Recycling MRF / Sort-Line Operations SWMS

Materials recovery facility sort line operations covers the operation of a recycling sort line — sorting mixed recyclable waste on conveyors and sort lines at a materials recovery facility (MRF), manually and mechanically. The defining hazards are the conveyor and sort-line plant with its entanglement risk, the sharps, biohazards and contamination in mixed waste, the manual sorting and the dust, and the mobile plant. This document is written on the basis that materials recovery facility sort line operations are carried out with the conveyor-guarding, biohazard, manual-sorting and plant controls in place.

Materials recovery facility sort line operations are carried out in connection with the plant and general WHS requirements, with the conveyors and sort-line plant guarded and isolated for clearing, the sharps, biohazards and contamination managed, the manual sorting and dust managed, and the mobile plant separated from workers. The conveyor and sort-line plant, the biohazards and sharps, the manual sorting and dust, and the mobile plant are the considerations. This document coordinates the conveyor-guarding, biohazard, manual-sorting and plant controls so the sort line operations are carried out safely.

Hazards identified

9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

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

1. 1Engineering: guard the conveyors and sort-line plant against entanglement, with isolation and lockout for clearing blockages, and never reach into running plant.
2. 2PPE: protect against sharps, biohazards and contamination in mixed waste with cut-resistant gloves, the appropriate protection and a sharps and needlestick procedure, and hygiene and washing facilities.
3. 3Engineering: manage the dust from the waste and sorting with extraction, ventilation and respiratory protection, and manage the manual sorting and repetitive tasks with task rotation and ergonomics.
4. 4Engineering: separate pedestrians and powered mobile plant with designated traffic routes, exclusion zones, physical separation and a traffic management plan, because pedestrian and forklift or plant interaction is a leading cause of serious injury.
5. 5Engineering: isolate and lock out the plant — the compactor, conveyor or machine — before any clearing, maintenance or access, and never enter a compactor chamber or running plant.
6. 6Administrative: identify and manage hazardous and prohibited items in the waste — gas cylinders, batteries, chemicals and sharps — with a procedure, recognising they can cause fire, exposure and injury.
7. 7Engineering: control the noise from the sort-line plant.
8. 8Administrative: confirm the plant and area are safe.
9. 9Administrative: all workers must hold the competencies and licences required for the work, including a High Risk Work Licence for forklift operation, a heavy vehicle driver licence for heavy vehicles, and any dangerous goods or other training required.
10. 10Administrative: conduct a pre-start toolbox talk covering the day's work, identified hazards, traffic and plant movements, required PPE and emergency procedures, and record attendance in the consultation section.
11. 11Administrative: consult workers and any health and safety representatives on the work and its risks, record the consultation, and keep this document available at the workplace.
12. 12PPE: high-visibility clothing, eye protection where required, gloves appropriate to the task, hearing protection where required, and Class I or Class II safety footwear with protective toecap to AS/NZS 2210.3.
13. 13Administrative: review and update this SWMS whenever the work scope changes, after any incident or near miss, when a worker or health and safety representative raises a concern, when new hazards are identified, or at minimum every 12 months.

Applicable Codes of Practice

Worked example

Workers are engaged to operate a recycling sort line at a materials recovery facility. The conveyors and sort-line plant are guarded against entanglement, with isolation and lockout for clearing blockages, and workers never reach into running plant. The sharps, biohazards and contamination in the mixed waste are managed with cut-resistant gloves, the appropriate protection, a sharps and needlestick procedure, and hygiene and washing facilities. The dust from the waste and sorting is managed with extraction, ventilation and respiratory protection, and the manual sorting and repetitive tasks managed with task rotation and ergonomics. The mobile plant in the facility is separated from workers with traffic routes and exclusion zones. The plant is isolated and locked out before any clearing, and a compactor or running plant never entered. Hazardous and prohibited items in the waste — gas cylinders, batteries, chemicals and sharps — are identified and managed with a procedure. Noise is controlled. The plant and area are confirmed safe, and the records retained.

Related legislation

• Model Work Health and Safety Act — primary duty of care; the duty to consult workers; the reckless-conduct offence; and notifiable-incident provisions, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations — the plant, hazardous manual tasks, hazardous chemicals and High Risk Work Licence provisions, and the Section 291 high risk construction work and SWMS duties where applicable, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
• The Heavy Vehicle National Law and the Chain of Responsibility, the National Transport Commission Load Restraint Guide 2018, and the Australian Dangerous Goods Code, apply to heavy vehicles and the transport of dangerous goods, alongside the model WHS framework, and are administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and the state and territory dangerous goods regulators.
• Forklift operation requires a High Risk Work Licence (LF or LO class) under each state and territory's licensing scheme, and heavy vehicle driving requires the appropriate heavy vehicle driver licence; dangerous goods drivers require dangerous goods licensing and training.
• Victoria operates under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, with the plant, manual handling, hazardous chemicals and high risk construction work provisions applying in place of the model instruments, alongside the Dangerous Goods Act 1985.

Frequently asked questions