Tile Wet Saw Cutting SWMS

Suits tilers, builders and renovation crews who cut ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles with a stationary wet tile saw. It follows the job in order: assessing the silica risk, setting up the cutting station and water, electrical protection, checking the saw and blade, handling tiles, cutting, noise and heat, slurry clean-up and pack-up. Tile laying has its own SWMS.

Wet saw cutting that creates silica dust is high risk construction work, because the approved Queensland silica code treats it as work in an area that may have a contaminated atmosphere (WHS Regulation s 291(l)), so that item is ticked. A SWMS that covers what s 529CB(2) requires can replace the separate silica risk control plan (s 529CB(3)); tick other items the job involves, such as falls over 2 metres.

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

What Is Covered In Our Tile Wet Saw Cutting SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the cuts and assess the silica risk” to “Change blades, clean down and pack up”. The hazards and controls include:

• Silica dust and mist from cutting tile
• Contact with the diamond blade
• Electric shock from the saw, pump and leads near water
• Tile fragments and chips striking the eyes
• Kickback and binding of tiles on the blade
• Cutting with the water feed blocked
• Strains from lifting heavy and large-format tiles
• Cuts from sharp tile edges
• Noise from the saw
• Heat and sun when cutting outdoors
• Dried slurry becoming airborne dust
• Slips on wet slurry and slurry in drains

High Risk Construction Work

These high risk construction work items (WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) s 291) are already ticked because they are part of this work. Tick any others that apply to your job:

• Is carried out in an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere

Licences, Training and Competency

• General construction induction training card (white card) for construction work, and site induction
• Operator trained and assessed as competent on the wet tile saw in use, covering the blade, guard, water system, fence or sliding tray and the maker’s blade-change procedure (no high risk work licence class applies to a wet tile saw)
• Crystalline silica training (VET accredited course or training approved by the regulator) for workers who may do, or be exposed to, high risk silica processing (s 529CD)
• Training in the fit, use and care of respiratory protective equipment, with a fit test for each wearer before first use and at least once a year, where a respirator is needed (silica code, section 7.6.2)
• Competent person to inspect, test and tag the saw and leads; a person holding an electrical licence for any repair to wiring or power points
• Trained first aider on site

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): chapter 8A, ss 529A to 529J (crystalline silica; engineered stone prohibited by s 529D)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 205 to 213 (plant: guarding s 208, maintenance and inspection s 213)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 36 and 44 (hierarchy of control, personal protective equipment)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 56 to 58 (noise)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): s 60 (hazardous manual tasks)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 40 and 41 (work environment, extremes of heat, drinking water and washing facilities)
• Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in construction and manufacturing of construction elements Code of Practice 2022
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities 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)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): electrical equipment on construction sites (s 140)
• AS/NZS 3012 Electrical installations – Construction and demolition sites (named in Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 s 140)
• AS/NZS 1716:2012 (Respiratory protective devices) and AS/NZS 1715:2009 (Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment), as named in WHS Regulation s 529B

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
• 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 glasses or goggles with side protection; a face shield if the guard does not stop spray; hearing protection suited to the noise of the saw
• Emergency arrangements for: electric shock, blade cut or amputation and breathing difficulty or heavy dust exposure
• 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 October 2026.