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How to pen a Safe Work Method Statement.
A Safe Work Method Statement is a file that sets out the High risk construction work (HRCW) activities to be carried out at a workplace, the threats arising from these activities and the measures to be put in place to manage the risks to health and wellness.
Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Its primary function is to help workers and managers to implement and monitor the control determines established to make certain the work is carried out safely.

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

includes a threat of an individual falling more than 2 metres (3 metres in South Australia); or.
includes demolition of a component of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure; or.
includes, or is most likely to include, the disturbance of asbestos; or.
includes structural alterations or repair work that require momentary assistance to prevent collapse; or.
is performed in a location at an office in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant; or.
is performed in or near a restricted space; 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 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 setups or services; or.
is carried out in a location that might have an infected or flammable atmosphere; or.
involves tilt-up or precast concrete; or.
is performed on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor that is in use by traffic other than 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 carried out in a location in which there are synthetic extremes of temperature level; or.
is performed in or near water or other liquid that includes a risk of drowning; or.
includes diving work.
Note: Victorian OHS guidelines have some small variations of the above definition of HRCW.

How do I go about preparing a SWMS?
A typical approach to developing a SWMS includes the following:.

Collect all appropriate info about the work.
The very first job is to figure out the types of HRCW that the work involves and how it is to be carried out.

Discover the hazards.
Evaluation the proposed work and info about each task to identify the hazards, i.e., the events or things that might cause harm to employees or other individuals. Info, such as codes of practice or assistance product, might be available in the site of your regional workplace health and wellness regulator for specific construction jobs.

Seek advice from the appropriate workers.
In consultation with the employees that will undertake the HRCW, their supervisors and health and safety representatives (if any) evaluate the regional health and safety requirements, and the proposed work.

Consider the views of workers about the hazards, 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 affected by the work they should also be sought advice from.

Keep in mind: There is a legal obligation to speak with affected employees and their health and wellness agents when determining hazards or picking procedures to control threat, and to take their views into account.

Select the most appropriate control procedures to get rid of or decrease risks.

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

You need to look for to remove risks so far 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 eliminate risks, you need to execute any specific control steps that are obligatory by law in your State or Territory.
Some workplace health and safety laws prescribe particular control steps that should be obtained managing risks to health and safety arising from particular threats or activities. Examples consist of, but are not limited to, work involving asbestos, work at height, operate in confined areas. Specific requirements remain in the work environment health and wellness laws readily available in the website of your regional office health and safety regulator.

After implementing action 2, if a risk stays, the danger needs to be reduced so far as is fairly practicable by implementing one, or a combination of the following:.
Replacing a process or substance with one that is less dangerous. For example, wet sweeping instead of dry sweeping of hazardous dusts such as crystalline silica.
Separating workers and other individuals from the danger. By installing barriers between workers and mobile plant.
Utilising engineering controls. Using an elevated work platform or a scaffold to lower the risk of falling from height.
If after carrying out the above control measures a threat to health or safety still remains, minimise that risk, so far as is fairly practicable, by using administrative controls. This consists of, safety training, work guidelines, cautioning signs and supervision.
If a risk to health or security still stays after implementing the above, decrease that threat, up until now as is fairly practicable by providing personal protective equipment (PPE). This includes Utilising protective clothes such as safety glasses, construction hats, gloves, respiratory protection, or a combination of suitable PPE.
In most cases, a mix of control measures will need to be applied to minimise risks as far as is reasonably practicable.

Coming up with up the SWMS - What details must be consisted of?
A SWMS should:.

identify the work that is high threat construction work.
define the risks associating with the high danger construction work and the threats to health and wellness.
describe the steps to be implemented to control the dangers, 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 Utilising silica.

The control procedures need to be set out and expressed in such a way that is readily available and understandable to the persons who will use the SWMS. Describe in clear terms how dangers to health and wellness are to be controlled to enable the work to be done safely, and how the control measures are to be executed.

You can utilise any form or design template to compose up the SWMS, consisting of paper and electronic formats, offered the above information is consisted of and is easily available.

Can I utilise a generic SWMS?
A generic SWMS can be used after it has been evaluated and revised as needed to make sure that it covers all the risks and risks that exist on the site where the work is to be performed. A generic SWMS needs to be reviewed/revised prior to starting the work and prior to starting a new activity or a change in work area or situations.

For additional information about SWMS and your obligations go to the site of your regional work environment health and wellness authority and search for safe work approach declarations.
swms

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