Side lifter articulated truck SWMS, drafted for your job
A side lifter shifts a shipping container out beside the trailer, loading the stabilisers while people may be close to chains and landing points. Tell us the truck and site: your SWMS is drafted around the container transfer, and you check it on site before work starts.
A$39per job
However many high-risk activities it covers.
- However many high-risk activities it covers.
- 3 for A$99
- 10 for A$249
- Yearly A$129 for 120
- Monthly A$60 for 10
You review it on site before work starts.
Your Business
Safe Work Method Statement
Version 1
Draft
Side lifter articulated truck
Site Your site address
Law Your state
High-risk construction work
- Work where powered mobile plant is moving
Job steps, hazards and controls
| 1 | Survey transfer area and container | Weak ground and overhead powerlines | Extreme | Check support conditions and the complete lifting envelope |
| 2 | Position truck and deploy supports | Vehicle movement and sinking stabilisers | Extreme | Secure the truck and set specified stabiliser support |
| 3 | Connect container lifting gear | Damaged fittings and access falls | High | Inspect lifting points and use designated connection access |
| 4 | Transfer and land container | Suspended load and adjacent trailer crush zones | Extreme | Exclude people and operate from a clear viewing position |
| 5 | Secure container and stow lifter | Loose transport locks and moving arms | High | Verify locks and restraint before retracting and travelling |
Illustrative first page. Yours carries your business name only.
What you get
What your side lifter articulated truck SWMS will contain
An A4 document your crew can read on site, a PDF for the builder and a sign-on register.
- Job and site detailsYour business, the site, the principal contractor, the dates.
- High-risk construction workThe categories your job involves, ticked.
- Step-by-step methodEach step with its hazards, risk rating and controls.
- How controls are checkedWho puts each control in place, monitors and reviews it.
- PPE, plant and permitsEquipment and training the job needs.
- Emergency planAssembly point, first aid, nearest hospital to confirm on site.
- Consultation and reviewWho was consulted, when it is reviewed.
- Sign-on registerYour crew signs by QR or on paper.
High-risk construction work
Categories this task often involves
You tick the ones your job involves. Each ticked category gets its own steps and controls, in your state's wording.
- Work where powered mobile plant is moving
State notes
Rules depend on your state
Pick your state when you start. Your state's regulator publishes the rules and guidance for this work.
Hazards and controls
What goes wrong on a side lifter articulated truck job, and how the SWMS controls it
These rows are written for this task. Your draft adds the ones your site and method need.
- 1
Side lifter overturning as stabilisers sink during container transfer
Extreme- Check ground bearing and set stabilisers using the machine’s support arrangement
- Keep supports clear of drains soft edges and underground voids
- 2
Shipping container dropping from damaged side lifter chains or fittings
Extreme- Inspect lifting attachments and container lifting points before engagement
- Keep people outside the suspended container and landing area
- 3
Crushing between the side lifted container and adjacent trailers
Extreme- Plan the transfer with a clear exclusion area around both landing positions
- Operate from a clear viewing position and stop if people enter
- 4
Side lifter arms or container corners contacting overhead powerlines
Extreme- Arrange isolation or choose a transfer position outside the electrical exclusion area
- Check the complete arm and container movement envelope before setting up
- 5
Container movement after transfer with transport twist locks unsecured
High- Land the container onto the specified supports before releasing lifting attachments
- Check transport locks and load restraint before retracting equipment for travel
- 6
Uncontrolled side lifter arm movement during hose or chain adjustments
High- Lower and isolate lifting equipment before approaching moving assemblies
- Release stored hydraulic pressure and use mechanical support where specified
- 7
Falls from the side lifter chassis while connecting container chains
High- Use designated access or a suitable platform for connection points
- Keep steps clear and avoid climbing stabiliser arms or lifting chains
How the job usually runs
- 1Survey transfer area and containerWeak ground and overhead powerlines → Check support conditions and the complete lifting envelope
- 2Position truck and deploy supportsVehicle movement and sinking stabilisers → Secure the truck and set specified stabiliser support
- 3Connect container lifting gearDamaged fittings and access falls → Inspect lifting points and use designated connection access
- 4Transfer and land containerSuspended load and adjacent trailer crush zones → Exclude people and operate from a clear viewing position
- 5Secure container and stow lifterLoose transport locks and moving arms → Verify locks and restraint before retracting and travelling
PPE for this job
- Safety boots
- Safety helmet
- High-visibility clothing
- Work gloves
- Safety glasses
Your draft lists the PPE your site and method need.
After you finalise
Brief your crew and send it to your builder
Crew signs by QR
Send to my builder
PDF and register
Builder sent it back?
Make their changes and re-issue the same job free. Workers re-sign the new version.
Questions
Side lifter articulated truck SWMS questions
- Last reviewed
- 21 October 2026
- How
- Hazard rows checked against the task; no legal line is stated unless it is logged from primary text.
- Next review
- Every six months, or when the method or rules change
Does it cover transferring a container onto another trailer?
Yes. Describe both vehicles, the container and the available ground. The draft includes stabiliser support, exclusion around both trailers and checking the container is landed before lifting attachments are released.
Can the draft include unloading beside a site fence?
Yes. Describe the fence, overhead services and space beside the truck. The draft checks the arm and container movement envelope so the transfer area can be separated from people and obstructions.
How much does a side lifter articulated truck SWMS cost?
One job uses 1 SWMS when you finalise: A$39 for one, however many high-risk activities it covers. AI drafting needs a SWMS pack or plan. Packs and Yearly cost less per SWMS.
Is this a template?
No. You describe the job and the site, and the SWMS is drafted for them. You edit anything, then finalise it.
Who checks the SWMS?
You do, with your crew, on site before work starts. The draft gives you a strong starting point; the person running the work makes sure it matches the site.
My builder sent it back. What now?
Open it, make the changes they asked for and re-issue it. Corrections to the same job are free.
How does my crew sign it?
Show the QR code on your phone or print the A4 sign-on sheet. Workers read and sign on their own phones without an account.
Does it work in my state?
Yes. You choose the state before drafting, and the document names the law that applies there. Victoria uses its OHS Regulations.
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