Vehicle Hoist SWMS

Suits mechanics, tyre fitters, workshop owners and fleet maintenance teams who use two-post, four-post or scissor vehicle hoists. It follows the work from the daily hoist inspection and positioning the vehicle, through setting the arms, raising, working underneath and removing heavy parts, to hoist failure and shutdown. Work on jacks and axle stands is covered by the separate Working Under Vehicles (Jacks and Axle Stands) SWMS.

A SWMS is legally required only for high risk construction work (WHS Regulation s 299), and using a vehicle hoist in a workshop is not construction work by itself; otherwise this works as a written safe work procedure and task risk assessment for the hoist. If the work does form part of construction work, tick any high risk construction work item that applies to it.

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 Vehicle Hoist SWMS?

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

• Vehicle falling from the hoist
• Hoist failure, drift or hydraulic leak
• Arms and pads on the wrong lift points
• Overloading the hoist rating
• Crush injuries under or beside the vehicle
• Locks not engaged under the raised vehicle
• Balance change when heavy parts are removed
• Hands caught between arms, pads and the vehicle
• Fire from fuel and fluids near ignition sources
• Slips on oil and clutter in the bay
• Strains from awkward overhead work
• Noise from impact and air tools

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

• No high risk work licence is required to use a vehicle hoist; Schedule 3 of the WHS Regulation has no vehicle hoist class
• Worker trained and instructed in the specific hoist, its controls, locks, rated capacity and the manufacturer’s lifting procedure, with supervised practice before working unsupervised
• Training in this SWMS and in the workshop’s emergency procedures
• Site or workplace induction
• A competent person for inspection, maintenance and testing of the hoist
• General construction induction training card (white card) only if the work is part of construction work on a construction site

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace 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
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (13 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.