What must a SWMS include in Victoria?

In Victoria, a SWMS must state the high risk construction work it covers, the specific task, the hazards that could cause harm, the controls to prevent that harm, and who is responsible for each control. WorkSafe Victoria's guidance says it should be clear enough that workers know exactly what to do.

The five things a Victorian SWMS must show

• The type of high risk construction work it covers

• The specific task or activity, for example roof framing

• The hazards that could cause harm

• The controls, described clearly enough that workers know what to do

• The person responsible for putting each control in place

What to leave out

WorkSafe Victoria's guidance says a SWMS should not include references to other documents, risk matrices or risk scores, or tasks that are not high risk construction work. Long generic SWMS full of scoring tables are one of the main reasons SWMS get rejected.

Reviewing and keeping the SWMS

• Review it when the high risk construction work changes

• Review it when there are signs the risks are not controlled, such as after an incident

• Review it in consultation with the workers and their health and safety representative

• Keep a copy for as long as the high risk construction work runs, available at the work location. Electronic copies are fine

If the SWMS is not followed

The work must stop immediately, or as soon as it is safe to stop. It cannot restart until it follows the SWMS, or the SWMS is reviewed and revised.

Get yours checked

CWT reviews and updates an existing SWMS for $190 + GST, or writes a custom site-specific SWMS for $390 + GST. See SWMS prices in Melbourne.

Talk to Chris

CWT Safety & Advisory is based in Frankston South and works across Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and regional Victoria. Call Chris Warren on 0415 637 981, see every fixed fee on the pricing page, or send a request through the contact page.