerous goods are transported.
• AS/NZS 4380:1999 Loading and unloading of heavy vehicles—Safety requirements.
• AS/NZS 4602.1 High visibility safety garments; AS/NZS 2210.3 safety footwear; AS/NZS 1801 occupational protective helmets; AS/NZS 1270 hearing protectors.
• AS 5327:2022 Earth-moving machinery—Access systems, where applicable.
• AS/NZS 1891 series Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices, where fall protection is required.

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Standard SWMS Features (Click to Expand)

• Task-specific job steps, hazards and control measures
• Initial and residual risk ratings
• Assigned responsible persons for each job step
• Plant, equipment and PPE requirements where applicable
• Permits, qualifications and high-risk construction work details where applicable
• Worker consultation, sign-off and review sections