Order Picker Operation

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines safety measures and protocols for operating order pickers, addressing hazards such as falls from height, equipment tip-overs, and load accidents. It is essential for operators, safety officers, and management to ensure compliance with the Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations. Implementing this SOP helps mitigate risks, promote safety in the workplace, and protect employees from serious injuries or fatalities.

• Fall from height (operator elevated in the cab) – serious injury or fatality
• Order picker tip-over if racking is struck – serious injury
• Racking collapse from impact – serious injury or fatality
• Load falling from elevated forks – struck-by injury
• Battery discharge or failure in elevated position – entrapment
• Collision with pedestrians in the warehouse

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and applicable state/territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (Cth) – Part 5.1 High Risk Work
• AS/NZS 1891.1 – Industrial fall-arrest systems
• AS 2359 – Industrial trucks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace (2024)
• Order Picker Pre-Start Checklist (associated document)