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Home / Regulations / Occupational Health and Safety Regulations — Waste

Workplace waste handling safety in Victoria

Assess lifting, bin movement, access and vehicle interactions when handling workplace waste. Plan suitable controls, maintenance and worker consultation.

Illustration accompanying Occupational Health and Safety Regulations — Waste Handling
Illustrative image

Sources checked 18 September 2026. Scope: Victoria, with Australian schemes identified where relevant.

Assess the actual work: moving bins, lifting loads, reaching storage and working near vehicles. Select controls before relying only on training or protective equipment. Source: WorkSafe Victoria — Waste and recycling.

What applies

WorkSafe's waste and recycling guidance points to employer duties, worker consultation and manual-handling controls. Practical measures include mechanical aids, maintained equipment and suitable work areas. Use guidance for the task and involve the people doing it. Source: WorkSafe Victoria — Waste and recycling.

Practical checks for your business

These suggested planning steps help organise site information; they are not an exhaustive legal compliance checklist.

  1. Walk the collection route with workers and record difficult handling, obstructions and vehicle interactions.
  2. Obtain competent assessment where access redesign, mechanical handling or specialist controls are needed.
  3. Record agreed procedures, training and maintenance. Revisit after incidents, equipment changes or new waste streams.

Confirm the requirement for your site

For a disputed requirement or enforcement issue, ask the relevant authority or qualified adviser to identify the current provision and how it applies. Do not rely on an old penalty amount or general website summary.

Keep a usable decision record

Keep assessments, acceptance conditions, responsible contacts and supporting records together. Note what needs confirmation before changing the service or starting work.

Common question

Is manual-handling training alone a plan?

Assess how the hazard can be removed or reduced. Training supports controls; it does not replace assessment of the work.

Discuss your collection requirements

Contact Bundle Waste with the waste type, site and collection requirements. Keep specialist legal, environmental or safety assessment separate from the collection request.

Sources

Primary guidance checked 18 September 2026. Review due 18 October 2026, or sooner if requirements change.