Notes

How to produce 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 a workplace, the threats occurring from these activities and the procedures to be put in place to manage the risks to health and safety.
Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Its main purpose is to assist workers and managers to execute and keep an eye on the control determines developed to make sure the work is performed securely.

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

includes a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres (3 metres in South Australia); or.
involves demolition of a component of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure; or.
involves, or is likely to include, the disturbance of asbestos; or.
includes structural alterations or repairs that need short-term support to prevent collapse; or.
is performed in a location at a workplace in which there is any motion of powered mobile plant; or.
is carried out in or near a restricted area; 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 using dynamites; 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 performed on or near energised electrical installations or services; or.
is carried out in an area that may have a polluted or combustible environment; or.
includes tilt-up or precast concrete; or.
is performed on, in or adjacent to a road, train, shipping lane or other traffic corridor that remains in use by traffic aside from pedestrians; or.
is performed on a telecommunication tower; or.
is performed in an area at an office in which there is any motion of powered mobile plant; or.
is performed in a location in which there are synthetic extremes of temperature level; or.
is performed in or near water or other liquid that involves a risk of drowning; or.
includes diving work.
Keep In Mind: Victorian OHS policies have some minor variations of the above definition of HRCW.

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

Gather all pertinent information about the work.
The first job is to determine the kinds of HRCW that the work includes and how it is to be performed.

Discover the dangers.
Review the proposed work and details about each job to figure out the hazards, i.e., the events or things that might cause harm to workers or other individuals. Information, such as codes of practice or guidance product, might be readily available in the site of your local workplace health and wellness regulator for specific construction tasks.

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

Consider the views of workers about the threats, the potential threat control measures and any site-specific matters that might impact the safety of the work. If there are other employees that could be impacted by the work they need to also be sought advice from.

Note: There is a legal responsibility to consult affected employees and their health and wellness agents when identifying threats or selecting procedures to manage danger, and to take their views into account.

Select the most suitable control procedures to eliminate or reduce dangers.

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

First, you should seek to remove threats so far as is fairly practicable (e.g., doing as much work as possible on the ground instead of at height).
If it is not fairly practicable to remove risks, you must carry out any particular control procedures that are obligatory by law in your State or Territory.
Some work environment health and wellness laws recommend particular control procedures that must be gotten managing dangers to health and wellness occurring from specific dangers or activities. Examples include, however are not restricted to, work involving asbestos, work at height, work in restricted spaces. Specific requirements remain in the office health and safety laws readily available in the website of your local office health and safety regulator.

After implementing step 2, if a risk remains, the threat needs to be lowered up until now as is reasonably practicable by implementing one, or a mix of the following:.
Substituting a process or substance with one that is less harmful. Damp sweeping instead of dry sweeping of hazardous dusts such as crystalline silica.
Isolating employees and other persons from the hazard. For instance by installing barriers in between workers and mobile plant.
Utilising engineering controls. For instance, using an elevated work platform or a scaffold to minimise the danger of falling from height.
If after carrying out the above control determines a danger to health or security still remains, decrease that risk, up until now as is fairly practicable, by Utilising administrative controls. This includes, security training, work guidelines, warning signs and guidance. If a scaffold utilised to decrease threats you may need to include scaffold tags showing appropriate optimum loads, signs for insufficient scaffolds. You may also need to describe the training needed for those setting up the scaffold and the guidance of scaffold users.
If a danger to health or safety still stays after implementing the above, decrease that risk, so far as is fairly practicable by supplying personal protective devices (PPE). This includes using protective clothing such as shatterproof glass, hard hats, gloves, respiratory protection, or a combination of appropriate PPE.
A combination of control measures will need to be applied to reduce dangers as far as is reasonably practicable.

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

determine the work that is high danger construction work.
define the hazards relating to the high danger construction work and the risks to health and wellness.
describe the steps to be executed to manage the threats, and.
explain how the control procedures are to be carried out, kept track of and evaluated.
For an example of how to do this see: How to complete a SWMS when using silica.

The control measures should be set out and revealed in a manner that is readily available and comprehensible to the individuals who will use the SWMS. Describe in clear terms how threats to health and wellness are to be managed to allow the work to be done securely, and how the control measures are to be implemented.

You can utilise any kind or template to write the SWMS, including paper and electronic formats, provided the above details is included and is readily available.

Can I use a generic SWMS?
A generic SWMS can be utilised after it has actually been examined and modified as necessary to make certain that it covers all the dangers and risks that exist on the website where the work is to be carried out. A generic SWMS needs to be reviewed/revised prior to starting the work and prior to commencing a brand-new activity or a change in work place or circumstances.

To learn more about SWMS and your responsibilities go to the site of your regional workplace health and wellness authority and search for safe work technique statements.
how to write an SWMS

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