Fire Hydrant Flow Testing SWMS

Suits fire services and plumbing contractors who flow test fire hydrants on roads, in estates and on private sites. It follows the work from planning the discharge and setting up traffic control to opening the pit, connecting hoses, flushing and discharging, taking readings, controlling the water and restoring the hydrant. Hydrant installation is covered by a separate SWMS.

A SWMS is required by law only for high risk construction work (WHS Regulation s 299), and hydrant flow testing is not always construction work. No items are ticked. Tick the road, railway or other traffic corridor in use by traffic item if the test is on, in or adjacent to a road in use, and any other item the job involves.

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 Fire Hydrant Flow Testing SWMS?

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

• Traffic striking workers on or beside the road
• High-pressure water jets
• Water hammer when valves open or close
• Hose or coupling failure and whipping hoses
• Heavy hydrant pit lids
• Bites and stings in hydrant pits
• Slippery roads and footpaths from discharge water
• Erosion and flooding from the discharge
• Dirty and chlorinated water entering drains
• Stones and debris thrown out during flushing
• Heat and fatigue during long outdoor tests
• Hydrant left faulty or open after the test

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

• Site induction, and the general construction induction training card (white card) where the test is construction work on a construction site
• Fire protection or plumbing licence or endorsement as required by Queensland law for the testing being done; the employer checks it before work starts
• Training in the test method and equipment for the hydrant system being tested
• Accredited traffic controllers where traffic control is needed on or beside a road (Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Accreditation and Other Provisions) Regulation 2015 ss 51, 54, 55; separate SWMS)
• Confined space training where a pit is entered and assessed as a confined space
• First aid equipment and facilities, and trained first aiders as the work and site need (WHS Regulation s 42)

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 54 and 55 (falling objects), ss 56 and 57 (noise) and s 43 (emergency plans)
• Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Accreditation and Other Provisions) Regulation 2015 (Qld): traffic controllers, sections 51 to 55
• Traffic Management for Construction or Maintenance Work Code of Practice 2008
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021
• Confined Spaces Code of Practice 2021
• 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
• Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 (Qld): s 7 (person not to obstruct an evacuation route) and part 5 (prescribed fire safety installations)

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (12 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.