Safe Work Method Statements Guidance For Your Workplace

High Risk Construction: SWMS Best Practices

A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is a document that sets out the high risk construction work (HRCW) to be carried out at a workplace, the hazards arising from these activities, and the measures to be put in place to control the risks.

The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (OHS Regulations) require employers, labour hire and self-employed persons to prepare a SWMS before starting High Risk Construction Work (HRCW). In practice, whoever is most familiar with the HRCW activity to be performed, should be involved with developing the SWMS. There are 19 HRCW activities.

“In practice, whoever is most familiar with the HRCW activity to be performed, should be involved with developing the SWMS.”

The new WorkSafe SWMS guidance, developed in consultation with small construction businesses, aims to clarify why a SWMS is an important tool for reducing risks and keeping workplaces safe when undertaking HRCW. The SWMS content provides significantly updated and easy to read SWMS guidance and an online interactive PDF form that can be completed on any device, including smartphones – supported by three short, easy to follow videos to help users prepare a SWMS.

Keeping it simple is the key

1. Bring together the relevant employees, their HSRs and supervisors at the location of the proposed works, if possible.
2. Review the proposed works and consider any site-specific factors that could impact the works.
3. Ensure all proposed HRCW activities are identified, and hazards and risks listed. Non-HRCW may also be included if it is helpful to do so, however, this should not occur to such extent that the intended focus on HRCW is lost.
4. Select the highest level risk control measures and describe them alongside each of the hazards and risks that are listed and who will be responsible for implementing them.
5. For a generic SWMS (relating to HRCW activities that are carried out on a regular basis) to be acceptable it must be reviewed on site, include all HRCW. Take into account the site specific hazards and risks and how they will be controlled before works commence. Any content that is not relevant to the site should be removed.
6. Ensure that HRCW is performed in line with the SWMS.
7. If the SWMS is not complied with the HRCW must stop immediately, or as soon as it is safe to do so.
8. Assess, review and update the SWMS if anything changes
9. 9Retain a copy of the SWMS for the duration of the HRCW. The SWMS should be available at the location of the HRCW, where it can be readily referenced by affected persons or reviewed and revised as necessary. Copies can be kept in electronic format.

For more detail in relation to SWMS please refer to published guidance and videos below https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/safe-work-methodstatements- swms

Learn about Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/construction-safety-videos