Flooring SWMS and WHS templates

Safety documents for flooring work in Queensland

Flooring work, from timber, vinyl and carpet to concrete floor preparation, involves dust, fumes, repetitive kneeling and heavy materials. Fitting-out a structure is construction work (s 289(1)), and a SWMS must be in place before high risk construction work starts (s 299). In flooring, the s 291 items that usually come up are asbestos disturbance in older buildings (d) and work in an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere (l).

Rules that come up in flooring work

• Silica: grinding, sanding or cutting concrete slabs and screeds can release respirable crystalline silica. Processing material that contains at least 1% crystalline silica with a power tool or plant must be controlled, for example with wet methods or on-tool extraction, plus respiratory protection for anyone still at risk (ss 529A to 529C). High risk processing needs a silica risk control plan, or a SWMS meeting the same requirements if it is also high risk construction work (s 529CB).
• Asbestos: floor coverings and adhesives in older buildings can contain asbestos. Removing more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos needs a class A or class B removal licence (s 487). The duty to use a licensed removalist does not apply to 10 square metres or less of non-friable asbestos (s 458(2)), but other asbestos rules still apply.
• Chemicals: adhesives, primers and sealers can be hazardous chemicals. Keep a hazardous chemicals register with the current safety data sheet for each (s 346), and manage the risks (s 351).

Templates for flooring work

• Silica Dust SWMS Template: for grinding and preparing concrete floors
• Concreting SWMS Template: for screeding and slab work
• Hazardous Chemical or Substance SWMS: for adhesives, primers and sealers
• Wet Area Waterproofing SWMS: for wet area floors
• Risk Assessment for Manual Tasks Template: for kneeling, lifting and repetitive work
• Circular Saw SWMS: for cutting boards and planks on site

Every template is an editable Word or Excel file you can brand with your logo, and you download it straight after checkout. Once filled in for your job, the documents help you meet your duties. Related reading: the asbestos register and management plan and safety data sheets and the hazardous chemicals register. This is general information, not legal advice.