Kitchen Exhaust Hood and Duct Cleaning SWMS

Suits exhaust cleaning contractors and facilities teams who clean grease from commercial kitchen hoods, filters, ducts and fans. It covers booking and planning, isolating power, gas and fans, degreasing chemicals, roof access to fans, duct cleaning through access panels, waste and handback.

Cleaning is not construction work by itself, so a SWMS is required by law only where the job is high risk construction work (WHS Regulation s 299); otherwise this works as a written safe work procedure and task risk assessment. If the job is construction work, tick the items that apply, such as a fall of more than 2 metres on the roof and energised electrical installations.

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

What Is Covered In Our Kitchen Exhaust Hood and Duct Cleaning SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Arrange access, plan the clean and brief the team” to “Reinstate, test and hand back the kitchen”. The hazards and controls include:

• Grease fire in hoods, ducts and fans
• Fan starting during cleaning
• Gas and electrical isolation
• Degreaser splashes and fumes
• Falls from roofs, ladders and hatches
• Hot water and steam burns
• Slips on grease and wet floors
• Entering ducts and confined spaces
• Disturbing the fire suppression system
• Lifting heavy filters and hood panels
• Grease waste and rinse water disposal
• Working alone after hours

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

• Workers trained in the cleaning method, the degreasing chemicals and the plant and ladders used
• Site induction and the venue’s contractor induction
• Gas work licence (or authorisation) that allows the work, for anyone who disconnects, caps or reconnects a gas appliance or gas fitting (Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 ss 726 and 727)
• Licensed electrical worker for any work that opens or changes fan or control wiring (Electrical Safety Act 2002 s 55)
• Workers trained in the use of the roof anchor, harness or edge protection where roof work is done
• Trained operator for any pressure or steam cleaner used
• First aider on the team, or on site, for chemical splashes and burns

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Labelling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice 2021
• Preparation of Safety Data Sheets for Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• Confined Spaces Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2021 – Managing electrical risks in the workplace
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 (Qld)
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld)

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
• 8 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 slip-resistant soles; chemical-resistant gloves and long sleeves rated for the degreaser (as the SDS states); safety goggles or a face shield for splash; waterproof apron or overalls
• Emergency arrangements for: grease fire, chemical splash in the eyes or on skin and person unwell or collapsed on the roof or in a duct
• 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.