Drilling and Fixing into Existing Walls SWMS

For electricians, handymen, installers and maintenance crews who drill and fix into existing walls, ceilings and linings. The job steps run from the asbestos check and service location through drilling, dust control and fixing to clean-up and responding to a strike.

A SWMS is legally required under WHS Regulation s 299 only for high risk construction work (s 291). Tick the items that apply to your job, for example disturbance of asbestos, work on or near energised electrical installations or services, an area with a contaminated atmosphere or a fall of more than 2 metres; otherwise this works as a written safe work procedure or task risk assessment.

Learn More: What Is A Safe Work Method Statement?
Have you ever been asked to provide a SWMS on a project in Queensland? Read our guide to what a Safe Work Method Statement is and when you need one.

What Is Covered In Our Drilling and Fixing into Existing Walls SWMS?

The job steps run in the order the work is done, from pre-start checks to finishing up. The hazards and controls include:

• Striking live cables behind walls
• Gas and water service strikes
• Disturbing asbestos in older buildings
• Silica dust from masonry and concrete
• Plasterboard and insulation dust
• Falls from ladders and platforms
• Dropped tools and debris
• Drill kickback and wrist injury
• Electric shock from damaged leads
• Fixings failing under load
• Noise and hearing loss
• Overhead drilling strain

High Risk Construction Work

No high risk construction work items (WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) s 291) are pre-ticked, because this work is not high risk construction work by itself. Tick the items that apply to your job, such as a fall risk of more than 2 metres or work where powered mobile plant is moving.

Licences, Training and Competency

• General construction induction training card (white card) when the work is construction work
• Site induction
• Training in the safe use of drills and detectors, with competency confirmed by a competent person
• Licensed electrical worker (electrical work licence) for isolating and testing circuits and any electrical work
• Training in the identification and safe handling of asbestos for workers reasonably believed to be involved in asbestos removal or asbestos-related work (WHS Reg s 445)
• Crystalline silica training where drilling masonry or concrete is assessed as high risk processing

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 respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in construction and manufacturing of construction elements Code of Practice 2022
• How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces 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 work (s 140) and energised electrical work (ss 199-204)
• Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2021 – Managing electrical risks in the workplace

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (13 pages), laid out on A4 landscape pages
• Business, client, job and document details typed once and filled in on every page, plus a space for your logo
• The high risk construction work checklist, worded as WHS Regulation s 291, and the construction project question (s 292)
• A worker and health and safety representative consultation record
• Qualifications, plant, PPE, hazardous chemicals, safety equipment, permits, references and emergency arrangements filled in for this work
• A 5 x 5 risk matrix, and job steps with initial and residual risk scores and the people responsible
• Implementing, monitoring and review requirements, an additional controls log, revision history and a worker sign-on sheet

Review and adjust it for your site, your plant and the way your crew does the job, and talk it through with your workers before work starts. If you have any trouble downloading this SWMS, you can contact us at any time. Please make sure you read our Disclaimer before downloading this SWMS.