Liquid Waste Tanker Loading and Unloading SWMS

Suits liquid waste, trade waste and industrial cleaning contractors whose tankers collect from and discharge at generator sites, depots and treatment plants. It follows the transfer in order: planning and checking the liquid, pre-start, parking, testing, climbing the tanker, connecting, loading, unloading, confined spaces, spills and disconnection. Vacuum pump-out and fuel deliveries need their own SWMS.

Loading and unloading a tanker is not construction work by itself, so the high risk construction work list in the WHS Regulation (section 291) does not apply, no item is pre-ticked and section 299 does not require a SWMS for it. If the work on a tank, pit or drain is construction work (section 289), tick the items that apply, such as in or near a confined space and a contaminated or flammable atmosphere. The confined space duties in Part 4.3 apply at any workplace. The document works as a written safe work procedure and task risk assessment.

Learn More: What Is A Safe Work Method Statement?
Have you ever been asked to provide a SWMS on a project in Queensland? Read our guide to what a Safe Work Method Statement is and when you need one.

What Is Covered In Our Liquid Waste Tanker Loading and Unloading SWMS?

The job steps run in the order the work is done, from pre-start checks to finishing up. The hazards and controls include:

• Toxic and flammable vapour at fill and discharge points
• Incompatible liquids reacting in the tanker
• Hose whip and coupling failure under pressure
• Overfilling and over-pressurising the tanker
• Entry into confined spaces without a permit
• Falls from the top of the tanker
• Static electricity and ignition sources
• Chemical contact with skin and eyes
• Spills to drains and the environment
• Contact with overhead lines when a boom is raised
• Falling into a discharge pit
• Hygiene, noise and driver fatigue

High Risk Construction Work

No high risk construction work items (WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) s 291) are pre-ticked, because this work is not high risk construction work by itself. Tick the items that apply to your job, such as a fall risk of more than 2 metres or work where powered mobile plant is moving.

Licences, Training and Competency

• Driver licence of the class that suits the tanker, and a dangerous goods driver licence where the liquid is dangerous goods and Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Dangerous Goods) Regulation 2018 s 187 requires one
• Training and assessed competency on the tanker, pump, valves, hoses and relief valves of the tanker used (no high risk work licence class in Schedule 3 covers a tanker)
• Training in the confined space rules in Part 4.3 of the WHS Regulation: recognising a confined space, never entering without a permit, and the stand-by and rescue arrangements
• Training in atmosphere testing and the gas detector used, including bump testing and calibration
• Training in the hazardous chemicals handled and in reading the SDS or waste profile, and in spill response (Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Dangerous Goods) Regulation 2018 s 20, where the load is dangerous goods)
• Training in respiratory protective equipment if used, including fit testing
• Site induction at each generator site, depot and treatment or disposal site
• First aid training for at least one person, with first aid provided as s 42 of the WHS Regulation requires

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) ss 62 to 72: confined spaces (Part 4.3), including risk assessment s 66 and entry permit s 67
• WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) ss 351, 355 and 357: hazardous chemical risks, fire and explosion, spills
• WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) ss 52, 56 and 57: ignition sources, noise exposure standard and hearing loss
• Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Dangerous Goods) Regulation 2018 (Qld), applying where the liquid is dangerous goods (the SDS or waste profile shows this): s 20 (instruction and training) and s 187 (drivers must be licensed)
• Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland), applied by the Heavy Vehicle National Law Act 2012 (Qld): s 6 (heavy vehicle means a vehicle with a GVM or ATM of more than 4.5 t), s 26C (primary duty of each party in the chain of responsibility), s 96 (compliance with mass requirements), s 110 (national regulations may prescribe loading requirements), s 111 (compliance with the loading requirements) and s 228 (duty of driver to avoid driving while fatigued or unfit to drive)
• Confined Spaces Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work 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
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): overhead power line exclusion zones in sections 10 to 13 and schedule 2

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (14 pages), laid out on A4 landscape pages
• Business, client, job and document details typed once and filled in on every page, plus a space for your logo
• The high risk construction work checklist, worded as WHS Regulation s 291, and the construction project question (s 292)
• A worker and health and safety representative consultation record
• Qualifications, plant, PPE, hazardous chemicals, safety equipment, permits, references and emergency arrangements filled in for this work
• A 5 x 5 risk matrix, and job steps with initial and residual risk scores and the people responsible
• Implementing, monitoring and review requirements, an additional controls log, revision history and a worker sign-on sheet

Review and adjust it for your site, your plant and the way your crew does the job, and talk it through with your workers before work starts. If you have any trouble downloading this SWMS, you can contact us at any time. Please make sure you read our Disclaimer before downloading this SWMS.