There needs to be more clarity around SWMS documents and their usage, and we ‘d like to supply that. Whether you utilize them in high-risk building or somewhere else, they can be one of your most reliable and efficient control steps, and when you do SWMSs well, nearly everything else you do will tend to follow.

Let’s rapidly take a 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 consist of?
Who is accountable?
Using SWMSs in high-risk building.
When they’re asked for in other places.
Some market package and system solutions.
WHAT IS A SWMS?
A Safe Work Approach Statement (SWMS) is a file that describes how particular office activities are to be carried out. The file recognizes:

The actions being satisfied.
Associated hazards,
The dangers they produce, and
How to manage those threats.
WHY ARE SWMS CENTRAL TO YOUR WHS SYSTEM?
There are 2 reasons SWMS files are central to your system. In particular instances, they are required. They are effective, efficient and useful in their application.

An SWMS is required whenever high-risk building and construction work is performed (as specified by the WHS. Act, which we’ll discuss quickly). This means the Person Carrying out an Organization or Endeavor (the PCBU) should guarantee the preparation, following, and retention of these SWMS and their routine and organized evaluation.

SWMSs are also one of the most effective of all control steps. They are the most common and influential of administrative controls. When their use becomes a work-culture centrepiece, they can strongly allow and proof your responsibility of care observance and due diligence compliance.

Allowing yourself a little innovative imagination, think about how you control dangers as being like strapping on a bulletproof vest. Most of your WHS. or OH&S risk controls are like the cushioning and absorption functions of the vest. Your Safe Work Approach Statements (SWMS) are like those velcro straps that hold the vest easily and successfully in place.

They can be exaggerated. More on that quickly.

HOW IS A SWMS VARIOUS FROM A J.S.A. OR S.O.P.?
A Task Safety Analysis (J.S.A.) and a Safe Operating Procedure (S.O.P.) are more concentrated than a SWMS. They concentrate on isolated tasks and procedures. An SWMS is various due to the fact that:

It is more comprehensive in its treatment of activities,
It is extremely concentrated on identifying and keeping track of control steps.
It can cover both specific activities in addition to combination and complex activities (which most high-risk building work activities are).
WHAT MUST AN SWMS INCLUDE?
Safe Work Approach Statements (SWMS) are just one of different readily available risk control measures. That said, they are also (perhaps) the centrepiece. When used successfully, they bring structure and stability to other WHS. and OH&S activities.

Like straps on a bulletproof vest, they help other controls work and empower the people who utilize them. They bring physical integrity to what would otherwise be a loose-fitting and inefficient method. A safe work method declaration does this by offering the needed information, instructions, and a method of taping actions in a foreseeable and fuss-free format. They will:.

Recognize the High-Risk Building And Construction Work (HRCW) role – if it is one.
Identify hazards and unsafe work practices.
Detail the very best control measures, as well as backup controls.
Explain what goes into the application of danger management strategies.
Detail the individual or organization doing the work and the individual responsible.
At a building project, information the primary contractor, worksite address, the date of preparation and when provided to the principal professional.
List the names of workers sought advice from, the dates and the signatures.
Program any evaluation date and sum up any changes made.
SWMS threat control techniques, as per the hierarchy of control, usually look for to:.

Eliminate threats (perhaps by utilizing engineering controls),.
Lower them (for example, by producing traffic passages),.
Administratively reduce them (e.g. by SWMS) and/or.
Recommend Personal Protective Devices (PPE).
A properly designed SWMS design template is simple to prepare, straightforward for relevant workers to implement, and will make it possible for an effective and efficient review process. That is what our SWMS design templates do.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
When a safe work approach declaration is needed, the PCBU needs to prepare it; where there is more than one PBCU, or the work costs $250,000 or more, a Principal Professional (PC) is designated. This person is then responsible for collecting, evaluating, keeping track of and examining any SWMS in place.

A PC and PCBU can entrust procedures and work activities, BUT the responsibility for SWMS quality and execution stays with them.

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

Preparing SWMS files before work starts,.
Ensuring anyones included fulfil their duties consistently,.
Identifying and managing threats and risks as per the document, and.
Reviewing and changing the SWMS for continuous efficiency gradually (Note: employees must be sought advice from – consisting of professionals and subcontractors).
SAFE WORK TECHNIQUE DECLARATIONS AND HIGH-RISK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION WORK (HRCW).
Both Australia’s Work Health and wellness Laws (2011) and the Model WHS Regulations (last updated in 2022) require using SWMS documents for a range of high-risk building and construction work activities. Specifically, Regulation 291 details 19 High-Risk Classification activities and an SWMS must be prepared before any such work is undertaken.

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

WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE DEEMED HIGH-RISK BUILDING WORK?
There are 19 activities classified as high-risk building and construction work (HRCW), and they all involve risks and dangers with considerable capacity for significant harm. For clearness, we minimize this 19-item list into five threat groupings. They are activities that:.

It may lead to falling,.
May establish due to proximity (or being close to something/someone),.
Result from using a powered mobile plant, particular devices or products,.
Prevail when handling specific structures and services, and.
Happen in a series of environmental specifics.
To break this down more specifically, these 5 activity groups include the following scenarios: an SWMS is needed in such circumstances:.

When there is a danger of an individual falling more than two metres or falling under a trench or shaft of excavated depth greater than 1.5 m.
If somebody might drown by falling under a liquid, a structural collapse or as a result of diving work.
Where structural alterations are used to prevent a collapse.
Wherever a tunnel is included.
When powered mobile plant work is being done or the plant is being moved.
If rail traffic or neighboring roadway users could be damaged.
Whenever asbestos is being disturbed or gotten rid of.
If tilt-up or precast concrete work is being done.
Wherever dynamites are utilized or demolition work is being carried out.
When work happens on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines, energised electrical services, pressurised gas distribution mains, piping or telecommunications towers.
If an office might have a polluted or flammable environment, artificial temperature level extremes or a confined area.
A safe work technique statement should be kept in these prescribed circumstances. The SWMS can be particular to each high-risk building work product or incorporate many products in a single SWMS. The most essential thing to keep in mind is that these hazards are identified, and the dangers are controlled.

If you want to see the breakdown, follow this Policy 291 link.

WHAT IF YOU’RE REQUESTED A SWMS FOR ANOTHER ACTIVITY?
It’s not unusual for clients to state different SWMS that surpass the legal minimums for building and construction tasks – and it doesn’t matter whether the tender process is open, worked out, selective or staged. These extraordinary expectations can consist of requests for safe work method declarations beyond the specified high-risk building and construction work activities. We know from discussions with our clients that this is progressively happening which there needs to be more clarity around the issue.

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

We always tell our consumers that there are two forms of compliance; what is legally needed and what your customers expect. Both are really real and appropriate to win work!

WHEN CLIENTS REQUEST FOR MORE.
They’re paying for the work, so they can state whatever control measures they want. In theory, they can even require a SWMS for taking a dump (and no, we’re not talking about rubbish removal).

When the market needs extra SWMS or market control determines modification, we generally swiftly address the requirement. At other times we have assisted them use a generic SWMS template to fulfill the need.

There have actually also been times when we have coached our consumers on challenging the tender requirement, and sometimes, modifications result. In some cases it is an honest mistake by an overzealous tender writer, and when the proposed measures are politely questioned, they are withdrawn. Numerous do not comprehend the policies and understand there are less tiresome techniques of managing threats to health and safety.

Here, as always, we advise you talk with us. Call 1800 304 336 to take pleasure in greater clarity and efficiency in your purchase journey.

An SWMS is needed whenever high-risk building work is performed (as specified by the WHS. Safe Work Technique Statements (SWMS) are just one of different available threat control steps. Like straps on a bulletproof vest, they help other controls work and empower the individuals who utilize them. The SWMS can be specific to each high-risk building work item or incorporate many items in a single SWMS. These amazing expectations can include requests for safe work technique statements beyond the specified 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