Hire Yard Operations Safe Work Method Statement

Hire businesses have specific duties as suppliers of plant and equipment under Section 22 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, requiring them to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that supplied plant is without risks to health and safety. This duty encompasses several obligations including ensuring plant is designed and constructed to be without risks, verifying that appropriate safety information and instructions are provided to users, conducting or arranging for competent testing and inspection particularly for high-risk plant including elevated work platforms and forklifts, ensuring plant is properly maintained throughout the hire period, and maintaining records of testing, inspection, and maintenance activities. For high-risk plant defined in WHS Regulations, hire businesses must ensure equipment is registered with relevant safety regulators where required, inspections are conducted at prescribed intervals by competent persons holding appropriate qualifications, and current compliance documentation accompanies hired equipment. These supplier duties exist in addition to general PCBU duties to ensure workers' health and safety, meaning hire businesses must protect both their yard staff and equipment users at customer sites. Failure to meet supplier duties creates liability if hired equipment causes injuries, even if incidents occur on customer sites outside hire business control. Recent prosecutions of hire businesses following incidents involving hired equipment demonstrate regulators' willingness to enforce supplier duties, with substantial penalties imposed for supplying defective equipment. Comprehensive equipment inspection procedures, maintenance programs, and customer safety briefings provide evidence of systematic compliance with supplier duties.

Pre-hire equipment inspections require systematic procedures conducted by competent personnel who understand equipment operation and can recognize defects affecting safety. Develop equipment-specific checklists addressing safety-critical components for each equipment type, rather than generic checklists that may miss important items. For elevated work platforms, inspections must verify emergency lowering systems, harness anchorage points, guardrails, platform controls, emergency stop functions, and tilt sensors are functional. For concrete equipment, inspect blade guards, emergency stops, water supply systems, and structural integrity. For generators and compressors, verify fuel systems are leak-free, electrical safety systems including RCDs are functional, and exhaust systems are secure. Inspections should be conducted by designated personnel who have been trained in inspection procedures and understand what constitutes acceptable versus unacceptable condition for components being inspected. Competency may require trade qualifications for mechanical equipment, electrical licences for electrical equipment, or manufacturer training for specialized equipment. Document all inspections using written checklists or digital inspection systems, recording inspector identification, inspection date, equipment identification, and specific items checked. Any defects identified during inspection must result in equipment being immediately removed from hire inventory and tagged as 'OUT OF SERVICE - DO NOT HIRE' until repairs are completed and re-inspection confirms equipment is safe. Maintain inspection records for minimum periods specified in relevant regulations, typically 5 years for high-risk plant, creating audit trail demonstrating systematic inspection practice. Review inspection records periodically identifying equipment with recurring defects requiring more extensive repair or retirement from hire fleet.

Effective customer safety briefings must provide comprehensive information enabling safe equipment use whilst being deliverable within practical time constraints of hire transactions. Core information includes equipment starting and stopping procedures covering all safety interlocks and shutdown sequences, ensuring customers can control equipment in normal and emergency situations. Explain operator controls and their functions through hands-on demonstration where practical, as physical demonstration provides better comprehension than verbal description alone. Identify specific hazards associated with equipment type including crush points on excavators, fall hazards on elevated work platforms, noise from concrete saws, or electrical shock from generators. Describe personal protective equipment requirements specific to equipment hazards, explaining both what PPE is required and why it is necessary. Explain equipment operational limits including maximum safe working loads, prohibited uses that could damage equipment or create hazards, and environmental conditions requiring work cessation. Cover daily operator checks required before each use including fluid levels, tire pressures, safety system function, and identification of obvious defects requiring reporting to hire company. Provide emergency procedures including how to respond to equipment malfunctions, electrical faults, fires, or injuries during equipment use. Supply written information including operation manuals, safety bulletins, and emergency contact details supplementing verbal briefings. For high-risk plant including elevated work platforms, verify customers hold appropriate licences or demonstrate competency before releasing equipment. Obtain customer acknowledgment on hire agreement confirming safety briefing has been provided, though acknowledge that customer signature does not guarantee understanding or future compliance. Allocate adequate time for safety briefings without rushing, particularly for customers unfamiliar with equipment type or first-time users of hire equipment.

Dangerous goods storage in hire yards must comply with state and territory dangerous goods legislation and relevant Australian Standards particularly AS 1940 for flammable liquids and AS 2030 for LPG. Conduct dangerous goods inventory assessment identifying all dangerous goods present including fuels, oils, LPG cylinders, welding gases, solvents, and cleaning chemicals, classifying goods by dangerous goods class and determining total quantities. Verify whether storage quantities exceed manifesting thresholds requiring notification to safety regulators and fire services, typically 10,000 litres for Class 3 flammable liquids. Install or upgrade storage systems to compliant standards including purpose-designed fuel storage tanks for bulk fuels, compliant flammable liquid storage cabinets for smaller quantities, and compliant LPG storage compounds with adequate ventilation. Implement segregation between incompatible dangerous goods classes preventing chemical reactions if containers are damaged, with minimum separation distances specified in regulations. Install placarding displaying dangerous goods diamond signs, hazchem codes, emergency contact information, and firefighting information for emergency responders. Provide spill containment systems around fuel storage areas with capacity for 110% of largest storage vessel volume, preventing environmental contamination from leaks or spills. Eliminate ignition sources in hazardous zones around dangerous goods storage through use of intrinsically safe or explosion-proof electrical equipment, no smoking policies, and hot work permit systems. Maintain safety data sheets for all dangerous goods accessible to workers and emergency services, providing hazard information and emergency response procedures. Provide spill response equipment including absorbents, spill kits, and personal protective equipment for chemical exposures. Train workers in dangerous goods handling procedures, spill response, and emergency procedures specific to goods stored in facility. Conduct regular inspections of dangerous goods storage areas checking for leaks, damaged containers, adequate ventilation, functional safety systems, and correct placarding.

Effective traffic management requires combination of engineering controls through physical separation, administrative controls through procedures and training, and adequate signage and communication systems. The most effective control is physical separation between vehicle operating zones and pedestrian areas using guard rails, bollards, or safety fencing that creates absolute barrier preventing vehicles from entering pedestrian zones. Designate specific vehicle routes through yard using road markings, signage, and physical barriers channeling traffic along predetermined paths, implementing one-way systems where practical eliminating reversing requirements. Establish clearly marked pedestrian walkways with painted lines, raised kerbs, or different surface textures delineating safe walking areas separate from vehicle routes. Install pedestrian crossings at necessary locations with warning signage, road markings, and potentially audio-visual warnings alerting drivers to pedestrian crossing points. Implement maximum speed limits of 5-10 km/h throughout yard with speed limit signs posted at yard entry and throughout site, recognizing that low speeds provide more time for drivers and pedestrians to react to hazards. Install convex safety mirrors at blind corners and intersections allowing workers and drivers to see approaching traffic before entering intersection areas. Provide dedicated loading zones with adequate space for delivery trucks to maneuver without encroaching on pedestrian areas or general traffic routes. Require all mobile plant including forklifts to be fitted with reversing alarms and rotating beacons, maintaining these systems in functional condition through regular testing. Implement spotter requirements for reversing operations in congested areas where operator visibility is restricted, with spotters using standardized hand signals or radio communication. Ensure all yard workers wear high-visibility safety vests ensuring they are visible to plant operators in all lighting and weather conditions. Conduct site inductions for all new workers and contractors covering traffic routes, pedestrian zones, plant operating procedures, and communication protocols before they commence work. Regular enforcement of traffic rules by supervision and periodic safety observations identifying non-compliance and implementing corrective actions creates culture where traffic safety is prioritized.