Synthetic Mineral Fibre Removal SWMS

Suits insulation, refurbishment and strip-out contractors removing glass wool, rock wool and slag wool batts, blankets, loose fill and pipe or duct lagging. It covers identifying the product and checking for asbestos, setting up the area, PPE, ladders, ceiling space and cavity work, removal, bagging and clean-up. Asbestos removal and ceiling-space entry are covered by the separate Asbestos Removal SWMS and Working in Ceiling Space SWMS.

Removing synthetic mineral fibre insulation is not high risk construction work by itself, so no item is pre-ticked. A SWMS is required by law only for high risk construction work (WHS Regulation s 299), so tick the items that apply, such as falls of more than 2 metres, a confined space, energised electrical installations or the contaminated atmosphere item; otherwise use it as a written safe work procedure.

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

What Is Covered In Our Synthetic Mineral Fibre Removal SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the job and identify the insulation” to “Clean up and decontaminate”. The hazards and controls include:

• Fibre irritation of skin and eyes
• Inhaling fibres and dust
• Fibres spreading through ceilings and ventilation
• Misidentified insulation that is actually asbestos
• Electric shock from cables in the ceiling space
• Falling through the ceiling lining
• Heat stress in hot roof spaces
• Falls from ladders
• Burns from hot pipes and ducts
• Cuts from foil, wire and metal edges
• Torn bags and spilled waste
• Fibres carried home on clothing

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) for construction work
• Site induction
• Workers trained in the SDS and manufacturer’s instructions for the insulation, including the dust controls and respirator use
• Competent person to identify the material and, where there is doubt, to arrange sampling for asbestos
• Licensed electrician to isolate electrical circuits in the ceiling space or wall cavity
• Workers trained in working safely in ceiling spaces and in ladder use

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Demolition Work Code of Practice 2021 (synthetic mineral fibres, section 4.2)
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks 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
• How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021 (if suspected asbestos is found)
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld): electrical work needs a licensed electrical worker (s 55)

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (13 A4 landscape pages). Type your business, client and job details once and they fill in on every page, with a space for your logo
• 9 job steps for this work, each with its hazards, controls, initial and residual risk scores and the person responsible
• PPE listed for this job: disposable coveralls with hood and cuffs; respirator chosen from the SDS and the competent person’s advice, fit-tested; safety goggles that seal against fibres
• Emergency arrangements for: suspected asbestos found, fibres in the eyes and heat illness in a ceiling space
• 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.