Notes

How to write a Safe Work Method Statement.
A Safe Work Method Statement is a file that sets out the High danger construction work (HRCW) activities to be carried out at an office, the threats emerging from these activities and the steps to be put in place to control the dangers to health and safety.
Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Its primary function is to help employees and supervisors to execute and keep track of the control determines established to make certain the work is performed safely.

What is 'high threat construction work' (HRCW)?
High threat construction work is specified in WHS policies as construction work that:.

involves a threat of an individual falling more than 2 metres (3 metres in South Australia); or.
involves demolition of an element of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure; or.
includes, or is most likely to include, the disruption of asbestos; or.
involves structural modifications or repairs that need short-term assistance to prevent collapse; or.
is carried out in an area at a workplace in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant; or.
is carried out in or near a restricted area; or.
is performed in or near:.
a shaft or trench with an excavated depth greater than 1 5 metres; or.
a tunnel; or.
involves using dynamites; or.
is carried out on or near pressurised gas distribution mains or piping; or.
is carried out on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines; or.
is carried out on or near energised electrical setups or services; or.
is carried out in a location that may have an infected or combustible atmosphere; or.
involves tilt-up or precast concrete; or.
is performed on, in or adjacent to a roadway, railway, shipping lane or other traffic passage that is in use by traffic aside from pedestrians; or.
is carried out on a telecommunication tower; or.
is carried out in an area at a work environment in which there is any motion of powered mobile plant; or.
is performed in a location in which there are synthetic extremes of temperature; or.
is carried out in or near water or other liquid that involves a threat of drowning; or.
includes diving work.
Note: Victorian OHS guidelines have some minor variations of the above definition of HRCW.

How do I go about preparing a SWMS?
A common technique to developing a SWMS includes the following:.

Gather all relevant details about the work.
The very first job is to figure out the types of HRCW that the work includes and how it is to be carried out.

Discover the hazards.
Evaluation the proposed work and information about each job to figure out the hazards, i.e., the events or things that might trigger damage to employees or other individuals. Details, such as codes of practice or assistance product, might be offered in the website of your local work environment health and safety regulator for particular construction jobs.

Speak with the appropriate employees.
In consultation with the workers that will undertake the HRCW, their managers and health and wellness representatives (if any) review the regional health and safety requirements, and the proposed work.

Think about the views of employees about the hazards, the possible risk control procedures and any site-specific matters that may impact the safety of the work. If there are other employees that could be impacted by the work they need to also be sought advice from.

Note: There is a legal commitment to speak with afflicted workers and their health and safety agents when recognising risks or picking steps to manage risk, and to take their views into account.

Select the most suitable control steps to get rid of or decrease risks.

To pick the most suitable control measures you need to apply the 'hierarchy of control' as detailed in steps 1 to 5 listed below. HIA's info sheet The Hierarchy of Control describes how the hierarchy of control applies to the requirements for managing work environment risks and dangers.

First, you need to seek to remove dangers up until now as is fairly practicable (e.g., doing as much work as possible on the ground rather than at height).
If it is not fairly practicable to remove risks, you must carry out any specific control steps that are mandatory by law in your State or Territory.
Some work environment health and safety laws recommend particular control steps that need to be obtained managing threats to health and safety occurring from particular threats or activities. Examples include, but are not limited to, work including asbestos, work at height, work in confined spaces. Particular requirements remain in the work environment health and wellness laws readily available in the site of your local workplace health and safety regulator.

After implementing step 2, if a danger stays, the danger needs to be decreased so far as is reasonably practicable by executing one, or a mix of the following:.
Substituting a procedure or compound with one that is less dangerous. For example, damp sweeping instead of dry sweeping of harmful dusts such as crystalline silica.
Isolating employees and other individuals from the risk. For example by installing barriers in between workers and mobile plant.
Using engineering controls. Using a raised work platform or a scaffold to decrease the risk of falling from height.
If after implementing the above control measures a risk to health or security still stays, lower that danger, so far as is fairly practicable, by Utilising administrative controls. This includes, safety training, work guidelines, warning indications and guidance.
If a threat to health or safety still stays after carrying out the above, lower that risk, up until now as is fairly practicable by providing personal protective equipment (PPE). This consists of using protective clothing such as safety glasses, hard hats, gloves, respiratory protection, or a combination of proper PPE.
A mix of control measures will need to be applied to reduce dangers as far as is fairly practicable.

Producing up the SWMS - What information must be included?
A SWMS should:.

identify the work that is high risk construction work.
define the threats connecting to the high danger construction work and the risks to health and safety.
describe the measures to be carried out to manage the threats, and.
describe how the control procedures are to be executed, kept an eye on and examined.
For an example of how to do this see: How to finish a SWMS when Utilising silica.

The control procedures need to be set out and revealed in a way that is readily available and understandable to the persons who will utilise the SWMS. Explain in clear terms how risks to health and safety are to be managed to make it possible for the work to be done safely, and how the control steps are to be implemented.

You can use any kind or template to write the SWMS, including paper and electronic formats, provided the above info is consisted of and is easily available.

Can I use a generic SWMS?
A generic SWMS can be utilised after it has actually been examined and modified as necessary to make sure that it covers all the threats and dangers that are present on the website where the work is to be performed. A generic SWMS needs to be reviewed/revised prior to starting the work and prior to commencing a brand-new activity or a modification in work place or circumstances.

For more information about SWMS and your obligations go to the website of your local workplace health and safety authority and search for safe work method declarations.
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