CCTV Drain and Sewer Inspection SWMS

Suits drainage inspection crews, plumbers and civil contractors who survey drains and sewers with CCTV cameras. It covers planning, traffic and public control, setting up equipment, lifting lids, testing the air at the opening, running the camera, cleaning and disinfecting equipment, weather, and closing up. It does not cover confined space entry or drain jetting.

Routine CCTV inspection of a drain or sewer from the surface can be testing or maintenance of a minor nature, which is not construction work (WHS Regulation s 289(3)(d)), so no high risk construction work item is pre-ticked. Drainage works are structures (s 290), so where the inspection is part of construction work (s 289), tick the items the job involves, such as work in or near a confined space, a contaminated or flammable atmosphere, or a road in use. A SWMS is required under s 299 only for high risk construction work; otherwise the 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 CCTV Drain and Sewer Inspection SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the job and identify the pipe, access points and hazards” to “Replace lids, close the site and pack up”. The hazards and controls include:

• Hydrogen sulphide and other sewer gas at the opening
• Fire from flammable gas and ignition sources
• Sewage contact and infection
• Falls into open manholes
• Heavy lids and crushed fingers
• Traffic striking workers on or beside a road
• Public and children reaching the work area
• Sudden flow surges in stormwater drains
• Electric shock from equipment in wet conditions
• Manual handling of reels and crawlers
• Disinfectant splashes and cuts when cleaning
• Heat, sun and bites around pits

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

• Operator trained and competent in the camera system, cable reel or crawler, and recording equipment (no high risk work licence class in Schedule 3 applies to CCTV drain inspection)
• Gas detector user trained in checking, calibration and reading the instrument
• Training in hydrogen sulphide and other sewer gas hazards, biological hazards and hygiene, and in why nobody enters a pipe or chamber under this SWMS
• Training in the confined space rules, so workers recognise a manhole as a possible confined space (WHS Regulation s 76)
• Traffic control: accredited traffic controllers where traffic must be directed, and a traffic management plan prepared by a suitably trained person
• Training in manual handling of lids, reels and equipment
• First aider on site, briefed on infection risks, cuts and gas exposure
• General construction induction training card (white card) only when the work is construction work
• Site induction

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Confined Spaces 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 (openings)
• Traffic Management for Construction or Maintenance Work Code of Practice 2008
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021 (outdoor work, UV and heat)
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace 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)
• Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing the risks of biological hazards at work (guidance)
• AS/NZS 3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs (as named in the Electrical Safety Regulation 2026)

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: waterproof gloves with cut protection, safety glasses and a face shield for splash risks; waterproof, washable clothing and safety boots with a non-slip sole
• Emergency arrangements for: gas alarm or smell of sewer gas, person falls into an open manhole and sewage splash to the eyes, mouth or a cut
• 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.