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How to write up 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 carried out at a workplace, the threats developing from these activities and the measures to be put in place to manage the threats to health and safety.
Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Its main purpose is to help workers and supervisors to execute and monitor the control determines established to make certain the work is performed securely.

What is 'high danger construction work' (HRCW)?
High risk construction work is specified in WHS policies 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 element of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure; or.
involves, or is most likely to include, the disturbance of asbestos; or.
includes structural modifications or repairs that require short-lived assistance to prevent collapse; or.
is performed in a location at a work environment in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant; or.
is performed in or near a restricted space; or.
is carried out in or near:.
a shaft or trench with an excavated depth greater than 1 5 metres; or.
a tunnel; or.
involves the use of explosives; 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 carried out on or near energised electrical installations or services; or.
is carried out in a location that may have a polluted or flammable environment; or.
involves tilt-up or precast concrete; or.
is performed on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor that remains in use by traffic besides pedestrians; or.
is performed on a telecommunication tower; or.
is performed in an area at a work environment in which there is any motion of powered mobile plant; or.
is carried out in a location in which there are synthetic extremes of temperature; or.
is carried out in or near water or other liquid that includes a risk of drowning; or.
includes diving work.
Note: Victorian OHS guidelines have some slight variations of the above meaning of HRCW.

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

Gather all relevant info about the work.
The first task is to figure out the kinds of HRCW that the work includes and how it is to be carried out.

Discover the threats.
Review the proposed work and info about each job to figure out the hazards, i.e., the occasions or things that might trigger harm to employees or other individuals. Details, such as codes of practice or guidance product, might be offered in the site of your local workplace health and wellness regulator for specific construction jobs.

Seek advice from the relevant employees.
In assessment with the workers that will undertake the HRCW, their managers and health and wellness representatives (if any) examine the regional health and wellness requirements, and the proposed work.

Consider the views of employees about the dangers, the possible threat control procedures and any site-specific matters that may affect the security of the work. If there are other workers that could be impacted by the work they need to likewise be spoken with.

Keep in mind: There is a legal responsibility to seek advice from affected employees and their health and wellness representatives when determining dangers or selecting procedures to control threat, and to take their views into account.

Select the most appropriate control measures to eliminate or decrease dangers.

To choose the most suitable control steps you need 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 work environment threats and dangers.

First, you should look for to remove threats 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 remove risks, you must implement any particular control steps that are obligatory by law in your State or Territory.
Some work environment health and safety laws recommend particular control steps that must be looked for managing dangers to health and safety arising from specific risks or activities. Examples consist of, but are not limited to, work involving asbestos, work at height, operate in confined areas. Specific requirements are in the work environment health and wellness laws readily available in the website of your local work environment health and wellness regulator.

After executing action 2, if a risk stays, the danger must be decreased so far as is reasonably practicable by implementing one, or a combination of the following:.
Replacing a process or substance with one that is less harmful. For example, damp sweeping instead of dry sweeping of hazardous dusts such as crystalline silica.
Separating employees and other individuals from the danger. For instance by setting up barriers between employees and mobile plant.
Utilising engineering controls. Utilising an elevated work platform or a scaffold to reduce the risk of falling from height.
If after carrying out the above control measures a risk to health or safety still stays, lower that danger, so far as is reasonably practicable, by using administrative controls. This includes, safety training, work guidelines, cautioning signs and guidance. For instance, if a scaffold utilised to reduce risks you might need to consist of scaffold tags revealing appropriate maximum loads, signs for insufficient scaffolds. You may also require to explain the training required for those setting up the scaffold and the supervision of scaffold users.
If a risk to health or safety still stays after implementing the above, decrease that threat, so far as is fairly practicable by offering individual protective equipment (PPE). This consists of using protective clothing such as safety glasses, construction hats, gloves, respiratory defense, or a combination of proper PPE.
For the most part, a mix of control measures will require to be applied to minimise threats as far as is reasonably practicable.

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

identify the work that is high risk construction work.
define the threats relating to the high danger construction work and the risks to health and safety.
explain the procedures to be executed to manage the risks, and.
describe how the control procedures are to be implemented, kept track of and examined.
For an example of how to do this see: How to complete a SWMS when using silica.

The control measures need to be set out and expressed in a manner that is readily accessible and comprehensible to the persons who will use the SWMS. Describe in clear terms how threats to health and wellness are to be controlled to enable the work to be done safely, and how the control steps are to be carried out.

You can utilise any kind or design template to write the SWMS, consisting of paper and electronic formats, provided the above details is consisted of and is readily accessible.

Can I use a generic SWMS?
A generic SWMS can be utilised after it has been examined and modified as required to make certain 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 requires to be reviewed/revised prior to starting the work and prior to commencing a new activity or a modification in work area or circumstances.

For additional information about SWMS and your obligations go to the website of your local workplace health and safety authority and search for safe work approach statements.
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Here's my website: https://occupational-safety.com.au/collections/swms