Concrete Wall Saw SWMS

Suits concrete cutting, demolition, builders and civil contractors who cut openings in concrete and masonry walls with a track-mounted wall saw. It covers the engineer’s plan, services scanning, exclusion zones, track mounting, cutting, silica and slurry control, noise, removing cut-outs and making openings safe.

Wall sawing is construction work. A wall saw usually cuts openings in structural concrete walls, and removing part of a load-bearing wall is demolition work (high risk construction work), so the demolition item and the contaminated atmosphere item (silica) are pre-ticked. If the wall is confirmed non-structural, untick the demolition item; the silica item stays. Also tick the other items the job involves, such as energised electrical services, a risk of a fall of more than 2 metres, structural alterations that need temporary support, or work next to a road in use. Demolition work needs a demolition licence (WHS Regulation s 143), and s 142 requires notice in some cases; this SWMS does not replace the licence, the engineer’s advice or any notice.

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

What Is Covered In Our Concrete Wall Saw SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the opening and confirm the structure” to “Clean up, pack up and handover”. The hazards and controls include:

• Blade failure and fragments
• Falling or tipping cut-outs
• Cutting load-bearing walls
• Striking hidden electrical, gas and water services
• Respirable crystalline silica dust
• Alkaline slurry burns
• Noise from the saw and power pack
• Electric shock and hydraulic injection
• Disturbing asbestos in walls
• Falls through new openings
• Crane lifting of cut-outs
• Manual handling of the saw and track

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:

• Involves demolition of an element of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure
• Is carried out in an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere

Licences, Training and Competency

• General construction induction training card (white card) and site induction for every worker
• Demolition licence under WHS Regulation s 143, held by the person doing the work or the person on whose behalf it is done, where the cut removes part of a load-bearing element or one related to the structure’s physical integrity (no small-job exception)
• Nominated supervisor named under the demolition licence, readily available while the demolition work is carried out (WHS Reg s 144)
• Written confirmation from a structural engineer of the opening size, position, sequence and any temporary support, before cutting a structural wall
• Operator trained and verified competent on the wall saw model, including track mounting, blade selection and the saw’s controls
• Crystalline silica training for workers exposed to high risk silica processing (WHS Reg s 529CD)
• High risk work licence of the right Schedule 3 class for any crane or hoist lifting the cut-out, and a licensed dogger for slinging or directing the crane
• Licensed electrician for any electrical connection or repair
• Asbestos assessment by a competent person where the building could contain asbestos

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in construction and manufacturing of construction elements Code of Practice 2022
• Demolition Work 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 Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021 (where asbestos could be present)
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): electrical equipment on construction work (s 140)
• Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2021 – Managing electrical risks in the workplace

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (14 A4 landscape pages). Type your business, client and job details once and they fill in on every page, with a space for your logo
• 11 job steps for this work, each with its hazards, controls, initial and residual risk scores and the person responsible
• PPE listed for this job: respirator suited to silica, fit tested, as the last control where wet cutting and extraction do not control exposure; hearing protection suited to the saw’s noise; safety glasses or a face shield
• Emergency arrangements for: blade failure or wall movement, cut-out falls or pinches a person and service struck (cable, gas or water)
• 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.