Optical Fibre Splicing SWMS

For telecommunications contractors, network technicians and cabling crews who prepare, cleave, splice and test optical fibre in pits, on poles and in cabinets and enclosures. It follows the job in order, from planning and asset checks, traffic control and gas testing at pits, to confined space entry, work at height, nearby power lines, cable preparation, fusion splicing, laser light safety and pack-up. Telecommunications pit and conduit installation is covered by a separate SWMS.

Installing, testing or maintaining telecommunications services in relation to a structure such as a pit, pole, cabinet or building is construction work (WHS Regulation s 289(2)(e)), and where a person could fall more than 2 metres a SWMS is legally required (ss 291(a) and 299), so the fall item is ticked. Tick confined space (item 5) if a pit or enclosure meets the definition, and add energised electrical services (10), contaminated or flammable atmosphere (11) or a road in use (13) when they apply; if none apply, this works as a written safe work procedure or task risk assessment.

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

What Is Covered In Our Optical Fibre Splicing SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the job and check the asset” to “Close the enclosure, reinstate and pack up”. The hazards and controls include:

• Glass fibre shards in skin and eyes
• Laser light from live fibres and test sources
• Solvents, gel and alcohol fire risk
• Burns and ignition from the fusion splicer
• Bad air, flammable gas and engulfment in pits
• Asbestos in old telecommunications pits
• Falls from poles, ladders and EWPs
• Dropped tools and closure parts
• Vehicle strikes at roadside pits and poles
• Contact with overhead lines and power cables
• Pit lid injuries and open pits
• Heat, snakes and insects outdoors

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 a risk of a person falling more than 2m

Licences, Training and Competency

• Fibre splicers trained in cable preparation, cleaving, fusion splicing and optical testing, with verified competency in the splicer, cleaver and test equipment used
• General construction induction training card (white card) for construction work, plus the network owner’s site, access and induction requirements
• Training in fall protection, harness use and rescue for anyone who works at height or from a pole, and in pole and ladder safety
• Boom-type elevating work platform licence (boom length 11 m or more, WHS Regulation Schedule 3 item 21) for anyone operating one; EWP operation has its own SWMS
• For any pit, manhole or enclosure that is a confined space: competent person to assess the risk and record it, a written entry permit, and training in entry, gas testing, communication and rescue for entrants and the standby person (WHS Regulation ss 66, 67, 69, 74 and 76)
• Training in the gas detector used, and a current calibration and bump test record
• Asbestos awareness training for work in old pits, ducts and cabinets; removing asbestos is outside this SWMS and needs a Class A or Class B licensed asbestos removalist, except up to 10 m2 of non-friable asbestos (How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice 2021, section 7.3)
• Only accredited traffic controllers (or trainees under their supervision) direct traffic (Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Accreditation and Other Provisions) Regulation 2015 ss 54 and 55)
• Electrical work licence is not needed to install or repair telecommunications cabling (Electrical Safety Act 2002 s 55(3)(a)); a licensed electrician does any work on mains supply, cabinet power equipment or earthing
• First aid equipment and facilities, and trained first aiders as the work and site need (WHS Regulation s 42), including someone who knows how to flush and treat an eye injury

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 the Risk of Falls at Workplaces 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
• Labelling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice 2021 (section 7.3 covers telecommunication pits)
• 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
• 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
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): overhead power line exclusion zones (Schedule 2) and underground electric lines (ss 14 and 15)
• Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2020 – Working near overhead and underground electric lines (distances come from the 2026 Regulation)
• Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Accreditation and Other Provisions) Regulation 2015 (Qld): traffic controllers
• AS/NZS IEC 60825.1 Safety of laser products, AS/NZS IEC 60825.14 and AS 2397 Safe use of lasers in the building and construction industry (as listed in Appendix D of the Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021)

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (16 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: safety boots; high-visibility clothing suited to the road or site; hard hat with chin strap when working at height
• Emergency arrangements for: person collapses in a pit or enclosure, person hanging in a harness and glass fibre or light in the eye
• 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.