Product Overview

This General Mobile Plant Operation and Safety SWMS is a site-ready Safe Work Method Statement designed to identify hazards and implement controls for the operation, inspection, and maintenance of mobile plant. It is a comprehensive document that covers multiple aspects of mobile plant set-up, operation, shutdown, and emergency response to support WHS compliance and safe management of High Risk Construction Work.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Carrying out pre-start checks and daily inspections on mobile plant before use
• Attending and conducting machine start-up procedures in accordance with manufacturer instructions
• Adjusting machine settings, controls, and operating parameters safely during operation
• Using and monitoring anti-collision systems and proximity detection technology to prevent impacts
• Ensuring all machinery guards, interlocks, and protective devices are correctly fitted and operational
• Checking that all safety guards are in place before energising or operating mobile plant
• Clearing the surrounding area of personnel, obstacles, and overhead hazards before operation or movement
• Managing behind-machine operations, including spotter use and exclusion zones to prevent run-overs and crush incidents
• Controlling powered mobile plant movement, speed, and positioning in confined or congested work areas
• Coordinating planned safety shutdowns, lock-out/tag-out, and isolation procedures
• Identifying and controlling crushing, pinching, and entanglement hazards around moving parts
• Safe procedures for clearing jammed machinery and blockages using isolation and lock-out methods
• Prohibiting the deletion, bypassing, or disabling of safety devices and outlining disciplinary controls
• Driving mobile plant safely on worksites, including traffic management, spotters, and pedestrian separation
• Completion and documentation of daily safety checks, defect reporting, and maintenance follow-up

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for plant operators, civil and construction contractors, mining and quarrying operations, manufacturing facilities, and site supervisors responsible for the safe operation and management of general mobile plant.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace – Guidance on identifying and controlling risks associated with plant
• Model Code of Practice: Construction Work – Requirements and controls for construction activities involving mobile plant
• Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks – Risk management framework applied to mobile plant operations
• AS 4024 Safety of Machinery (series) – Principles for machinery guarding, interlocks, and safety-related control systems
• AS 2359 Powered Industrial Trucks (series) – Operational safety requirements for powered industrial trucks where applicable
• AS/NZS 3012 Electrical installations – Construction and demolition sites – Electrical safety requirements relevant to powered plant on construction sites
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017