Warehouse Waste & Bin Handling SWMS

Waste handling is the task nobody owns and everybody does at the end of a shift, in a hurry, often alone. It combines the highest manual handling loads in a warehouse — a full wheelie bin can exceed 100 kg and steers badly — with laceration risk from strapping and broken packaging, crush risk from compactors and balers, and a vehicle interface when the collection truck arrives. This document covers moving bins and skips, breaking down pallets and packaging, sharps and laceration control, safe compactor and baler operation, waste segregation, and managing the collection vehicle interface. It is written for the reality that this work is often done by the least experienced staff at the least supervised time of day.

Hazards identified

9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

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

1. 1Fill only to the marked line — never overfill
2. 2push rather than pull, with the body close and using leg drive
3. 3use a team move or mechanical assistance for large or heavy bins
4. 4Inspect and maintain castors and brakes on a schedule
5. 5avoid slopes where a level route exists and never move a bin down a ramp alone
6. 6apply brakes when stationary
7. 7keep feet clear
8. 8Keep lids closed during movement
9. 9report and clean leaks promptly
10. 10do not allow leachate to reach drains
11. 11Work at waist height where possible
12. 12break the task up and rotate
13. 13use a pallet jack rather than dragging pallets
14. 14Use a retractable safety knife and cut away from the body
15. 15stand clear when releasing banding under tension and wear eye protection
16. 16wear cut-resistant gloves
17. 17withdraw or hammer flat protruding nails
18. 18quarantine damaged pallets
19. 19Segregate cardboard, plastic, timber and general waste at the point of breakdown
20. 20Ventilate the waste area
21. 21wear gloves and, where dust is generated, respiratory protection
22. 22wash hands after handling waste
23. 23Only trained and authorised operators use the compactor or baler
24. 24never reach in or bypass an interlock
25. 25isolate and lock out before any clearing of a jam
26. 26establish an exclusion zone during collection and make eye contact with the driver before approaching
27. 27Keep the waste area tidy and enclosed
28. 28clean up spillage promptly to prevent windblown litter

Applicable Codes of Practice

Worked example

A worker moving a full 1100-litre bin down a slight ramp lost control when a castor jammed; the bin tipped and pinned his leg. The investigation found the bin was routinely overfilled beyond the fill line, the castors had never been maintained, and the route crossed a ramp when a level alternative existed. Filling to the line, a castor inspection schedule and a changed route removed all three contributing factors.

Related legislation

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) — primary duty of care, s.19
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Chapter 3 Risk Management
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Part 4.2 Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Chapter 7 Hazardous Chemicals (register, SDS, labelling, placarding, manifest)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — emergency plan duty (s. 43)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Chapter 3 Part 3.2 general working environment, first aid and facilities

Frequently asked questions