Product Overview

This Tow Truck - Tilt Tray Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is designed to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement effective controls for operating tilt tray tow trucks on Australian worksites. It is a comprehensive document that addresses multiple aspects of tilt tray operation, loading, transport, and vehicle recovery to support WHS compliance and safe management of High Risk Construction Work.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Pre-start inspection and functional testing of the tilt tray tow truck, hydraulics, winch, and safety systems
• Safe positioning of the tow truck on roadsides, construction sites, and public areas to minimise traffic and pedestrian risk
• Operation of tilt tray controls, including tilting, lowering, extending, and retracting the tray
• Use of winches, cables, hooks, and chains for loading and unloading vehicles or plant onto the tilt tray
• Securing vehicles, machinery, and loads using wheel straps, chains, and rated tie-down points to prevent load shift
• Traffic management and work area exclusion zones when loading or unloading on or near live roadways
• Manual handling techniques for attaching chains, wheel lifts, and recovery equipment to reduce strain and injury
• Working around moving vehicles, blind spots, and reversing operations with spotters and communication protocols
• Recovery and loading of damaged, immobilised, or off-road vehicles in a controlled and safe manner
• Managing work in adverse weather, low light conditions, and on uneven or sloping ground
• Emergency procedures for equipment failure, hydraulic leaks, vehicle roll-away, or load instability
• Fatigue management, mobile phone use, and distraction control while driving to and from jobs
• Environmental controls for spills, leaks, and debris from damaged vehicles during loading and transport

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for tow truck operators, tilt tray transport providers, vehicle recovery services, fleet managers, and site supervisors engaging tow truck services on or near Australian worksites.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice: Guidance on the safe use of tow trucks and tilt tray plant.
• Safe Work Australia – Traffic Management in Workplaces (relevant guidance material): Principles for managing vehicle and mobile plant interactions.
• Safe Work Australia – Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice: Controls for manual handling when attaching chains, straps, and recovery equipment.
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice: General WHS requirements for safe work environments.
• AS/NZS 4024 (Safety of machinery – series): General principles for the safe design and operation of machinery and plant.
• AS 2359 (Industrial trucks – series): Relevant principles for safe operation of industrial vehicles and load handling.
• AS/NZS 4380 Cargo Restraint Systems: Requirements for load restraint devices used on road vehicles.
• National Transport Commission – Load Restraint Guide: Best practice for securing and transporting loads on road vehicles.
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017