Non-driving tasks performed by drivers and those involved in the maintenance of vehicles can involve serious risks to health and safety.

Roadside maintenance

Checking loads or performing maintenance on the roadside creates serious risks to both the driver and other road users.

Persons have been killed and sustained serious injuries as a result of undertaking inspection and maintenance work on the side of the road.

All vehicles should be regularly inspected and maintained by a competent person to ensure they are safe and roadworthy. This keeps drivers safe and minimises the risk of a driver needing to undertake ‘unscheduled maintenance'.

Incident information release

A truck driver was fatally injured when he was trapped between the bottom well deck and the chassis rail of a heavy vehicle transport trailer in a carpark at Kirrawee.

Read the Incident Information Release.

^{The transport trailer involved in the incident.}

Working under truck cabins

When working on or under vehicles implement ‘reasonably practicable’ control measures to manage the risks associated with working under an elevated truck cabin, which includes developing safe systems of work. Ensure that:

• before undertaking work, workers involved have read the owner’s manual  and follow all safety instructions
• only a competent person carries out maintenance work under the cabin, according to the manufacturer’s instructions
• a mechanical stop, such as a safety bar, or suitably designed prop or stand, is locked in position so that it won’t move accidentally
• controls for raising and lowering the cabin are clearly marked and can’t be accidentally operated
• the system is isolated – e.g. the truck is turned off and the keys removed from the ignition
• hydraulics and mechanical parts are regularly inspected and maintained by a competent person
• worn or damaged parts are repaired or replaced
• workers involved have appropriate training, supervision and instruction
• all safety mechanisms are engaged and checked before work commences.

You must supply the necessary information, training and supervision to all your workers so they can perform their work safely.

Training should be an ongoing process. When young workers are involved, there are other factors to consider. See the At-risk workers section.

Incident information release

An 18-year-old apprentice auto electrician died after becoming trapped between the cab of a truck and its engine, at a workshop in Brocklehurst, north of Dubbo.

Read the Incident Information Release.

^{Truck involved in the incident.}

Hydraulics safety

A potential hazard when working on vehicles with hydraulics is being crushed.

Contributing factors can be:

• broken or bypassed controls in the truck cabin
• entering the crush zone (i.e. leaning over the chassis rail)
• working under the tipper body without a back-up prop.

Examples of hydraulic risks are outlined in WorkSafe Queensland's Hydraulics safety.

Working under heavy vehicles and trailers

If undertaking any work under heavy vehicles and trailers, ensure appropriately designed and engineered load supports are used (e.g. stands or lifting devices).

Before beginning work, always identify hazards and assess risks associated with working under and around heavy vehicles or trailers. Where appropriate:

• establish an exclusion zone that is clearly marked only allowing authorised persons into this area
• develop and implement safe work procedures for inspection, maintenance and repair work, and ensure that workers are trained in these procedures
• ensure worker training, experience and competency is consistent with the nature and complexity of the task.

Similar risks exist for light vehicles and a risk assessment should be conducted before beginning work.

Tyre Safety – General

Air-filled tyres can explode when over pressurised or defective and have caused serious injuries and deaths.

Whether new or used, tyres need to be checked for defects before fitting onto a rim or wheel.

Defects may include:

• perishing on tyres more than five years old
• de-lamination inside or outside
• wavy tyre walls
• side wall damage, which may lead to zipper failures.

All defective tyres should be disposed of appropriately.

You may not be able to see all defects during an inspection, so take care when inflating. If a tyre has been overloaded, or the pressure has dropped below 80%, deflate the tyre, remove the tyre from the rim and inspect it before refitting and inflating it.

Running with pressure below 80% (or overloading) can lead to fatigue failures, like zipper failure (a circumferential fracture of the sidewall of the tyre).

For dual-wheel assemblies, it is hard to see if the pressure of one tyre has dropped below 80% of the recommended pressure, so always use a gauge to measure the pressure.

When inflating:

• always use appropriate PPE in line with established workplace procedures (e.g. eye protection, hearing protection)
• don’t inflate tyres beyond the maximum cold pressure recommended by the manufacturer (this information should be available on the vehicle)
• use airlines fitted with adjustable pressure regulators to prevent exceeding maximum pressure
• all airlines should have an inline gauge to check tyre pressure and a dump valve capable of rapidly deflating the tyre if an unsafe situation arises
• always keep away from the sidewall (e.g. the flat area on either side of the rolling direction of the tyre), even when the wheel is restrained
• use a long air hose with at least three metres of length after the gauge and trigger and a clip-on air chuck to keep at a safe distance
• place the wheel in a cage before inflating. If a cage is not available use straps or other appropriate measures to control the risks.

Tyre Safety – Compressed air

Compressed air is used for inflating tyres.

Air receivers can explode and cause serious injuries or death if they are not properly inspected and maintained, or if they have been used above the design pressure.

The Safe Work Australia compressed air and air receiver information sheet provides further guidance for workers who use large or small scale air compressors and air receivers.

Tyre Safety – Split rims

^{Left: Multi-piece split rim. Right: Split rim ring and wheel.}

Split rims are different from regular wheels found on most cars. Most cars we drive have wheels that have a single piece of metal with the rubber tyre inflated around it (which is then secured to your vehicle).

Split rims are multi-piece-or-divided rims and wheels that are held together by bolts or a lock ring. Split rims are generally used in large trucks.

If you have split rims, it’s very important you deflate the tyre before removing it from the vehicle and take care when inflating, otherwise they can explode causing serious injury or death.

The Safe Work Australia guide for split rims provides more information on how to manage the risks associated with split rims.

You can also watch our split rims video safety alert.

Safe use of low loader ramps

If you operate and maintain low loader trailers, make sure:

• you assume a loading ramp can fall on someone at any time, unless properly restrained
• you don’t rely on hydraulics or other lowering devices to prevent a ramp falling
• those involved in the task are properly informed, trained and supervised
• pre-start checks are done, including inspecting and testing the hydraulic system
• measures are in place to prevent anyone being in the ‘swing arc’ area when ramps are lowered, raised or unsecured
• procedures are in place to deal with hydraulic malfunctions, loss of hydraulic oil, hydraulic oil leaks, damage to hydraulics or structural failures
• ramps are used according to manufacturer’s instructions
• ramps and other equipment are regularly inspected and maintained by a competent person
• there are signs at the rear of the vehicle, warning people to stay clear of ramps
• workers can’t be struck by a falling ramp.

Incident information release

In April 2020, a 54-year-old truck driver was crushed by a loading ramp and died while unloading earthmoving equipment from a low loader.

Read the Incident Information Release.

^{Vehicle with low loader ramp involved in the incident.}

Safety and breakdown events

Significant safety issues are attributed to broken down vehicles along the roadside. This can present considerable safety risks; challenging the road freight transport industry and the general public.

Potential safety issues arise when vehicles break down and where vehicle and people interactions occur including towing arrangements.

When undertaking work on a public road, your work health and safety obligations still apply, but you must also adhere to the requirement and framework of the Australian Road Rules.

Breakdown events and their locations are usually unforeseeable, but actions can be taken to minimise the risks to the driver and the public. Elimination of any breakdowns in the first instance is the best option.

Truck inspections and the required maintenance is fundamental in reducing the likelihood of a vehicle breaking down. If you are required to stop the truck because of a situation this usually can be undertaken by the driver with minimal risk.

Other considerations for the breakdown location include:

• the surface hardness and gradient
• sufficient room to stop a truck on the shoulder of the road, away from traffic lanes
• proximity to members of the public and possible risks (e.g. shops or schools)
• the visibility of oncoming traffic (line of sight, especially around corners)
• the nature of the load (e.g. dangerous goods or livestock that shouldn’t stop in certain locations).

It is also important to secure the scene once a truck has come to a stop. The truck driver should take reasonable steps to ensure neither they nor the truck are in danger. Consideration also needs to be given to the surrounding environment and measures should be taken to minimise the impact on other road users, nearby premises and the public.

Planning for breakdown events

Ensure workers are prepared for a roadside emergency. Workers should be trained (including refresher training) and fully equipped to work safely in the event of a breakdown.

Workers should be trained in:

• first aid
• traffic management procedures
• communications systems adopted by the business
• risk assessments.

Communication options include:

• two-way radio
• GPS tracking
• panic/emergency alarm
• mobile phones.

Breakdown location

Ideally, any breakdown location should allow 3 metres or greater of clearance from passing traffic.

Drivers need to assess the location to ensure that any inspection and repair work can be undertaken safely.

• calling the Police, Transport for NSW (previously RMS) or suitable service providers to provide traffic control
• having the vehicle towed to a safe work area before repairs are made.

Breakdown event – warning others

In the event of a truck breakdown, the driver and truck must be seen by passing motorists and other road users.

Drivers should ensure they are wearing high visibility clothing and PPE if leaving the cabin of the vehicle.

It is recommended to exit the truck cabin from the left side door.

There are road safety requirements relating to warning other drivers. This may include turning on hazard warning lights and displaying warning triangles at required intervals for the road type.

Use of emergency equipment such as triangle and portable warning lights will also reduce the driver’s exposure to passing traffic.

Refer to WorkSafe Victoria’s Truck emergency breakdown and roadside safety for more information.

In addition, drivers should follow any breakdown policies and procedures the business has in place.

^{Using traffic bollards with triangles can create a visible barrier between workers and passing traffic.}

Isolation of broken-down vehicle

Inadvertent starting or movement of the vehicle must be prevented.

The truck should be properly immobilised through use of the park brake and wheel chocks.

See the vehicle immobilisation section for more information.

^{Use of wheel chocks.}

Breakdown event – hazardous loads

Dangerous goods, hazardous chemicals/materials and livestock can bring additional hazards to the driver and persons nearby in a breakdown event.

These additional hazards should be considered in your ongoing risk assessment for breakdown events, and control measures should be tailored to manage these risks.

Your business should be prepared for any roadside emergency and have clear instructions available on what steps to take.

After the breakdown event

Debris created by a breakdown event can pose a significant danger to other road users.

Prior to leaving the site, any remaining materials such as tyre tread should be removed if it is safe to do so and properly disposed of.

Breakdown events in remote and isolated areas

In an emergency, workers need to be able to raise the alarm and be contactable.

Truck drivers often work remotely or in isolation, where they may be unable to get immediate attention from rescue, medical or emergency services.

You must have a safe system of work that includes effective communication with the driver which allows them to call for help in the event of an emergency.

Monitor your workers regularly, with phone calls or periodic visits. Have a check-in process whereby workers are required to contact ‘home base’ at a nominated time and have an emergency response plan when workers do not report in at allotted times.

More information

For the specific laws about doing remote and isolated work, see section 48 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025.