There needs to be more clearness around SWMS files and their use, and we ‘d like to provide that. Whether you use them in high-risk building or somewhere else, they can be among your most efficient and effective control measures, and when you do SWMSs well, nearly everything else you do will tend to follow.

Let’s rapidly look at the following:

What they are.
Why are they main to your WHS or OH&S system.
How they are various from a J.S.A. and S.O.P
. What must an SWMS include?
Who is responsible?
Making use of SWMSs in high-risk building.
When they’re requested elsewhere.
Some market bundle and system services.
WHAT IS A SWMS?
A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is a document that describes how specific work environment activities are to be performed. The file recognizes:

The actions being satisfied.
Associated hazards,
The threats they produce, and
How to manage those dangers.
WHY ARE SWMS CENTRAL TO YOUR WHS SYSTEM?
There are two reasons SWMS files are central to your system. In certain instances, they are needed. Secondly, they are effective, efficient and useful in their implementation.

An SWMS is required whenever high-risk construction work is performed (as defined by the WHS. Act, which we’ll explain soon). This suggests the Individual Conducting a Company or Endeavor (the PCBU) need to ensure the preparation, following, and retention of these SWMS and their routine and methodical review.

SWMSs are likewise one of the most reliable of all control steps. They are the most common and influential of administrative controls. When their usage becomes a work-culture centrepiece, they can powerfully allow and evidence your responsibility of care observance and due diligence compliance.

Enabling yourself a little innovative imagination, think of how you manage dangers as resembling strapping on a bulletproof vest. Most of your WHS. or OH&S threat controls resemble the cushioning and absorption functions of the vest. Your Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) are like those velcro straps that hold the vest easily and effectively in location.

They can be overdone. More on that soon.

HOW IS A SWMS VARIOUS FROM A J.S.A. OR S.O.P.?
A Job Security Analysis (J.S.A.) and a Safe Operating Treatment (S.O.P.) are more concentrated than a SWMS. They focus on isolated jobs and processes. An SWMS is various since:

It is broader in its treatment of activities,
It is extremely focused on recognizing and monitoring control procedures.
It can cover both particular activities along with combination and complex activities (which most high-risk construction work activities are).
WHAT MUST AN SWMS INCLUDE?
Safe Work Approach Statements (SWMS) are just one of numerous available risk control procedures. When utilized effectively, they bring structure and stability to other WHS.

Like straps on a bulletproof vest, they assist other controls work and empower the individuals who use them. A safe work approach declaration does this by supplying the needed info, guidelines, and a means of recording actions in a predictable and fuss-free format.

Identify the High-Risk Building Work (HRCW) function – if it is one.
Recognize hazards and unsafe work practices.
Detail the best control procedures, as well as backup controls.
Describe what goes into the application of risk management plans.
Detail the person or service doing the work and the individual responsible.
At a construction job, detail the principal contractor, worksite address, the date of preparation and when supplied to the principal specialist.
Note the names of workers sought advice from, the dates and the signatures.
Program any evaluation date and sum up any changes made.
SWMS danger control techniques, as per the hierarchy of control, typically seek to:.

Eliminate threats (maybe by utilizing engineering controls),.
Decrease them (for instance, by producing traffic passages),.
Administratively minimise them (e.g. by SWMS) and/or.
Recommend Personal Protective Devices (PPE).
A properly designed SWMS template is easy to prepare, simple for appropriate workers to execute, and will make it possible for an effective and efficient evaluation procedure. That is what our SWMS templates do.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
When a safe work technique statement is required, the PCBU needs to prepare it; where there is more than one PBCU, or the work costs $250,000 or more, a Principal Contractor (PC) is appointed. This person is then responsible for gathering, examining, monitoring and reviewing any SWMS in place.

A PC and PCBU can entrust procedures and work activities, BUT the duty for SWMS quality and application remains with them.

The Principal Contractor (or PCBU where there is not a P.C.) is accountable for:.

Preparing SWMS documents prior to work starts,.
Ensuring any persons involved satisfy their tasks consistently,.
Determining and controlling risks and dangers as per the document, and.
Evaluating and changing the SWMS for ongoing effectiveness with time (Note: employees should be sought advice from – including professionals and subcontractors).
SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENTS AND HIGH-RISK BUILDING WORK (HRCW).
Both Australia’s Work Health and wellness Regulations (2011) and the Design WHS Laws (last updated in 2022) require using SWMS documents for a range of high-risk building work activities. Particularly, Guideline 291 details 19 High-Risk Classification activities and an SWMS need to be prepared prior to any such work is carried out.

You can follow the Guideline 291 link to see the particular list, but for ease of understanding, we’ll summarise them as follows.

WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE CONSIDERED HIGH-RISK CONSTRUCTION WORK?
There are 19 activities categorized as high-risk construction work (HRCW), and they all involve risks and threats with substantial potential for considerable damage. For clearness, we lower this 19-item list into 5 threat groupings. They are activities that:.

It may result in falling,.
May establish due to proximity (or being close to something/someone),.
Result from using a powered mobile plant, specific devices or products,.
Prevail when dealing with specific structures and services, and.
Take place in a series of environmental specifics.
To break this down more specifically, these five activity groups include the following circumstances: an SWMS is required in such scenarios:.

When there is a danger of a person falling more than 2 metres or falling under a trench or shaft of excavated depth greater than 1.5 m.
If somebody could drown by falling into a liquid, a structural collapse or as a result of diving work.
Where structural changes are utilized to prevent a collapse.
Wherever a tunnel is involved.
When powered mobile plant work is being done or the plant is being moved.
If rail traffic or close-by road users could be hurt.
Whenever asbestos is being interrupted or eliminated.
If tilt-up or precast concrete work is being done.
Wherever explosives are used or demolition work is being performed.
When work takes place on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines, energised electrical services, pressurised gas distribution mains, piping or telecommunications towers.
If a workspace might have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere, artificial temperature level extremes or a confined area.
A safe work approach statement must be maintained in these recommended circumstances. The SWMS can be particular to each high-risk building and construction work item or incorporate many items in a single SWMS. The most crucial thing to keep in mind is that these hazards are identified, and the risks are managed.

If you wish to see the breakdown, follow this Regulation 291 link.

WHAT IF YOU’RE REQUESTED FOR A SWMS FOR ANOTHER ACTIVITY?
It’s not unusual for clients to stipulate different SWMS that go beyond the legal minimums for construction tasks – and it doesn’t matter whether the tender process is open, worked out, selective or staged. These extraordinary expectations can include requests for safe work technique declarations beyond the stipulated high-risk construction work activities. We understand from conversations with our consumers that this is increasingly occurring which there needs to be more clarity around the concern.

These expectations and confusion aren’t assisted by SWMS design template providers that do not tell you their additional offerings are not needed or who oversell with needless SWMS documents. Both are practices we do refrain from doing.

We constantly inform our clients that there are 2 forms of compliance; what is lawfully required and what your clients expect. Both are really real and appropriate to win work!

WHEN CLIENTS REQUEST MORE.
They’re paying for the work, so they can stipulate whatever control determines they desire. Theoretically, they can even demand a SWMS for taking a dump (and no, we’re not talking about rubbish elimination).

When the marketplace needs extra SWMS or industry control measures modification, we normally quickly attend to the need. At other times we have actually helped them utilize a generic SWMS template to satisfy the need.

There have actually likewise been times when we have coached our customers on challenging the tender requirement, and in some cases, changes result. Often it is a sincere error by an overzealous tender writer, and when the proposed procedures are pleasantly questioned, they are withdrawn. Lots of do not comprehend the regulations and know there are less tiresome approaches of handling threats to health and safety.

Here, as constantly, we advise you talk with us. Call 1800 304 336 to delight in higher clearness and effectiveness in your purchase journey.

An SWMS is required whenever high-risk building and construction work is performed (as defined by the WHS. Safe Work Technique Statements (SWMS) are just one of various available danger control measures. Like straps on a bulletproof vest, they assist other controls work and empower the individuals who utilize them. The SWMS can be specific to each high-risk building and construction work product or include many products in a single SWMS. These amazing expectations can include requests for safe work technique statements beyond the stipulated high-risk building work activities.
For more information, contact:Occupational Safety SolutionsLevel 3/55 Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Pyrmont NSW 20091800 304 336www.occupational-safety.com.au