Product Overview

Summary: This SOP provides a structured, step-by-step method for conducting vibration analysis on plant and machinery to detect faults early, prevent failures, and protect workers from vibration-related risks. It aligns condition monitoring practices with Australian WHS obligations, helping businesses extend asset life while minimising downtime, noise, and exposure to hazardous vibration.

Vibration analysis is a critical tool for identifying developing faults in rotating and reciprocating machinery such as pumps, motors, fans, conveyors and compressors. When performed consistently and correctly, it can pinpoint issues like misalignment, imbalance, bearing wear and looseness long before they result in catastrophic failure, unplanned downtime or secondary damage. This Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, repeatable method for planning, conducting, interpreting and documenting vibration analysis in line with Australian WHS and asset management expectations.

The SOP goes beyond basic technical steps by embedding safety, risk management and communication into the vibration analysis process. It addresses how to safely access and work around operating machinery, manage exposure to noise and vibration, and control the risks associated with using portable monitoring equipment in live plant areas. It also standardises how data is collected, trended and reported so that maintenance and WHS teams can make informed decisions, demonstrate due diligence, and integrate vibration analysis into broader preventive maintenance and safety programs. This document is ideal for organisations wanting to lift their condition monitoring from ad hoc testing to a structured, defensible and WHS-aligned practice.

Key Benefits

• Detect faults early in rotating and reciprocating machinery to prevent unexpected breakdowns and costly production stoppages.
• Reduce safety risks by controlling worker exposure to hazardous vibration, noise and moving parts during measurement activities.
• Standardise vibration data collection, analysis and reporting across sites, contractors and shifts for consistent decision-making.
• Extend asset life and optimise maintenance planning by basing interventions on measured condition rather than guesswork or time-based intervals.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS duties and plant management requirements through documented, repeatable condition monitoring processes.

Who is this for?

• Maintenance Supervisors
• Reliability Engineers
• Mechanical Fitters
• Condition Monitoring Technicians
• WHS Managers
• Plant and Operations Managers
• Asset Managers
• Facilities Managers
• Engineering Managers
• Mining and Quarry Supervisors

Hazards Addressed

• Exposure to hand–arm and whole-body vibration during measurement activities
• Contact with moving or rotating machinery components during data collection
• Noise exposure in high-vibration, high-noise plant areas
• Trips, slips and falls when accessing machinery and mounting sensors
• Electrical hazards from powered machinery and monitoring equipment
• Strains and sprains from awkward postures or manual handling of sensors, probes and data collectors
• Struck-by or crush injuries from unexpected machinery start-up or failure during testing
• Data integrity risks leading to incorrect maintenance decisions and subsequent plant failures

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology (Vibration Metrics and Fault Types)
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Equipment, Tools and Software Requirements
• 6.0 Pre-Task Planning and Risk Assessment (JSEA/SWMS Integration)
• 7.0 Access, Isolation and Permit-to-Work Requirements
• 8.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Safety Controls
• 9.0 Machine Selection, Criticality and Monitoring Strategy
• 10.0 Vibration Measurement Points and Route Development
• 11.0 Step-by-Step Vibration Data Collection Procedure
• 12.0 Data Quality Checks and Validation Criteria
• 13.0 Basic Vibration Analysis and Fault Diagnosis Guidelines
• 14.0 Classification of Fault Severity and Recommended Actions
• 15.0 Communication, Reporting and Escalation of Findings
• 16.0 Integration with Preventive and Predictive Maintenance Programs
• 17.0 Managing Worker Exposure to Vibration and Noise
• 18.0 Emergency Procedures for Abnormal Noise, Vibration or Imminent Failure
• 19.0 Recordkeeping, Trend Analysis and Continuous Improvement
• 20.0 Training, Competency and Refresher Requirements
• 21.0 Review, Audit and Document Control

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and corresponding state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) – Part 5.1: Managing risks to health and safety associated with plant
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
• AS 2670.1: Evaluation of human exposure to whole-body vibration – General requirements
• AS 2670.2: Evaluation of human exposure to whole-body vibration – Continuous and shock-induced vibration in buildings
• AS/NZS 1269 series: Occupational noise management
• AS/NZS ISO 31000: Risk management – Guidelines
• AS/NZS 4024.1 series: Safety of machinery – General principles