Heavy Earthmoving and Civil Plant SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers planning, plant operation, earthworks, material processing, maintenance, emergency response and demobilisation for heavy earthmoving and civil plant work. It supports planning and managing risks from plant movement, unstable ground, services, dust, crushing, stored energy and site access.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Complete planning and site assessment
• Establish traffic controls and site access
• Conduct plant pre-start checks and position plant
• Carry out steep-terrain and bulk-earthworks activities
• Excavate and rip ground
• Load and unload materials
• Operate crushing and material-processing equipment
• Carry out grinding and material handling
• Backfill and compact work areas
• Refuel and maintain plant
• Complete site clean-up, emergency response, shutdown and demobilisation

Who is this for?

Suitable for contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out heavy earthmoving and civil plant activities.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template includes references relevant to the documented work, including:

• Applicable Commonwealth, state or territory WHS/OHS legislation and regulations.
• Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: Managing the risks of plant in the workplace, as adopted or applied in the relevant jurisdiction; guidance includes hazard identification, hierarchy of controls, authorised operation, traffic rules, emergency arrangements and plant registration requirements.
• Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: Excavation work, as adopted or applied in the relevant jurisdiction; guidance includes competent plant operation, guarding, prepared ground, traffic management and SWMS for excavation involving powered mobile plant.
• Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks, as adopted or applied in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: Managing the work environment and facilities, as adopted or applied in the relevant jurisdiction.
• AS 1742.3 Manual of uniform traffic control devices, Part 3: Traffic control for works on roads.
• AS 4024.1 Safety of machinery series.
• AS/NZS 1270 Acoustics—Hearing protectors.
• AS/NZS 1337.1 Personal eye-protection.
• AS/NZS 1801 Occupational protective helmets.
• AS/NZS 2210.3 Personal protective equipment—Safety footwear.
• AS/NZS 4602.1 High visibility safety garments.
• AS 2397 Safe use of lasers in the building and construction industry.
• ISO 3471 Earth-moving machinery—Roll-over protective structures.
• ISO 3449 Earth-moving machinery—Falling-object protective structures.
• AS 2550 series Cranes—Safe use, where lifting work is undertaken.
• AS 2359 series Powered industrial trucks, where forklifts are used.

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Standard SWMS Features (Click to Expand)

• Task-specific job steps, hazards and control measures
• Initial and residual risk ratings
• Assigned responsible persons for each job step
• Plant, equipment and PPE requirements where applicable
• Permits, qualifications and high-risk construction work details where applicable
• Worker consultation, sign-off and review sections