Crowd Control SWMS

Suits crowd control and security providers, event organisers and venue managers who need a job-step safe work method statement for managing crowds. It follows the work from planning and barrier set-up through entry, crowd monitoring, aggressive patrons, heat and noise, vehicles, emergencies and close-out. Bump-in and bump-out work is covered by the Event Bump-In and Bump-Out SWMS.

Crowd control is not high risk construction work, so a SWMS is legally required under WHS Regulation s 299 only if the work also involves a high risk construction work item in s 291; otherwise it works as a written safe work procedure or task risk assessment. If the work is part of high risk construction work, tick the reg 291 items that apply; the document has none pre-ticked.

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 Crowd Control SWMS?

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

• Crowd crush and surge at gates, barriers and exits
• Barrier collapse under crowd pressure
• Aggression and assault by patrons
• Stress and trauma from abuse and violence
• Sharps and cuts during bag checks
• Heat illness and dehydration
• Hearing loss near speakers
• Fatigue on long and late shifts
• Struck by vehicles at drop-off zones
• Trips and falls in poor light
• Delayed medical response
• Panic during evacuation

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

• Crowd controller licence under the Queensland Security Providers Act 1993 for each crowd controller (licensing sits outside the WHS legislation; confirm current requirements with the licensing authority)
• Site and venue induction, including emergency procedures
• Current first aid qualification for any worker staffing a first aid post
• Radio use and de-escalation training, as required by the employer
• Trained traffic controllers where traffic control is needed on or near a road

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Security Providers Act 1993 (Qld) (licensing of crowd controllers; confirm current requirements)
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• Work Health and Safety Consultation, Co-operation and Co-ordination Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice 2022
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2021
• Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Managing the risk of fatigue at work (guidance)

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.