Road Freight Transport Industry: Hazard Identification Checklist
Road Freight Transport Industry: Hazard Identification Checklist
Use the checklist below to identify potential health and safety problems in your workplace. If you
answer ‘no’ to any of the questions you may need to make changes. Further information can be
obtained from the practical guidance sheets for your industry.
Look at the tasks performed in your workplace and for each task ask yourself the following
questions:
Manual tasks
Are workers doing tasks requiring force, Are workers protected against vibration
awkward joint positions or repetition Yes when using hand-held power tools or Yes
that continues for over 30 minutes at a No driving trucks/forklifts etc. for long No
time or more than two hours of a shift? periods?
Is the need to move heavy loads Are workers able to vary their posture
eliminated or minimised? Yes throughout the task? (i.e. do not have Yes
No to stand, sit, kneel or squat for No
extended periods)?
Are there mechanical aids (eg forklifts, If the task is performed for prolonged
Yes Yes
tarp spreaders, trolleys, periods, can it be performed at an easy
No No
conveyors/rollers) available and used? pace?
Are workers able to perform the task Are repetitive movements minimised,
without reaching and with their and/or do workers have frequent
Yes Yes
shoulder, forearm and wrist in a breaks from repetitive tasks?
No No
comfortable position (i.e. not stretched
bent/twisted)?
Are workers able to perform the task in Are the forces/efforts required by a
an upright, forward facing position (i.e. Yes worker to perform the task kept to Yes
not bent over or twisting/turning their No within a minimal possible range (not No
back/neck)? high, sudden, repetitive or sustained)?
Access to cabins
Are steps, treads depths and widths Do steps have contrasting colours
Yes Yes
uniform? and/or reflective tape to highlight the
No No
edge of the step tread?
Are handrails coordinated with the Yes Are workers instructed to maintain
location of footholds? No three points of contact when Yes
Do footholds have coarse grating to Yes climbing in or out of vehicle and to No
allow mud to be pushed through? No not jump from cabin and/or trailer?
Falls from trucks
Are hazards associated with working If access to top of load is required,
at heights identified and controlled are there any fall prevention or fall
Yes Yes
(risk assessment)? arrest systems used (e.g. guard
No No
rails, lanyard/harness, access
platforms etc)?
Where possible, is tarping of loads Is jumping down from either the
done from the ground (i.e. forklift used Yes cabin or the trailer actively Yes
to lift tarps to trucks and tarp secured No discouraged? No
from the ground)?
Is climbing on top of loads actively If there are openings in the decking,
discouraged (bottom-fill/discharge are they adequately protected
Yes Yes
and electronic measuring equipment against people falling through the
No No
used for tankers, trailers with deck?
mechanical tarping systems)?
Cabin seating
Does seating have adequate lumbar Yes Is the seat suspension adequate to Yes
support in the backrest of seat? No prevent injury from vibration? No
Are seats easily adjustable to prevent
Yes Are controls ergonomically Yes
poor seating posture and postural
No positioned to prevent over reaching? No
fatigue?
Driver fatigue
Are safe work procedures Are adequate arrangements made for
Yes Yes
developed including realistic trip rest and recovery at the depot or
No No
schedules? elsewhere?
Are procedures developed which Are procedures in place that allow for
deal with driver rosters? (Scheduling alternative courses of action for the
Yes Yes
practices should not at any time put driver to follow due to unexpected
No No
the delivery of a load before the demands?
safety of the driver.)
Are drivers given advanced notice, Are drivers trained in fatigue
sufficient time for the trip and management relevant to their work
Yes Yes
adequate rest prior to and during the rosters?
No No
trip if expected to drive significant
distances?
Chemicals
Have you obtained a Safety Data Have you identified ways to prevent
Sheet (SDS) for all the chemicals Yes people being exposed to hazardous Yes
used in your workplace? No chemicals and put those controls in No
place?
Have you read each SDS and Have you identified any hazardous
Yes Yes
identified which chemicals are chemicals for which you have to
No No
‘hazardous chemicals’? provide health monitoring?
Do you have a register with a list of Do ALL hazardous chemical
Yes Yes
the hazardous chemical used and a containers have a label showing what
No No
copy of the SDS for each chemical? they contain?
Is a copy of the SDS for each Have you given workers using
hazardous chemical available near Yes hazardous chemicals training in how Yes
where it is used? No to use those hazardous chemicals No
safely?
Are hazardous chemicals stored Have you developed a procedure for
according to the storage requirements the management of hazardous
Yes Yes
detailed in the SDS and containers chemical spills or ruptures e.g.
No No
are tightly closed when not in use? obtained a spills kit, emergency
planning?
Forklifts
Are operators trained and assessed Do operators carry out a pre-
Yes Yes
as competent (certificated) to operate operational safety check of the forklift
No No
forklift? at the beginning of the shift?
Are trainees supervised adequately to Yes Are steps taken at the depot to
prevent incidents? No separate vehicles and pedestrians
(e.g. physical barricades, designated Yes
Is there a maintenance and inspection Yes vehicle access ways etc.)? No
program in place for the forklift? No
Lighting
Are work tasks able to be carried out Are all areas well lit, taking into
without the need to squint or adopt an Yes account tasks being performed (i.e. Yes
awkward position to work? No intricate work, access ways, toilet, No
general work)?