Working Under Raised Plant Components SWMS

Suits mechanics, fitters, tipper and truck operators, farm workers and plant maintenance crews who have to get under a raised bucket, tray, tipper body, boom or blade. It follows the job in order: planning, immobilising the plant, raising the component and fitting its mechanical supports, blocking and cribbing, testing the support, isolating and releasing stored energy, the work itself, hydraulic leaks and returning the plant to service. Vehicle hoists and jacking need their own SWMS.

Working under raised plant components is not high risk construction work by itself, so no item is pre-ticked and a SWMS is required by law only for high risk construction work (WHS Regulation s 299). If the work is part of construction work, tick the reg 291 items that apply, such as movement of powered mobile plant in the area or work near energised services. Otherwise the document works as a written safe work procedure and task risk assessment that you tailor to your plant.

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

What Is Covered In Our Working Under Raised Plant Components SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the task and decide whether anyone must go under” to “Remove the supports and return the plant to service”. The hazards and controls include:

• Raised components falling on a worker
• Hydraulic and air pressure failure
• Stored energy in springs and accumulators
• Unexpected start-up of the plant
• Missing or wrong mechanical supports
• Cribbing and blocking collapse
• Plant rolling or tipping while raised
• Hydraulic fluid injection
• Hot surfaces and spilt oil
• Confined, awkward work under plant
• Locks, tags and keys
• Returning plant to service safely

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

• Training and verified competency in the plant, its raised-position supports, isolation and the cribbing used (WHS Regulation s 39)
• Mechanical or fitter trade qualification, or equivalent experience, for work on the plant
• No Schedule 3 high risk work licence class covers working under raised plant components; a licence applies only to the plant being operated, or to dogging work (Schedule 19) if a load is slung or directed for a crane (use a separate SWMS)
• Licensed electrical worker for any electrical work on the plant (Electrical Safety Act 2002 s 55)
• First aid training for at least one worker on the crew (WHS Regulation s 42)
• General construction induction training card (white card) when working on a construction site
• Site induction

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) ss 205 to 213: plant (proper use s 206, plant not in use s 207, guarding s 208, operational controls s 210, maintenance and inspection s 213)
• WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) ss 34 to 36: identifying hazards, managing risk and the hierarchy of control measures
• WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) s 39: information, training and instruction
• WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) s 60: managing risks of hazardous manual tasks
• WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) ss 42 and 44: first aid and personal protective equipment
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021: section 3.7 storing plant and section 4.5 isolating energy sources
• Hazardous Manual Tasks 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
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld): s 55 (electrical work licence)

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (13 A4 landscape pages). Type your business, client and job details once and they fill in on every page, with a space for your logo
• 9 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 with toe protection; hard hat when working under or close to plant; safety glasses; gloves suited to oil, grease and sharp edges
• Emergency arrangements for: person trapped under a load, hydraulic fluid injection and fire from fuel or hydraulic oil
• 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.