Hedge Trimmer SWMS

Suits gardeners, landscapers, councils, grounds crews and property maintenance teams who trim hedges with powered trimmers, including pole trimmers and work from steps. It follows the work from setting up the area and checking the machine, through refuelling and trimming, to noise, vibration, heat and pack-up. Chainsaw work and general garden maintenance are covered by separate SWMS.

A SWMS is legally required only for high risk construction work (WHS Regulation s 299), and using a hedge trimmer is not construction work by itself; otherwise this works as a written safe work procedure and task risk assessment. If the work does form part of construction work, tick any high risk construction work item that applies to it.

Similar job: if it is closer to your work, see the Brushcutter and Line Trimmer SWMS.

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

What Is Covered In Our Hedge Trimmer SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the job and set up the work area” to “Collect clippings and pack up”. The hazards and controls include:

• Blade contact and amputation
• Kickback and blade snagging on wire
• Thrown clippings in the face and eyes
• Falls from ladders and steps
• Pole trimmers near overhead power lines
• Electric shock from leads and wet machines
• Hearing loss from petrol machines
• Hand-arm vibration
• Heat stress and sunburn
• Fuel fire and lithium battery fire
• Bystanders and pets in the work area
• Traffic beside roads and car parks

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

• No high risk work licence applies to hedge trimmers (Schedule 3 of the WHS Regulation)
• Operator trained in the specific machine, its guards, two-handed controls and the manufacturer’s safe-use rules, with supervised practice before working unsupervised
• Ladder or step platform training for work at height
• First aid trained person or access to one, including cuts, heat illness and snake bite
• Training in this SWMS and the client’s site rules
• General construction induction training card (white card) only if the work is part of construction work on a construction site

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
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice 2021
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021 (outdoor work, heat and UV)
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld), section 10 to 13 and Schedule 2 (exclusion zones for overhead lines)

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
• 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: safety glasses with a face shield or mesh visor; hearing protection, as the last control; cut-resistant gloves with a good grip; safety boots with toe protection and slip-resistant soles
• Emergency arrangements for: blade contact, electric shock and heat illness
• 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.