Brushcutter and Line Trimmer SWMS

Suits gardeners, landscapers, councils, grounds crews and property maintenance teams who use brushcutters and line trimmers. It follows the work from setting up the area and checking the machine, through refuelling, trimming and blade work, to slopes, noise, vibration, heat and pack-up. Leaf blower use 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 brushcutter or line 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 Hedge Trimmer SWMS.

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

What Is Covered In Our Brushcutter and Line Trimmer SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the job and set up the work area” to “Pack up, transport and store the equipment”. The hazards and controls include:

• Stones and debris thrown into the face and eyes
• Blade contact and kickback
• Cutting line striking legs
• Bystanders and pets in the work area
• Hearing loss from petrol machines
• Hand-arm vibration
• Heat stress and sunburn
• Fuel fire and lithium battery fire
• Slips on slopes and near drains
• Snakes, nests and wasps
• Tangles cleared while the head is moving
• 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 brushcutters or line trimmers (Schedule 3 of the WHS Regulation)
• Operator trained in the specific machine, its guard, harness, start-up, shut-down and the manufacturer’s safe-use rules, with supervised practice before working unsupervised
• First aid trained person or access to one, including 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
• 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
• Traffic Management for Construction or Maintenance Work Code of Practice 2008 (cutting beside roads)

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; safety boots with toe protection
• Emergency arrangements for: blade or line contact, snake bite 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.