Notes

How to come up with an SWMS.
A Safe Work Method Statement is a document that sets out the High threat construction work (HRCW) activities to be performed at a work environment, the dangers developing from these activities and the measures to be put in place to manage the risks to health and safety.
Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Its main function is to help workers and managers to carry out and monitor the control measures developed to make certain the work is performed safely.

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

includes a risk 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 disruption of asbestos; or.
includes structural modifications or repairs that need short-term support to prevent collapse; or.
is carried out in a location at a workplace in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant; or.
is carried out 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.
includes making 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 setups or services; or.
is performed in a location that might have a contaminated or combustible environment; or.
includes tilt-up or precast concrete; or.
is performed on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, delivering lane or other traffic passage that remains in use by traffic besides pedestrians; or.
is carried out on a telecommunication tower; or.
is performed in a location at an office 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 level; or.
is carried out in or near water or other liquid that includes a risk of drowning; or.
involves diving work.
Note: Victorian OHS regulations have some small variations of the above definition of HRCW.

How do I tackle preparing a SWMS?
A common technique to developing a SWMS involves the following:.

Collect all pertinent info about the work.
The very first task is to identify the kinds of HRCW that the work involves and how it is to be performed.

Learn the dangers.
Evaluation the proposed work and details about each job to identify the hazards, i.e., the events or things that may trigger harm to employees or other individuals. Details, such as codes of practice or guidance product, may be available in the website of your local workplace health and wellness regulator for particular construction jobs.

Consult with the pertinent employees.
In assessment with the employees that will undertake the HRCW, their managers and health and wellness representatives (if any) evaluate the regional health and safety requirements, and the proposed work.

Consider the views of workers about the hazards, the prospective risk control measures 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 must also be consulted.

Note: There is a legal obligation to seek advice from affected employees and their health and safety agents when recognising threats or choosing steps to manage risk, and to take their views into account.

Select the most suitable control measures to get rid of or reduce dangers.

To pick the most appropriate control measures you need to apply the 'hierarchy of control' as detailed in steps 1 to 5 below. HIA's information sheet The Hierarchy of Control describes how the hierarchy of control applies to the requirements for managing workplace risks and dangers.

You should look for to eliminate 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 get rid of dangers, you need to implement any specific control steps that are necessary by law in your State or Area.
Some office health and safety laws prescribe specific control procedures that must be gotten managing dangers to health and wellness emerging from specific threats or activities. Examples include, however are not restricted to, work involving asbestos, work at height, operate in restricted spaces. Particular requirements are in the office health and wellness laws available in the site of your local office health and safety regulator.

After executing step 2, if a threat remains, the threat needs to be reduced up until now as is fairly practicable by implementing one, or a combination of the following:.
Substituting a process or substance with one that is less hazardous. Damp sweeping instead of dry sweeping of dangerous dusts such as crystalline silica.
Isolating employees and other individuals from the danger. For instance by setting up barriers in between workers 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 measures a risk to health or security still remains, reduce that threat, so far as is reasonably practicable, by using administrative controls. This includes, security training, work guidelines, warning signs and guidance.
If a danger to health or security still remains after carrying out the above, minimise that risk, up until now as is fairly practicable by providing personal protective devices (PPE). This consists of Utilising protective clothes such as shatterproof glass, hard hats, gloves, respiratory protection, or a mix of proper PPE.
A mix of control steps will require to be applied to minimise risks as far as is fairly practicable.

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

determine the work that is high danger construction work.
define the hazards connecting to the high danger construction work and the dangers to health and safety.
describe the procedures to be executed to control the threats, 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 finish a SWMS when Utilising silica.

The control procedures should be set out and revealed in such a way that is readily accessible and understandable to the persons who will utilise the SWMS. Describe in clear terms how dangers to health and safety are to be controlled to enable the work to be done safely, and how the control measures are to be carried out.

You can use any type or template to write the SWMS, including paper and electronic formats, provided the above details is included and is readily accessible.

Can I utilise a generic SWMS?
A generic SWMS can be used after it has actually been reviewed and modified as needed to ensure that it covers all the dangers and dangers 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 brand-new activity or a change in work location or circumstances.

To find out more about SWMS and your responsibilities go to the website of your local workplace health and wellness authority and look for safe work technique statements.
you can try here

Here's my website: https://occupational-safety.com.au/collections/swms