Glass Fence Installation SWMS

Suits glaziers, fencing contractors and pool builders installing frameless glass fences. It covers the site check, moving glass, core drilling, fitting spigots, lifting and securing panels, gates and a final check against compliance requirements.

Installing a glass fence is usually not high risk construction work by itself, so no item is ticked. A SWMS is required by law only for high risk construction work (WHS Regulation s 299), but this template also works as a written safe work method. Tick the items that apply: energised electrical installations or services, work near water with a drowning risk, and powered mobile plant such as a crane or truck.

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

What Is Covered In Our Glass Fence Installation SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the job and check the site and pool area” to “Clean up and hand over”. The hazards and controls include:

• Heavy glass dropped or tipped
• Broken glass lacerations
• Strains from carrying glass
• Silica dust and slurry from core drilling
• Striking reinforcement or services
• Electric shock using water with power tools
• Chemical anchors and grout
• Panels swinging in wind
• Pinch points on hardware
• Open pool access at the end of the day
• Drowning risk to children near the pool
• Slips on wet pool surrounds

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

• General construction induction training card (white card)
• Site induction
• Queensland Building and Construction Commission licence where the work requires one (check the QBCC requirements for the job)
• Training in the glass lifting equipment and core drilling rig used
• Licence for the class of any crane or forklift used to lift packs; dogging class for anyone who slings loads or directs a crane operator when the load is out of the operator’s view (Schedule 3, Schedule 19)
• Trained first aider on site

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks 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
• Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in construction and manufacturing of construction elements Code of Practice 2022
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): overhead power line exclusion zones in schedule 2

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (12 A4 landscape pages). Type your business, client and job details once and they fill in on every page, with a space for your logo
• 8 job steps for this work, each with its hazards, controls, initial and residual risk scores and the person responsible
• PPE listed for this job: cut-resistant gloves and sleeves; safety glasses; safety boots; hearing protection when drilling
• Emergency arrangements for: glass injury and person in the pool or near the 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.