Product Overview

This Asphalt Bitumen Patching Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is designed to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement effective controls for asphalt and bitumen patching works on Australian worksites. It is a comprehensive, task-specific document that covers multiple aspects of asphalt bitumen patching to support WHS compliance and safe work practices.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Preparation of work area, traffic management setup, and establishment of exclusion zones around patching operations
• Assessment of existing pavement conditions and identification of underground services before cutting or excavation
• Use of saws, jackhammers, or other cutting tools to remove damaged asphalt or bitumen safely
• Excavation, trimming, and cleaning of potholes and failed pavement areas prior to patching
• Selection, handling, and storage of asphalt and bitumen products, including hot mix and cold mix materials
• Operation of the asphalt heater, including safe lighting, temperature control, and monitoring of fumes
• Controls for exposure to heat, hot bitumen, and burns during loading, raking, and levelling of asphalt
• Use of compactors, rollers, and other mechanical equipment for compaction of asphalt patches
• Management of bitumen fumes, dust, noise, and vibration to minimise health impacts on workers and the public
• Manual handling techniques for shovelling, raking, and moving asphalt to reduce musculoskeletal injuries
• Working around live traffic, mobile plant, and reversing vehicles with spotters and traffic control measures
• Emergency response procedures for burns, fire, spills, and exposure to hazardous fumes during patching operations
• Housekeeping, demobilisation, and reinstatement of the worksite, including removal of waste and surplus materials

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for asphalt and road maintenance crews, civil construction contractors, local councils, utilities, and site supervisors overseeing asphalt bitumen patching works on roads, car parks, and hardstands.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Code of Practice: Construction Work – Guidance on managing risks associated with construction and road maintenance activities.
• Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks – Framework for identifying hazards and implementing effective controls.
• Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks – Requirements for managing risks from repetitive shovelling, raking, and handling asphalt materials.
• Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work – Controls for noise from compactors, saws, and mobile plant.
• Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces – Applicable where patching works occur near edges, excavations, or level changes.
• Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace – Guidance for handling bitumen products, fuels, and associated chemicals.
• AS 1742 Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices – Requirements for traffic management and signage around roadworks and patching sites.
• AS 2153 Tractors and Machinery for Agriculture and Forestry – Technical Means for Ensuring Safety – Referenced where similar principles apply to mobile plant safety used in patching operations.
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017