Concrete Polishing SWMS

Suits concrete polishers, floor finishers and builders who grind and polish concrete floors with planetary grinders and apply densifier, dye and sealer. It follows the job in order, from assessing the floor and silica risk through setting up, power and extraction, grinding, noise, slurry, chemicals, burnishing and pack-up. Grinding edges and corners with hand-held grinders and wider silica dust control work need their own SWMS.

Concrete polishing is normally construction work (WHS Regulation s 289(1)); only testing, maintenance or repair work of a minor nature is outside it (s 289(3)(d)). When it is construction work, the contaminated atmosphere item (WHS Regulation s 291(l)) is pre-ticked because the approved silica code treats construction work with a risk of respirable crystalline silica exposure as high risk construction work; a SWMS is then required before it starts (s 299). Tick the other items the job involves, for example powered mobile plant if a ride-on machine is used, or a fall of more than 2 metres. If a job is not construction work, this document works as a written safe work procedure and task risk assessment.

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

What Is Covered In Our Concrete Polishing SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the job and assess the floor, silica and chemicals” to “Burnish, finish and pack up”. The hazards and controls include:

• Silica dust from grinding concrete
• Dust escaping the shroud or extractor
• Heavy grinder tipping or rolling off ramps
• Strains from lifting weights and tooling
• Electric shock from leads near slurry and water
• Carbon monoxide from fuel-powered machines indoors
• Fire from LPG and solvent-based sealers
• Machine kickback and pinched fingers at tooling changes
• Noise and hand-arm vibration
• Alkaline slurry and densifier burns
• Slips on wet slurry and treated floors
• Heat while wearing a respirator in sealed-off areas

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
• Machine operators trained and assessed as competent on the planetary grinder, extractor and any burnisher used (no high risk work licence class in Schedule 3 covers floor grinders or burnishers)
• 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)
• Respirator training and a fit test for each wearer before first use, repeated at least yearly and whenever the make or model changes (silica code, section 7.6.2)
• Training in the SDS, safe use and first aid for the densifier, dye, guard and sealer products used
• Licensed electrician for any supply, extension or fixed wiring work (Electrical Safety Act 2002 s 55)
• An adequate number of workers trained in first aid (WHS Regulation s 42)

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in construction and manufacturing of construction elements Code of Practice 2022
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Labelling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace 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): safety switches (s 139) and construction electrical equipment (s 140)

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (15 A4 landscape pages). Type your business, client and job details once and they fill in on every page, with a space for your logo
• 10 job steps for this work, each with its hazards, controls, initial and residual risk scores and the person responsible
• PPE listed for this job: respirator complying with AS/NZS 1716 and selected and maintained under AS/NZS 1715: a fit-tested half-face respirator with P2 filters (minimum protection factor 10), or a powered air-purifying respirator (a loose-fitting hood needs no fit test)
• Emergency arrangements for: electric shock, slurry, densifier or sealer in the eyes or on the skin and solvent vapour or LPG fire or leak
• 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.