Heavy Plant Servicing and Repair SWMS

Suits mechanics, fitters, plant hire companies and civil and rural contractors who service and repair heavy plant in the workshop or the field. It covers securing the machine, isolating energy, supporting raised parts, lifting components, hydraulics, hot work and returning the machine to service.

Servicing plant is mostly not high risk construction work, so no high risk construction work items are pre-ticked. A SWMS is required by law only for high risk construction work (WHS Regulation s 299); tick the items that apply, for example powered mobile plant movement or energised electrical installations, if the work is on a construction site. Otherwise it works as a written safe work procedure and risk assessment.

New to SWMS? Read What Is A Safe Work Method Statement?

What Is Covered In Our Heavy Plant Servicing and Repair SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the job and assess the machine and work area” to “Test, refit guards and return to service”. The hazards and controls include:

• Machine starting or moving during repairs
• Stored hydraulic and spring energy
• Raised cabs, booms and attachments falling
• Failed jacks and stands
• Heavy components falling or swinging when lifted
• Hydraulic oil injection
• Fire from hot work near oil and fuel
• Battery acid and hydrogen gas
• Hot oil, fuel and coolant contact
• Noise and flying particles from workshop tools

High Risk Construction Work

None of the high risk construction work items (WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) s 291) are pre-ticked, because this job is not high risk construction work by itself. Tick any that apply on your site.

Licences, Training and Competency

• Trade qualification or equivalent competency for the plant being serviced
• High risk work licence for the dogging class (WHS Regulation sch 3) for anyone who slings a load or directs a plant operator when the load is out of the operator’s view
• High risk work licence of the class that Schedule 3 sets for any licensed crane or hoist class used for lifting
• Licensed electrical worker for any electrical work on workshop wiring, chargers or equipment (Electrical Safety Act 2002 s 55)
• Induction in this SWMS and the site rules; general construction induction training card (white card) where the work is on a construction site
• First aider on site or within reach

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Welding Processes Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2021
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• Rural Plant Code of Practice 2024 (where rural plant is serviced)
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld)
• Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2021 – Managing electrical risks in the workplace
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): overhead power line exclusion zones in section 10 and schedule 2

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (14 A4 landscape pages). Type your business, client and job details once and they fill in on every page, with a space for your logo
• 11 job steps for this work, each with its hazards, controls, initial and residual risk scores and the person responsible
• PPE listed for this job: safety boots; safety glasses; gloves suited to the task, chemical resistant for fluids; hearing protection when noise is still high after other controls
• Emergency arrangements for: crush by a raised component and hydraulic injection injury
• Plus the parts every Work Safety QLD SWMS shares, from the s 291 checklist to the worker sign-on sheet (see the layout in our free SWMS template)

Adjust it for your site, plant and crew, and talk it through with your workers before work starts. Please make sure you read our Disclaimer before downloading this SWMS.

Checked against the Queensland laws and codes of practice listed above. Last reviewed November 2026.