Product Overview

Summary: This Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, practical steps for safely transporting masonry materials such as bricks, blocks, pavers and stone on and between Australian worksites. It helps construction businesses control high-risk activities involving forklifts, cranes, trucks and manual handling, while ensuring compliance with WHS obligations and protecting workers, the public and property.

The movement of masonry materials is a daily task on Australian construction and civil sites, yet it carries significant safety risks when not tightly controlled. Palletised bricks, blocks, lintels and stone are heavy, unstable and often moved through congested work areas using forklifts, telehandlers, cranes, trucks and manual handling. This SOP provides a structured, step‑by‑step method for planning, loading, securing, transporting and unloading masonry materials to minimise the risk of crush injuries, vehicle incidents, falling objects and musculoskeletal disorders.

Developed for the Australian WHS environment, the procedure aligns with key legislative requirements and industry best practice for load restraint, traffic management and hazardous manual tasks. It clarifies responsibilities between drivers, plant operators, doggers, spotters and site supervisors, and sets out consistent controls such as exclusion zones, pallet inspection, use of mechanical aids and communication protocols. By implementing this SOP, businesses can demonstrate due diligence, reduce incidents, avoid costly damage to materials and equipment, and streamline the flow of masonry products from supplier to point of installation on site.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of crush, struck‑by and manual handling injuries associated with moving heavy masonry products.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation and load restraint requirements for on‑road and on‑site transport.
• Standardise how forklifts, cranes, telehandlers and trucks are used to move masonry, improving coordination between crews and contractors.
• Minimise product damage, rework and delays by specifying correct stacking, pallet condition checks and securing methods.
• Support faster onboarding and training of drivers, operators and labourers with a clear, repeatable procedure.

Who is this for?

• Construction Site Supervisors
• Project Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Logistics and Transport Coordinators
• Yard and Warehouse Supervisors
• Truck Drivers (Construction Materials)
• Forklift Operators
• Doggers and Riggers
• Bricklayers and Stonemasons
• Civil Construction Supervisors

Hazards Addressed

• Crush injuries from unstable or collapsing stacks of bricks, blocks or stone
• Falling objects during lifting, loading, transport or unloading of masonry materials
• Vehicle and mobile plant collisions with pedestrians, structures or other plant
• Musculoskeletal disorders from manual handling of heavy or awkward masonry units
• Load shift or loss of load during road transport due to inadequate restraint
• Slips, trips and falls around loading areas, truck decks and uneven ground
• Pinch and caught‑between injuries during pallet handling and attachment use
• Exposure to dust and debris when handling damaged or cut masonry products
• Fatigue and distraction‑related driving risks during longer haul transport

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Types of Masonry Materials
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (Drivers, Operators, Supervisors, Spotters)
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Required Licences, Competencies and Training
• 6.0 Required PPE and Safety Equipment
• 7.0 Pre‑Transport Planning and Risk Assessment
• 8.0 Traffic Management and Pedestrian Control
• 9.0 Inspection of Masonry Loads, Pallets and Restraint Equipment
• 10.0 Loading Procedures for Forklifts, Telehandlers and Cranes
• 11.0 Load Stacking, Stability and Pallet Configuration Requirements
• 12.0 Load Restraint Requirements for On‑Road Transport
• 13.0 On‑Site Movement of Masonry Materials (Internal Logistics)
• 14.0 Unloading Procedures and Use of Spotters and Exclusion Zones
• 15.0 Manual Handling Controls for Individual Units and Small Loads
• 16.0 Environmental Considerations (Weather, Ground Conditions, Dust)
• 17.0 Communication Protocols and Signalling
• 18.0 Incident Reporting, Near Misses and Corrective Actions
• 19.0 Housekeeping and Storage of Masonry Materials on Site
• 20.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement of the SOP

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and corresponding state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (and state/territory equivalents)
• National Transport Commission – Load Restraint Guide (current edition)
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Plant in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Falls at Workplaces
• AS 2359 series: Powered industrial trucks
• AS/NZS 4801: Occupational health and safety management systems (superseded but widely referenced)
• AS 2550 series: Cranes, hoists and winches – Safe use