Notes

How to pen a Safe Work Method Statement.
An SWMS is a document that sets out the High danger construction work (HRCW) activities to be performed at a workplace, the hazards emerging from these activities and the steps to be put in place to control the risks to health and safety.
Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Its main purpose is to help workers and managers to execute and keep track of the control measures developed to ensure the work is performed safely.

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

involves 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 alterations or repair work that need temporary assistance to prevent collapse; or.
is carried out in an area at a work environment in which there is any motion of powered mobile plant; or.
is performed 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.
includes using 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 carried out on or near energised electrical setups 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 carried out 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 an area at a work environment in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant; or.
is performed 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 danger of drowning; or.
includes diving work.
Note: Victorian OHS guidelines have some slight variations of the above definition of HRCW.

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

Collect all appropriate details about the work.
The first job is to identify the kinds of HRCW that the work includes and how it is to be performed.

Learn the dangers.
Review the proposed work and information about each task to identify the risks, i.e., the occasions or things that may trigger harm to employees or other individuals. Info, such as codes of practice or guidance material, may be offered in the site of your local office health and safety regulator for specific construction tasks.

Speak with the appropriate employees.
In assessment with the employees that will carry out the HRCW, their supervisors and health and safety representatives (if any) evaluate the regional health and wellness requirements, and the proposed work.

Think about the views of employees about the risks, the potential threat control steps and any site-specific matters that may affect the safety of the work. If there are other employees that could be impacted by the work they should also be spoken with.

Keep in mind: There is a legal responsibility to seek advice from afflicted employees and their health and safety representatives when identifying hazards or selecting measures to manage risk, and to take their views into account.

Select the most appropriate control steps to remove or minimise threats.

To select the most appropriate control procedures you require to apply the 'hierarchy of control' as detailed in steps 1 to 5 below. HIA's information sheet The Hierarchy of Control discusses how the hierarchy of control applies to the requirements for managing work environment hazards and risks.

Initially, you need to look for to get rid of dangers up until now as is reasonably 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 measures that are obligatory by law in your State or Area.
Some work environment health and wellness laws recommend particular control measures that must be looked for handling threats to health and safety emerging from specific risks or activities. Examples consist of, however are not restricted to, work including asbestos, work at height, operate in restricted spaces. Particular requirements are in the workplace health and safety laws available in the site of your regional workplace health and safety regulator.

After implementing action 2, if a threat remains, the threat needs to be minimised so far as is reasonably practicable by carrying out one, or a combination of the following:.
Replacing a procedure or compound with one that is less hazardous. For instance, damp sweeping instead of dry sweeping of hazardous dusts such as crystalline silica.
Isolating workers and other individuals from the risk. For example by setting up barriers in between workers and mobile plant.
Using engineering controls. For example, using an elevated work platform or a scaffold to decrease the threat of falling from height.
If after executing the above control measures a risk to health or safety still stays, reduce that danger, so far as is reasonably practicable, by using administrative controls. This consists of, safety training, work guidelines, cautioning indications and supervision. If a scaffold utilised to minimise threats you might need to consist of scaffold tags showing acceptable optimum loads, indications for insufficient scaffolds. You might likewise require to explain the training needed for those erecting the scaffold and the guidance of scaffold users.
If a risk to health or safety still stays after carrying out the above, lower that threat, up until now as is reasonably practicable by supplying 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.
For the most part, a mix of control measures will need to be applied to minimise dangers as far as is reasonably practicable.

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

determine the work that is high risk construction work.
specify the dangers connecting to the high risk construction work and the threats to health and wellness.
describe the procedures to be carried out to control the risks, and.
explain how the control measures are to be executed, kept track of and examined.
For an example of how to do this see: How to complete a SWMS when Utilising silica.

The control measures must be set out and revealed in a way that is easily accessible and comprehensible to the persons who will utilise the SWMS. Describe in clear terms how risks to health and wellness are to be controlled to enable the work to be done safely, and how the control measures are to be implemented.

You can use any type or design template to make up the SWMS, including paper and electronic formats, provided the above information is consisted of and is readily available.

Can I utilise a generic SWMS?
A generic SWMS can be utilised after it has actually been examined and modified as needed to make sure that it covers all the threats and threats that are present on the website where the work is to be carried out. A generic SWMS needs to be reviewed/revised prior to beginning the work and prior to starting a brand-new activity or a change in work place or circumstances.

To find out more about SWMS and your responsibilities go to the site of your regional workplace health and safety authority and search for safe work approach declarations.
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