Product Overview

This Heavy Vehicle, Trailers and Transport Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is designed to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement effective controls for heavy vehicle and trailer operations on Australian worksites. It is a comprehensive document that covers multiple aspects of heavy haulage, trailer handling and machinery transport to support WHS compliance and safer management of High Risk Construction Work.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Attaching and securing trailer connections, tow hitches, safety chains and couplings
• Safe use and movement of cable trailers, including winching, spooling and cable handling
• Planning and managing delivery routes for heavy or oversized equipment, including fatigue and journey management
• Driving heavy haulage vehicles over long distances with controls for fatigue, speed, weather and road conditions
• Elevating trailers for inspection, maintenance and repair using jacks, stands and lifting equipment
• Installation, removal and adjustment of dolly wheels and converter dollies for multi-combination vehicles
• Loading heavy machinery onto flatbed trucks, including ramp use, spotters and exclusion zones
• Operation of long vehicle combinations, including B-doubles, road trains and extended trailer sets
• Safe mounting and dismounting of trailers to prevent falls, slips, trips and crush injuries
• Placing trailers onto stands, chocking wheels and isolating movement during loading or maintenance
• Positioning trailers under boats or large loads with guidance, signalling and controlled manoeuvring
• Securing machinery and equipment for transport using chains, binders, straps and rated anchor points
• Tandem operation of two trucks combined, including communication protocols and coordinated manoeuvres
• Conducting towing tests for trailers to verify braking, lighting, load security and coupling integrity
• Towing trailers on public roads and worksites, including reversing, parking, and low-speed manoeuvring

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for transport companies, heavy haulage operators, machinery movers, civil and construction contractors, logistics providers, and site supervisors responsible for heavy vehicle and trailer operations.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice: Guidance on controlling risks associated with plant, including vehicles, trailers and lifting equipment
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice: Requirements for preventing falls when accessing, loading and inspecting trailers and truck decks
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice: Controls for manual handling risks when coupling trailers, installing dolly wheels and securing loads
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice: Applicable where fuel, oils, lubricants or other hazardous substances are handled during vehicle and trailer operations
• AS/NZS 4836: Safe working on or near low-voltage electrical installations and equipment: Referenced where cable trailers or electrical cabling are involved in transport activities
• AS/NZS 4380: Cargo restraint systems – Transport webbing and components: Guidance on the selection and use of webbing straps and components for securing loads
• AS/NZS 4991: Lifting devices: Requirements for lifting devices used in elevating trailers and handling heavy machinery during loading