WorkSafe guidance targets trailer ramp injuries

WorkSafe has released a new low-loader trailer ramp safety guide to help reduce serious injuries and fatalities in construction transport. Developed by CHASNZ and supported by industry groups, the guide provides practical advice on maintenance, operation and training 

WorkSafe New Zealand has launched industry-endorsed guidance on the safe use and maintenance of low-loader trailer ramps. The initiative follows a tragic 2019 workplace death in Te Kuiti when a trailer ramp collapsed, killing worker Sean Smyth. The incident resulted in an Enforceable Undertaking (EU) by his employer, Inframax Construction, which mandated that Inframax sponsor Construction Health and Safety New Zealand (CHASNZ) to develop new best-practice standards. 

Low-loaders are road-going trailers with low deck heights, designed to allow vehicles and mobile plant – including overweight or over-dimension loads – to be driven on and off via rear ramps. These ramps pose significant hazards, such as uncontrolled drops or crush injuries, which can lead to serious injuries or fatalities. 

An EU, specifically in the context of work health and safety legislation, is a legally binding agreement between a duty holder and a regulatory body like WorkSafe NZ. It is typically offered as an alternative to prosecution when a duty holder has breached, or is alleged to have breached, health and safety laws 

WorkSafe’s Mark Horgan said EUs can be “a powerful way to deliver industry-led responses to identified risk gaps”.  

Published safety guide 

The result is a new guide entitled The CHASNZ Good Practice Guide for Low Loader Trailer Ramps released on 11 July 2025. Backed by industry groups including Civil Contractors NZ, Transporting NZ, the Heavy Haulage Association and Truck & Trailer Manufacturers Federation, it highlights the risks associated with ramp operation, maintenance and design.  

CHASNZ spokesperson Jon Harper Slade described the guide as “practical, targeted and grounded in what actually works on the ground” and said it will make a lasting contribution to trailer safety throughout the construction and infrastructure sectors. 

While WorkSafe offers broad resources covering vehicles and mobile plant, there has been limited specific direction on load ramping operations despite their significant hazards. The guide aims to change that by clearly identifying responsible parties, including trailer owners, operators, maintainers and designers, and offering a practical, evidence-based approach to controlling risk. 

Best practice for safety 

The CHASNZ guide provides clear safety protocols across three core areas: 

Design and maintenance 

• Ramps must meet manufacturer specifications and undergo regular inspections. 

• Service records are mandatory to ensure any defects are identified and addressed early. 

Operation protocols 

• Checks before use include stability of ramp angle, surface quality, and secure locking mechanisms. 

• Use of mechanical aids such as winches or ropes to control ramp speed and prevent uncontrolled descent. 

• A critical requirement is that at least two qualified people should manage ramp movements to reduce injury risk. 

Training and competence 

• Operators must be trained, while PCBUs must verify competency through direct assessments. 

• Retraining is required after any incident or operational change to ensure continued understanding. 

These principles align with WorkSafe’s wider load securing guidance, which highlights common risks, such as manual handling injuries, impacts from loose fittings, and falls during deck work. The guidance also promotes systematic controls, such as vehicle access platforms, exclusion zones and automated tarping equipment. The ramp guide builds directly on this foundation, offering trailer-specific risk mitigation. 

Adopting the guide helps businesses demonstrate due diligence under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), especially since duty-holders must actively manage risks when trailers are part of a contracting chain. Shared responsibilities between trailer owners and site operators are emphasised through practical steps such as safety briefings, combined inspections and documented handover procedures. 

Important to be safe during all trailer operations 

Although it doesn’t offer low-loader hire, PlaceMakers recognises the importance of ensuring high safety standards across all forms of trailer use – which is why it builds safety into its free loan trailer offering.  

In April 2024, PlaceMakers issued a directive that all trailers, whether owned by customers or the business, must be loaded within their safe-load capacity. Anthony Mitchell, Head of Environment, Health and Safety at Fletcher Distribution (PlaceMakers parent company), explained placement of responsibility: 

“The driver of the vehicle is ultimately responsible but, as a business, we have a part to play […] we do share the responsibility.” 

Past incidents saw overloaded trailers tip and spill, prompting Police involvement. PlaceMakers responded by training staff to enforce load limits, even on customer-owned trailers, citing Police warnings that they must “take reasonable steps to ensure builders get to and from their destination as safely as possible”. 

The approach includes: 

• Verifying load ratings before accepting any trailer. 

• Briefing customers on correct loading techniques and legal limits. 

• Refusing to load trailers exceeding safety thresholds or if loading practices are unsafe. 

• Ongoing staff training on trailer loading, safety inspections and load documentation. 

This practical implementation underscores how transport safety guidance can be embedded in daily business operations. 

Why trailer safety matters 

Transporting heavy machinery and building materials is routine in construction but these loads pose hidden dangers. Ramps, heavy gear, uneven loads and shifting mass create high-energy scenarios that can lead to crush injuries, falls, ramp failures or trailer rollovers. 

The new guide addresses this gap, offering industry- safety prescriptions. When combined with broader load securing guidelines for trailers and good site traffic management practices, businesses can significantly reduce incidents. 

PlaceMakers actions show how national guidance can translate into local operational safeguards, contributing to safer journeys and job sites. 

Steps all tradies can take to increase trailer safety 

To improve trailer safety in your business: 

• Download the CHASNZ low-loader ramp guide (available here). 

• Inspect your trailers and check ramps, locking mechanisms and load-rated documentation. 

• Train operators on ramp procedures, load balancing and emergency stops. 

• Adopt load-check rituals such as weighing loads, briefing drivers and refusing unsafe trailers. 

• Create handover logs when trailers move between PCBU sites, documenting checks, loading observations and operator names. 

It’s important to note that good trailer safety is both regulatory compliance and sound business practice. It protects workers, equipment and site integrity while reducing liability and delays.