Tiling SWMS and WHS templates

Safety documents for tiling work in Queensland

Tilers deal with dust from cutting and grinding, wet-area work, heavy tiles, kneeling, adhesives and sealers. 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 tiling, the s 291 items that usually come up are asbestos disturbance when old tiles or sheeting are lifted (d) and a risk of falling more than 2 m on balconies, stairwells and external walls (a).

Rules that come up in tiling work

• Silica: cutting tiles and grinding or sanding floors, slabs, mortar or render 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 cutting or on-tool extraction, plus respiratory protection for anyone still at risk (ss 529A to 529C).
• Engineered stone: a business must not carry out, or direct or allow a worker to carry out, work involving manufacturing, supplying, processing or installing engineered stone benchtops, panels or slabs, unless an exemption applies (s 529D). The definition excludes ceramic wall or floor tiles, grout, mortar, render and porcelain products, though those can still be crystalline silica substances if they contain at least 1% (s 529A).
• Asbestos: wall sheeting, adhesives and floor coverings 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).

Templates for tiling work

• Silica Dust SWMS Template: for tile, slab and mortar dust
• Wet Area Waterproofing SWMS: for bathrooms, laundries and balconies
• Cement Rendering SWMS: for screeds, render and substrate prep
• Grinder Operation SWMS: for grinding and cutting with an angle grinder
• Risk Assessment for Manual Tasks Template: for heavy tiles, kneeling and repetitive work
• Hazardous Chemical or Substance SWMS: for adhesives, grout and sealers

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 dangers of silica dust and safe manual handling practices. This is general information, not legal advice.