Car Carrier Loading and Unloading SWMS

For car carrier operators, vehicle transport businesses and dealership delivery crews. It follows the work from the pre-start check and site set-up through ramps and decks, loading, working on the upper deck, restraining, departure and unloading.

Car carrier loading and unloading is not high risk construction work by itself. A SWMS is legally required only for high risk construction work (WHS Regulation s 299); otherwise this document works as a written safe work procedure or task risk assessment. If the work is part of high risk construction work, tick the reg 291 items that apply; the document has none pre-ticked.

New to SWMS? Read What Is A Safe Work Method Statement?

What Is Covered In Our Car Carrier Loading and Unloading SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Pre-start check of the car carrier, ramps and restraints” to “Pack up and stow equipment”. The hazards and controls include:

• Falls from the upper deck and ramps
• Crush by moving ramps and decks
• Vehicle rolling off the ramp
• Struck by passing traffic
• Strap, chain and ratchet failure
• Electric and hybrid vehicle energy
• Hydraulic system failure
• Overhead power lines when decks are raised
• Slips on wet or oily surfaces
• Overweight and over-height loads
• Manual handling of straps and gear

High Risk Construction Work

None of the high risk construction work items (WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) s 291) are pre-ticked, because this job is not high risk construction work by itself. Tick any that apply on your site.

Licences, Training and Competency

• Driver licence for the class of vehicle driven, including the carrier
• Training and verified competency on the carrier controls, ramps, winch and restraint gear
• Training in transporting electric and hybrid vehicles
• Site, yard or dealership induction and traffic rules
• First aid arrangements (WHS Regulation s 42)

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 78 to 80 (falls, fall protection and rescue) and ss 214 to 215 (powered mobile plant)
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland): s 111 (compliance with loading requirements)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): overhead power line exclusion zones in section 10 and schedule 2

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (13 A4 landscape pages). Type your business, client and job details once and they fill in on every page, with a space for your logo
• 10 job steps for this work, each with its hazards, controls, initial and residual risk scores and the person responsible
• PPE listed for this job: safety boots with a non-slip sole; high-visibility clothing; gloves for chains and straps; safety glasses
• Emergency arrangements for: vehicle falling from the carrier, fall from the upper deck and fuel leak or electric vehicle fire
• Plus the parts every Work Safety QLD SWMS shares, from the s 291 checklist to the worker sign-on sheet (see the layout in our free SWMS template)

Adjust it for your site, plant and crew, and talk it through with your workers before work starts. Please make sure you read our Disclaimer before downloading this SWMS.

Checked against the Queensland laws and codes of practice listed above. Last reviewed November 2026.