Tyre Fitting & Wheel Alignment SWMS

Tyre fitting and wheel alignment on passenger cars and light commercial vehicles involves high-energy mechanical and pneumatic hazards including bead-breaker crush points, explosive separation of multi-piece rims, and high-pressure inflation that can launch tyre and rim assemblies with lethal force. The work also exposes technicians to rotating balancer assemblies, hydraulic hoist failures, and ergonomic loads from manual tyre handling. Under WHS Regulation 2025 Chapter 4 Part 4.5, tyre-machines, wheel balancers and inflation equipment are classified as plant requiring documented risk assessment, isolation procedures and competent operation. Because the task involves powered mobile plant and stored pneumatic energy capable of causing fatality, a Safe Work Method Statement is mandatory before work commences. This SWMS satisfies PCBU duties under sections 19 and 21 of the WHS Act, documents the hierarchy of control applied to each hazard, and provides the consultation and sign-on record required for high-risk construction and automotive plant operation.

Hazards identified

7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.

1. 1Elimination — Refuse to service multi-piece split-rim wheels in the light-vehicle bay; refer all divided-rim work to a specialist facility with a certified cage and trained operator.
2. 2Elimination — Remove damaged or corroded rims from service immediately and tag out under AS/NZS 4801 isolation procedures rather than attempting inflation repair.
3. 3Substitution — Replace manual tyre lifting with a powered tyre-lifter or assist arm on the tyre-machine for all assemblies exceeding 20 kg single-person lift threshold.
4. 4Substitution — Use water-based bead lubricant instead of solvent-based product to reduce hydrocarbon skin absorption and aerosol inhalation during high-volume fitting.
5. 5Engineering — Inflate every tyre inside a compliant inflation restraint cage rated to AS 4457.1, with remote clip-on chuck and inline pressure regulator preset to maximum sidewall rating.
6. 6Engineering — Install transparent polycarbonate shrapnel shield on the wheel balancer and interlock the spin cycle so the machine cannot rotate with the guard open.
7. 7Engineering — Use two-post hoist with mechanical locking arms engaged at working height and lift-point pads matched to manufacturer jacking diagrams before tyre removal.
8. 8Administrative — Conduct a documented pre-start inspection of tyre-machine, balancer, hoist and inflation cage each shift, recorded in the plant logbook with operator signature.
9. 9Administrative — Train and verify competency for all operators under the Code of Practice Managing the Risks of Plant, including specific sign-off on multi-piece rim recognition and refusal protocol.
10. 10PPE — Wear AS/NZS 1337.1 medium-impact safety eyewear, AS/NZS 2210.3 safety footwear, AS/NZS 1270 Class 4 hearing protection, and cut-resistant gloves removed before any rotating-machine operation.

Applicable Codes of Practice

High-Risk Construction Work triggered

Worked example

At a suburban light-commercial tyre bay, a technician is assigned to replace four tyres and complete a wheel alignment on a one-tonne utility. Before commencing, the supervisor opens this SWMS at the pre-start whiteboard and walks the two-person crew through the hazard register. The technician identifies that one rim shows surface corrosion near the bead seat — referencing the hazard line on explosive rim separation, they tag the rim out and source a replacement rather than attempting to seat the bead. The crew confirms the inflation restraint cage is present, the remote clip-on chuck reaches outside the cage perimeter, and the regulator is preset to the sidewall maximum. Both workers sign the SWMS consultation sheet, noting their competency record numbers. During the job, the balancer spins down with an unusual vibration; the technician stops the cycle, re-reads the balancer shrapnel-shield control, and discovers a loose centring cone. They re-clamp, re-spin behind the polycarbonate shield, and annotate the SWMS field-adjustment log so the supervisor can review the variation at shift handover. The signed document is filed in the workshop plant register for the retention period required under WHS Regulation 2025.

Related legislation

• WHS Act 2011 (model)
• WHS Regulation 2025
• AS 2550 — Cranes, hoists and winches; AS 1418 series

Frequently asked questions