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How to prepare 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 work environment, the risks emerging from these activities and the measures to be put in place to manage the dangers to health and safety.
Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Its main purpose is to assist workers and managers to execute and monitor the control measures established to make certain the work is carried out securely.

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

includes a danger 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 most likely to include, the disturbance of asbestos; or.
involves structural modifications or repairs that require short-lived support 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 carried out 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.
involves making use of dynamites; or.
is performed 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 installations or services; or.
is performed in an area that might have a polluted or combustible environment; or.
involves tilt-up or precast concrete; or.
is performed on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic passage that remains in usage 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 carried out in a location in which there are artificial extremes of temperature level; or.
is performed in or near water or other liquid that involves a risk of drowning; or.
involves diving work.
Keep In Mind: Victorian OHS guidelines have some small variations of the above meaning of HRCW.

How do I set about preparing a SWMS?
A normal approach to establishing a SWMS involves the following:.

Collect all appropriate details about the work.
The very first task is to figure out the types of HRCW that the work includes and how it is to be performed.

Find out the threats.
Evaluation the proposed work and information about each task to figure out the risks, i.e., the events or things that may cause harm to workers or other individuals. Information, such as codes of practice or assistance material, might be available in the website of your regional work environment health and safety regulator for particular construction tasks.

Consult with the appropriate employees.
In assessment with the workers that will carry out the HRCW, their supervisors and health and safety representatives (if any) review the local health and wellness requirements, and the proposed work.

Consider the views of workers about the dangers, the possible threat control measures and any site-specific matters that may impact the safety of the work. If there are other workers that could be impacted by the work they must likewise be consulted.

Note: There is a legal commitment to consult afflicted employees and their health and safety representatives when identifying threats or choosing steps to manage danger, and to take their views into account.

Select the most proper control measures to remove or decrease dangers.

To choose the most proper control procedures you require to use the 'hierarchy of control' as detailed in steps 1 to 5 listed below. HIA's info sheet The Hierarchy of Control discusses how the hierarchy of control applies to the requirements for handling work environment hazards and dangers.

You should look for 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 get rid of threats, you need to implement any specific control steps that are compulsory by law in your State or Territory.
Some office health and wellness laws prescribe specific control measures that must be obtained managing threats to health and safety arising from specific hazards or activities. Examples consist of, however are not limited to, work involving asbestos, work at height, work in confined areas. Particular requirements are in the workplace health and wellness laws available in the site of your regional work environment health and wellness regulator.

After implementing step 2, if a threat remains, the danger should be lowered so far as is fairly practicable by carrying out one, or a mix of the following:.
Substituting a process or substance with one that is less harmful. Wet sweeping instead of dry sweeping of harmful dusts such as crystalline silica.
Isolating employees and other persons from the risk. By installing barriers between employees and mobile plant.
Using engineering controls. Using an elevated work platform or a scaffold to lower the risk of falling from height.
If after implementing the above control measures a risk to health or security still stays, reduce that risk, up until now as is reasonably practicable, by using administrative controls. This includes, security training, work directions, warning indications and supervision. For instance, if a scaffold used to minimise dangers you might require to consist of scaffold tags revealing acceptable maximum loads, signs for insufficient scaffolds. You may also need to describe the training needed for those setting up the scaffold and the supervision of scaffold users.
If a risk to health or security still remains after implementing the above, decrease that danger, up until now as is fairly practicable by offering personal protective devices (PPE). This includes using protective clothes such as safety glasses, construction hats, gloves, respiratory defense, or a mix of suitable PPE.
A mix of control procedures will need to be used to reduce dangers as far as is reasonably practicable.

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

recognise the work that is high risk construction work.
specify the risks relating to the high risk construction work and the risks to health and wellness.
explain the steps to be executed to manage the risks, and.
explain how the control steps are to be implemented, kept an eye on and reviewed.
For an example of how to do this see: How to finish a SWMS when Utilising silica.

The control steps need to be set out and expressed in a way that is readily available and comprehensible to the persons who will use the SWMS. Describe in clear terms how risks to health and wellness are to be controlled to make it possible for the work to be done safely, and how the control procedures are to be carried out.

You can use any form or design template to produce up the SWMS, consisting of paper and electronic formats, offered the above info is included and is readily available.

Can I utilise a generic SWMS?
A generic SWMS can be utilised after it has been examined and modified as necessary to make certain that it covers all the risks and dangers that exist on the site where the work is to be performed. A generic SWMS needs to be reviewed/revised prior to beginning the work and prior to starting a new activity or a modification in work place or circumstances.

For more information about SWMS and your responsibilities go to the website of your local office health and safety authority and look for safe work approach statements.
safe work method statement

My Website: https://occupational-safety.com.au/collections/swms