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Tyre Changing - Light Truck and 4WD Risk Assessment

Tyre Changing - Light Truck and 4WD Risk Assessment

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Tyre Changing - Light Truck and 4WD Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Tyre Changing – Light Truck and 4WD through a structured, management-level Risk Assessment that focuses on planning, governance, training and systems rather than task-by-task instructions. This document supports executive Due Diligence, strengthens WHS risk management practices, and helps demonstrate compliance with the WHS Act while protecting your business from operational and legal liability.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, Legal Compliance and WHS Responsibilities: Assessment of officer due diligence, WHS duty allocation, consultation arrangements and the integration of tyre-changing risks into the overall safety management system.
  • Vehicle and Wheel Procurement, Design and Engineering Controls: Management of specification, design and selection of light trucks and 4WDs, including wheel assemblies, jacking points and engineered controls to minimise tyre-related risks.
  • Tyre and Wheel Equipment Procurement and Verification: Assessment of selection, suitability and verification of jacks, stands, rattle guns, torque devices and lifting aids used for tyre changing activities.
  • Competency, Training and Authorisation: Protocols for competency standards, training programs, verification of skills and formal authorisation of personnel undertaking tyre changes on light trucks and 4WDs.
  • Procedures, Work Instructions and Safe Systems of Work: Development and control of documented procedures, work instructions and safe systems that govern tyre changing in yards, workshops and roadside environments.
  • Tools, Plant and Equipment Inspection, Maintenance and Calibration: Management of inspection schedules, preventative maintenance, calibration of torque equipment and defect reporting for all tyre-related tools and plant.
  • Planning, Scheduling and Work Allocation: Assessment of work planning, job allocation, fatigue management, travel time, and resourcing to ensure tyre changing is carried out under controlled and supervised conditions.
  • Work Environment and Site Controls (Yard, Workshop and Roadside): Controls for traffic management, ground conditions, lighting, weather, vehicle stability and exclusion zones across fixed sites and roadside locations.
  • Contractor and Service Provider Management: Systems for selecting, inducting, monitoring and reviewing external tyre service providers and mobile repair contractors engaged for light truck and 4WD tyre work.
  • Information, Communication and Documentation Control: Management of safety documentation, version control, availability of procedures, and communication of tyre-related risks to workers and contractors.
  • Incident, Hazard and Near-Miss Management: Processes for reporting, investigating and analysing tyre-related incidents, wheel-loss events, equipment failures and near-misses to prevent recurrence.
  • Emergency Preparedness and Response for Tyre-Related Events: Planning for vehicle instability, jacking failures, roadside emergencies and injuries, including emergency equipment, communication and escalation protocols.
  • Monitoring, Audit and Continuous Improvement: Systems for inspections, audits, performance monitoring and review of tyre-changing controls to drive continual improvement and compliance assurance.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Fleet Managers, Operations Managers and Safety Professionals responsible for planning, overseeing and verifying the safe management of light truck and 4WD tyre changing activities across their organisation.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, Legal Compliance and WHS Responsibilities
  • • Lack of clear WHS governance for tyre changing activities on light trucks and 4WDs
  • • Failure to identify tyre changing as a high‑risk maintenance activity within the WHS management system
  • • Non-compliance with WHS Act 2011, WHS Regulations and relevant Australian Standards (e.g. AS 1210, AS/NZS 4024 series, AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001 equivalent systems)
  • • Unclear allocation of WHS duties between PCBU, officers, workers, contractors and mobile service providers
  • • Inadequate consultation with workers and Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) about tyre changing risks and procedures
  • • No systematic review of incidents, near misses or non‑conformances involving tyre changing
  • • Inadequate due diligence by officers (directors, senior managers) in monitoring tyre changing risks and resources
2. Vehicle and Wheel Procurement, Design and Engineering Controls
  • • Procurement of light trucks and 4WDs with wheel assemblies, rims and tyres that are difficult or unsafe to handle or change in field conditions
  • • Lack of engineering controls for safe wheel removal and refitting (e.g. no jacking points or inadequate wheel nut indicators)
  • • Use of incompatible tyres, rims and wheel fixings that increase the risk of failure or incorrect fitting
  • • Failure to specify vehicles with appropriate load ratings and suspension systems, resulting in increased tyre stress and failures
  • • No standardisation of wheel and tyre configurations across the fleet, increasing complexity and error potential
  • • Insufficient consideration of safe access to wheels (e.g. high vehicle bodies, limited under-vehicle clearance, poor access around dual wheels)
  • • Purchasing decisions focused on upfront cost rather than lifecycle WHS risk and maintainability
3. Tyre and Wheel Equipment Procurement and Verification
  • • Purchase of jacks, rattle guns, torque wrenches, bead breakers and lifting devices that are unsuitable or unsafe for the vehicle types and loads
  • • Lack of verification that supplied equipment meets Australian Standards and is fit for purpose in tyre changing tasks
  • • No consistency in equipment types across sites and vehicles, increasing training burden and misuse risk
  • • Procurement decisions based on price rather than reliability, ergonomics and safety features
  • • Failure to obtain and control manufacturer instructions and safety information for critical equipment
  • • Inadequate systems to replace damaged or out-of-service equipment in a timely manner
4. Competency, Training and Authorisation
  • • Workers and contractors changing tyres without appropriate competency or formal training in light truck and 4WD wheel systems
  • • Lack of awareness of specific hazards such as vehicle instability, stored energy in tyres, wheel separation and crush zones
  • • No formal authorisation process to control who can undertake tyre changing on different vehicle classes
  • • Inconsistent on-the-job training leading to unsafe shortcuts becoming normal practice
  • • Supervisors not competent to assess tyre changing practices or to coach workers effectively
  • • Failure to recognise when a task exceeds worker capability (e.g. roadside changes on heavy loaded vehicles, complex wheel assemblies)
5. Procedures, Work Instructions and Safe Systems of Work
  • • Absence of documented procedures for tyre changing on light trucks and 4WDs, leading to inconsistent and unsafe practices
  • • Procedures that are overly generic and do not address specific wheel configurations, locations or conditions (e.g. off-road, roadside, workshop)
  • • Workers unaware of or not following existing procedures due to poor communication or impractical requirements
  • • Safe work method statements (SWMS) not used or maintained for higher-risk tyre activities where required by WHS Regulations
  • • Procedural documents not updated following incidents, equipment changes or legislative updates
  • • Overreliance on informal verbal instructions or outdated manuals
6. Tools, Plant and Equipment Inspection, Maintenance and Calibration
  • • Failure of jacks, stands, lifting devices or air tools due to inadequate inspection and maintenance
  • • Use of out-of-calibration torque wrenches resulting in over-tightening or under-tightening wheel nuts
  • • Damaged or worn tools (e.g. cracked sockets, frayed hoses, defective gauges) remaining in service
  • • No systematic tagging or identification of equipment status, leading to unintentional use of unsafe items
  • • Inadequate servicing of vehicles contributing to increased tyre wear, blowouts and unplanned tyre changes
  • • Informal or undocumented inspections that cannot be verified or trended
7. Planning, Scheduling and Work Allocation
  • • Reactive, unscheduled tyre work leading to rushed tasks, poor planning and increased exposure to roadside or remote area risks
  • • Tyre changes allocated to workers without adequate rest, increasing fatigue-related errors and incidents
  • • Inadequate assessment of job conditions (location, load, environment, traffic) before assigning tyre work
  • • Pressure to minimise vehicle downtime, leading to short-cutting of safe systems of work
  • • Lack of clarity about when tyre issues should be escalated to specialist providers or recovery services instead of being handled by internal staff
8. Work Environment and Site Controls (Yard, Workshop and Roadside)
  • • Inadequate designated areas for tyre changes in yards or workshops, resulting in work being done in congested or uneven locations
  • • Poor lighting, weather exposure and ground conditions affecting stability of jacks and equipment
  • • Insufficient controls for vehicle movement in work areas, creating risks of collision or crushing
  • • Lack of system for managing roadside or off-road tyre changes, including traffic and environmental hazards
  • • Inadequate housekeeping leading to trip hazards, cluttered workspaces and difficulty moving wheels safely
9. Contractor and Service Provider Management
  • • Reliance on external tyre fitters or roadside assistance without adequate WHS vetting
  • • Inconsistent safety standards between the PCBU and service providers, leading to unmanaged interface risks
  • • Poor communication about site-specific hazards, vehicle configurations and safe work requirements
  • • Lack of oversight of contractors’ training, licences and equipment maintenance
  • • Failure to capture and act on incident data from contractor-performed tyre work
10. Information, Communication and Documentation Control
  • • Critical information on tyre specifications, torque values and jacking points not readily available to workers
  • • Outdated or conflicting documentation (manuals, procedures, manufacturer bulletins) causing confusion
  • • Poor internal communication of changes to equipment, procedures or risk controls
  • • Inadequate record-keeping of tyre changes, inspections and incidents preventing trend analysis and learning
11. Incident, Hazard and Near-Miss Management
  • • Under-reporting of tyre-related incidents, near misses, wheel nut loosening or wheel separations
  • • Lack of structured investigation into tyre failures and equipment malfunctions
  • • Repeat incidents due to inadequate corrective and preventive actions
  • • Failure to share learnings from incidents across depots and work groups
12. Emergency Preparedness and Response for Tyre-Related Events
  • • Lack of planning for emergencies arising during tyre changes (e.g. vehicle collapse, jack failure, vehicle movement, traffic strike)
  • • Workers unaware of emergency procedures, contact numbers or location details in remote or roadside environments
  • • Insufficient first aid coverage and equipment for typical tyre-related injuries (crush injuries, lacerations, sprains/strains)
  • • No coordinated response with emergency services or towing/recovery providers for serious incidents involving tyre failures
13. Monitoring, Audit and Continuous Improvement
  • • Lack of systematic monitoring of tyre-related WHS controls leading to gradual degradation of safety standards
  • • Failure to verify that controls identified in risk assessments and procedures are actually implemented in the field
  • • No structured process to review the effectiveness of controls or to update the risk assessment
  • • Insufficient involvement of workers and HSRs in evaluating the tyre safety system

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

Don't worry if a specific hazard isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom hazards at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the risk ratings and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice: Guidance on controlling risks associated with plant, including jacks, lifting equipment and tyre-changing tools.
  • Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice: Framework for identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing controls for tyre-related activities.
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice: Requirements for safe yards, workshops and roadside work environments.
  • AS 2550 series: Cranes, hoists and winches – Safe use (referenced for lifting and supporting practices relevant to vehicle jacking and load stability).
  • AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements for systematic WHS management and continuous improvement.
  • Manufacturer Instructions and OEM Specifications: Vehicle, wheel and equipment manufacturer requirements for safe tyre changing and wheel installation.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

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Safe Work Australia Aligned