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How to pen an SWMS.
A Safe Work Method Statement is a document that sets out the High risk construction work (HRCW) activities to be carried out at an office, the hazards developing from these activities and the measures to be put in place to control the risks to health and wellness.
Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Its main function is to help employees and supervisors to execute and keep track of the control measures established to ensure the work is carried out securely.

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

includes a danger of a person 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.
includes, or is most likely to involve, the disturbance of asbestos; or.
involves structural modifications or repairs that need momentary assistance to prevent collapse; or.
is carried out in an area at a workplace in which there is any motion of powered mobile plant; or.
is performed 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 making use of dynamites; or.
is carried out on or near pressurised gas circulation mains or piping; or.
is carried out on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines; or.
is performed on or near energised electrical installations or services; or.
is performed in a location that may have a contaminated or combustible environment; or.
includes tilt-up or precast concrete; or.
is carried out on, in or adjacent to a road, train, delivering lane or other traffic corridor that remains in usage by traffic other than pedestrians; or.
is performed on a telecommunication tower; or.
is carried out in a location 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 performed in or near water or other liquid that includes a threat of drowning; or.
includes 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 normal technique to establishing a SWMS includes the following:.

Collect all relevant information about the work.
The first task is to identify the types of HRCW that the work includes and how it is to be performed.

Learn the dangers.
Evaluation the proposed work and information about each job to figure out the dangers, i.e., the events or things that may trigger damage to employees or other individuals. Details, such as codes of practice or assistance material, might be readily available in the site of your regional work environment health and wellness regulator for specific construction tasks.

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

Think about the views of workers about the dangers, the prospective danger 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 must likewise be consulted.

Keep in mind: There is a legal responsibility to consult afflicted employees and their health and safety representatives when determining dangers or selecting steps to control danger, and to take their views into account.

Select the most suitable control measures to remove or lower risks.

To choose the most proper control procedures you require to use the 'hierarchy of control' as detailed in steps 1 to 5 below. HIA's details sheet The Hierarchy of Control describes how the hierarchy of control applies to the requirements for handling workplace dangers and dangers.

First, you should seek to remove risks 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 reasonably practicable to eliminate threats, you need to carry out any particular control steps that are necessary by law in your State or Area.
Some office health and wellness laws recommend particular control steps that need to be looked for handling dangers to health and wellness occurring from specific dangers or activities. Examples include, however are not restricted to, work including asbestos, work at height, work in restricted spaces. Particular requirements are in the work environment health and wellness laws readily available in the site of your regional office health and safety regulator.

After executing action 2, if a risk stays, the risk must be lowered up until now as is fairly practicable by carrying out one, or a combination of the following:.
Replacing a procedure or compound with one that is less harmful. For instance, damp sweeping instead of dry sweeping of dangerous dusts such as crystalline silica.
Isolating employees and other persons from the risk. By installing barriers between employees and mobile plant.
Using engineering controls. For instance, using a raised work platform or a scaffold to minimise the danger of falling from height.
If after executing the above control determines a danger to health or security still stays, lower that danger, up until now as is reasonably practicable, by Utilising administrative controls. This includes, safety training, work instructions, warning signs and guidance. If a scaffold used to minimise dangers you may need to consist of scaffold tags revealing appropriate optimum loads, signs for incomplete scaffolds. You might likewise require to describe the training required for those erecting the scaffold and the supervision of scaffold users.
If a danger to health or safety still remains after carrying out the above, reduce that risk, up until now as is fairly practicable by providing personal protective equipment (PPE). This consists of using protective clothing such as shatterproof glass, construction hats, gloves, respiratory defense, or a combination of suitable PPE.
A mix of control steps will need to be used to reduce dangers as far as is fairly practicable.

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

recognise the work that is high threat construction work.
specify the risks relating to the high threat construction work and the dangers to health and wellness.
explain the procedures to be executed to manage the risks, and.
explain how the control procedures are to be implemented, monitored and evaluated.
For an example of how to do this see: How to finish a SWMS when using silica.

The control steps must be set out and revealed in a way that is easily available and understandable to the individuals who will utilise the SWMS. Describe in clear terms how threats to health and wellness are to be managed to enable the work to be done securely, and how the control measures are to be carried out.

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

Can I use a generic SWMS?
A generic SWMS can be used after it has been evaluated and modified as necessary to make sure that it covers all the hazards and dangers that exist on the website where the work is to be carried out. A generic SWMS requires to be reviewed/revised prior to beginning the work and prior to starting a brand-new activity or a modification in work location or situations.

To find out more about SWMS and your obligations go to the website of your regional office health and safety authority and look for safe work approach declarations.
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Website: https://occupational-safety.com.au/collections/swms