Telecommunications Pit and Conduit Installation SWMS

Suits telecommunications contractors, civil crews and network builders who install communications pits and conduit in footpaths, roads and easements. It follows the work from services information and proving through excavation, pit placement, tie-in to existing pits, cable pulling and reinstatement.

A SWMS is legally required only for high risk construction work (WHS Regulation s 299). The reg 291 items for a road in use (13), powered mobile plant (14) and work near energised services (10) are ticked. Tick any other item that applies: a pit or trench deeper than 1.5 metres (item 6) or a confined space such as a deep existing pit (item 5).

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 Telecommunications Pit and Conduit Installation 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 underground cables and pipes
• Trench and pit wall collapse
• Excavator contact with people and services
• Silica dust and noise from cutting pavement
• Heavy pit and lid handling
• Asbestos in old telecommunication pits
• Confined space atmosphere in deep pits
• Cable and rope whip-back during pulling
• Vehicle strike on road and footpath work
• Open pits and trenches in public areas
• Solvent cement fumes
• Dirty water, spiders and snakes in existing pits

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 on or near energised electrical installations or services
• Is carried out on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor that is in use by traffic other than pedestrians
• Is carried out in an area at a workplace in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant

Licences, Training and Competency

• General construction induction training card (white card) for construction work, and site induction
• Trained operator of the cable and pipe locator or ground penetrating radar, competent in reading the results
• Excavator, trencher and compaction plant operators competent on the machine (no high risk work licence class applies to operating an excavator or trencher)
• High risk work licence for the vehicle loading crane class (capacity of 10 metre tonnes or more) or the forklift truck class where either is used to move pits, and dogging licence for anyone who slings a pit or directs the operator when the load is out of the operator’s view (WHS Regulation Schedule 3 and Schedule 19)
• Spotter briefed on signals, digging limits, proved service positions and the emergency plan
• Confined space training, gas detector training and a written entry permit for anyone who enters a deep or existing pit that is a confined space (WHS Regulation ss 66, 67, 69, 74 and 76)
• Asbestos training in identification, safe handling and controls for workers who may be involved in asbestos-related work, so they recognise suspect pit linings, lids and ducts, stop work and report (WHS Regulation s 445)
• Electrical work licence is not needed to install or repair telecommunications cabling (Electrical Safety Act 2002 s 55(3)(a)); a licensed electrical worker does any work on mains supply, power equipment or earthing
• Traffic controllers who are accredited (or in an approved course under a traffic controller’s supervision) wherever traffic is directed on or beside the road (Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Accreditation and Other Provisions) Regulation 2015 ss 54 and 55)
• CPR and first aid training for the crew

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): ss 304 to 306 (excavation work, underground essential services information and trenches)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 66 to 76 (confined spaces)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): chapter 8A (crystalline silica) ss 529A to 529CD
• Excavation Work 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
• 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
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice 2021 (section 7.3 covers telecommunication pits)
• Traffic Management for Construction or Maintenance Work Code of Practice 2008
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld): ss 18 and 55 (electrical work and licences)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): ss 14 and 15 (underground electric lines) and s 292 (serious electrical incidents and dangerous electrical events)
• Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2020 – Working near overhead and underground electric lines

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (14 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.