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How to draft a Safe Work Method Statement.
A Safe Work Method Statement is a file that sets out the High risk construction work (HRCW) activities to be carried out at an office, the risks arising from these activities and the steps to be put in place to control the threats to health and safety.
Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Its main function is to help workers and supervisors to execute and keep an eye on the control measures developed to ensure the work is carried out safely.

What is 'high risk construction work' (HRCW)?
High danger construction work is defined in WHS regulations as construction work that:.

involves a threat of an individual falling more than 2 metres (3 metres in South Australia); or.
includes demolition of an element of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure; or.
involves, or is likely to involve, the disturbance of asbestos; or.
includes structural alterations or repairs that require momentary support to prevent collapse; or.
is performed in a location at a workplace in which there is any motion of powered mobile plant; or.
is carried out in or near a confined space; or.
is performed in or near:.
a shaft or trench with an excavated depth greater than 1 5 metres; or.
a tunnel; or.
includes using dynamites; or.
is performed on or near pressurised gas circulation mains or piping; or.
is performed on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines; or.
is performed on or near energised electrical setups or services; or.
is performed in a location that might have a contaminated or flammable environment; or.
involves tilt-up or precast concrete; or.
is carried out on, in or adjacent to a roadway, train, delivering lane or other traffic passage that is in use by traffic besides pedestrians; or.
is carried out on a telecommunication tower; or.
is performed in an area at a work environment in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant; or.
is carried out in an area in which there are artificial extremes of temperature; or.
is performed in or near water or other liquid that includes a threat of drowning; or.
involves diving work.
Note: Victorian OHS regulations have some small variations of the above meaning of HRCW.

How do I tackle preparing a SWMS?
A normal method to establishing a SWMS involves the following:.

Collect all appropriate details about the work.
The first job is to figure out the types of HRCW that the work involves and how it is to be carried out.

Discover the hazards.
Evaluation the proposed work and info about each job to figure out the threats, i.e., the events or things that may trigger damage to employees or other people. Information, such as codes of practice or assistance material, may be readily available in the site of your local workplace health and wellness regulator for particular construction tasks.

Speak with the relevant workers.
In assessment with the workers that will carry out the HRCW, their managers and health and safety representatives (if any) evaluate the regional health and safety requirements, and the proposed work.

Think about the views of workers about the threats, the prospective threat control measures and any site-specific matters that might affect the security of the work. If there are other workers that could be impacted by the work they need to likewise be consulted.

Note: There is a legal responsibility to seek advice from afflicted employees and their health and safety representatives when recognising dangers or choosing procedures to manage danger, and to take their views into account.

Select the most proper control measures to eliminate or reduce threats.

To pick the most appropriate control steps you require to use the 'hierarchy of control' as detailed in steps 1 to 5 listed below. HIA's information sheet The Hierarchy of Control explains how the hierarchy of control applies to the requirements for managing office dangers and dangers.

You should seek to remove dangers so far as is reasonably practicable (e.g., doing as much work as possible on the ground rather than at height).
If it is not fairly practicable to remove threats, you should implement any specific control steps that are mandatory by law in your State or Area.
Some workplace health and safety laws prescribe specific control steps that need to be made an application for handling risks to health and wellness developing from specific dangers or activities. Examples include, but are not limited to, work involving asbestos, work at height, work in confined areas. Particular requirements are in the workplace health and safety laws readily available in the website of your local workplace health and wellness regulator.

After implementing action 2, if a danger remains, the risk should be lowered up until now as is reasonably practicable by executing one, or a combination of the following:.
Replacing a procedure or substance with one that is less dangerous. Wet sweeping rather of dry sweeping of hazardous dusts such as crystalline silica.
Isolating workers and other individuals from the threat. For instance by setting up barriers between workers and mobile plant.
Utilising engineering controls. For instance, Utilising an elevated work platform or a scaffold to minimise the risk of falling from height.
If after carrying out the above control measures a risk to health or safety still remains, minimise that danger, so far as is fairly practicable, by Utilising administrative controls. This includes, safety training, work directions, cautioning indications and guidance.
If a threat to health or safety still stays after implementing the above, lower that danger, so far as is reasonably practicable by providing personal protective devices (PPE). This consists of using protective clothing such as safety glasses, construction hats, gloves, breathing security, or a mix of suitable PPE.
A combination of control measures will need to be applied to reduce dangers as far as is reasonably practicable.

Penning up the SWMS - What info must be consisted of?
A SWMS should:.

identify the work that is high threat construction work.
define the dangers connecting to the high danger construction work and the risks to health and wellness.
explain the measures to be carried out to manage the risks, and.
describe how the control steps are to be implemented, kept an eye on and evaluated.
For an example of how to do this see: How to complete a SWMS when Utilising silica.

The control steps should be set out and revealed in such a way that is easily available and comprehensible to the persons who will use the SWMS. Describe in clear terms how dangers to health and safety are to be controlled to make it possible for the work to be done securely, and how the control procedures are to be implemented.

You can utilise any form or template to write the SWMS, consisting of paper and electronic formats, supplied the above information is included and is readily accessible.

Can I utilise a generic SWMS?
A generic SWMS can be utilised after it has actually been reviewed and modified as essential to ensure that it covers all the hazards and risks that are present on the site where the work is to be carried out. A generic SWMS needs to be reviewed/revised prior to beginning the work and prior to beginning a brand-new activity or a modification in work place or circumstances.

For additional information about SWMS and your responsibilities go to the site of your regional work environment health and wellness authority and look for safe work method statements.
official source
Safe Work Method Statements

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