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How to compose a Safe Work Method Statement.
A Safe Work Method Statement is a document that sets out the High danger construction work (HRCW) activities to be performed at an office, the threats occurring from these activities and the steps to be put in place to manage the dangers to health and safety.
Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Its main purpose is to assist employees and supervisors to implement and keep track of the control measures established to ensure the work is performed securely.

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

includes a threat of a person falling more than 2 metres (3 metres in South Australia); or.
involves demolition of an aspect of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical stability of the structure; or.
involves, or is most likely to include, the disruption of asbestos; or.
includes structural changes or repairs that need short-lived support to prevent collapse; or.
is performed in a location at an office in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant; or.
is performed in or near a confined area; 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 explosives; or.
is carried out on or near pressurised gas distribution mains or piping; or.
is performed on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines; or.
is performed on or near energised electrical installations or services; or.
is carried out in a location that might have a polluted or combustible atmosphere; or.
includes tilt-up or precast concrete; or.
is performed on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic passage that is in usage by traffic aside from pedestrians; or.
is performed on a telecommunication tower; or.
is carried out in a location at an office in which there is any motion 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 involves 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 go about preparing a SWMS?
A common approach to establishing a SWMS includes the following:.

Collect all pertinent details about the work.
The first job is to determine the types of HRCW that the work involves and how it is to be performed.

Find out the hazards.
Review the proposed work and details about each job to figure out the threats, i.e., the events or things that might cause damage to employees or other people. Info, such as codes of practice or assistance product, might be available in the website of your regional workplace health and safety regulator for particular construction tasks.

Consult with the appropriate employees.
In assessment with the employees that will carry out the HRCW, their managers and health and safety agents (if any) examine the local health and safety requirements, and the proposed work.

Think about the views of workers about the dangers, the possible threat control procedures and any site-specific matters that might affect the safety of the work. If there are other workers that could be impacted by the work they need to likewise be sought advice from.

Note: There is a legal obligation to consult affected workers and their health and wellness agents when recognising dangers or picking measures to manage danger, and to take their views into account.

Select the most appropriate control steps to remove or decrease dangers.

To choose the most proper control measures you require to use the 'hierarchy of control' as detailed in steps 1 to 5 listed below. HIA's details sheet The Hierarchy of Control explains how the hierarchy of control applies to the requirements for managing office threats and risks.

You must seek to get rid of dangers so far 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 eliminate risks, you must carry out any specific control steps that are mandatory by law in your State or Area.
Some workplace health and safety laws recommend particular control steps that should be gotten managing dangers to health and wellness arising from specific dangers or activities. Examples include, but are not limited to, work including asbestos, work at height, operate in restricted spaces. Specific requirements remain in the work environment health and wellness laws readily available in the website of your regional office health and wellness regulator.

After executing action 2, if a danger remains, the risk must be decreased up until now as is fairly practicable by implementing one, or a combination of the following:.
Replacing a procedure or substance with one that is less hazardous. Wet sweeping instead of dry sweeping of hazardous dusts such as crystalline silica.
Isolating employees and other individuals from the threat. For example by installing barriers in between workers and mobile plant.
Utilising engineering controls. For instance, Utilising a raised work platform or a scaffold to reduce the risk of falling from height.
If after carrying out the above control determines a risk to health or security still stays, decrease that threat, so far as is reasonably practicable, by using administrative controls. This includes, security training, work directions, alerting indications and guidance.
If a threat to health or security still remains after carrying out the above, reduce that danger, up until now as is reasonably practicable by providing personal protective devices (PPE). This consists of Utilising protective clothing such as shatterproof glass, construction hats, gloves, respiratory security, or a combination of appropriate PPE.
In many cases, a mix of control measures will need to be applied to minimise risks as far as is fairly practicable.

Writing up the SWMS - What details must be consisted of?
A SWMS should:.

recognise the work that is high risk construction work.
specify the threats relating to the high danger construction work and the threats to health and wellness.
explain the steps to be implemented to manage the dangers, and.
explain how the control steps are to be carried out, kept track of and reviewed.
For an example of how to do this see: How to complete a SWMS when using silica.

The control procedures must be set out and expressed in a manner that is easily accessible and understandable to the individuals who will utilise the SWMS. Describe in clear terms how risks to health and wellness are to be controlled to enable the work to be done safely, and how the control procedures are to be implemented.

You can use any kind or template to make up the SWMS, consisting of paper and electronic formats, supplied the above info is consisted of and is readily available.

Can I use a generic SWMS?
A generic SWMS can be utilised after it has actually been examined and revised as required to make certain that it covers all the hazards and threats that are present on the site where the work is to be performed. A generic SWMS requires to be reviewed/revised prior to starting the work and prior to beginning a new activity or a change in work place or circumstances.

To learn more about SWMS and your obligations go to the website of your local office health and wellness authority and look for safe work approach statements.
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