SWMS for Demolition Contractors

When you need this document

A builder or principal contractor is asking for a site-specific SWMS before you can get on the job, or your work falls under a high risk construction work category and the law requires one before work starts.

What it covers for demolition work

Typical hazards addressed: unplanned structural collapse, asbestos-containing materials, live services (electrical, gas), falling debris and exclusion zones, powered mobile plant, silica and dust. Citations from the Demolition focus list:

• §AS 2601: demolition of structures
• §reg 36: hierarchy of controls for structural collapse, dust, and falling debris
• §reg 78 and reg 79: manage the risk of ANY fall liable to cause injury during manual demolition; a fall of more than 2 m is additionally high risk construction work under reg 291
• §reg 166: no person, plant or thing may come within an unsafe distance of an overhead or underground electric line during demolition; where that is not reasonably practicable a risk assessment and control measures are required
• §reg 36: services must be disconnected or isolated by the supply authority or a licensed person before demolition begins (a hierarchy-of-controls elimination step, applied with AS 2601)
• §reg 44 to reg 47: PPE duties
• §Work likely to disturb asbestos must comply with the asbestos provisions of the WHS Regulations; asbestos removal beyond minor quantities is licensed work and is excluded from this SWMS
• §reg 447: the asbestos duties for demolition and refurbishment (reg 448 to reg 457) apply to the demolition or refurbishment of a structure or plant constructed or installed before 31 December 2003. Demolition or refurbishment does not include minor or routine maintenance work, or other minor work. Where these duties apply they are law, never good practice
• §reg 448 to reg 450: before demolition or refurbishment starts, the person with management or control of the workplace must ensure the asbestos register is reviewed (and revised if it is inadequate for the proposed work) and that the business carrying out the work is given a copy, and the business carrying out the demolition or refurbishment must obtain a copy of the asbestos register from the person with management or control of the workplace before it starts the work
• §reg 451: where there is no asbestos register for the structure or plant, the business that is to carry out the demolition or refurbishment must not carry it out until the structure or plant has been inspected to determine whether asbestos or ACM is fixed to or installed in it, and must ensure that the determination is undertaken by a competent person. It must assume that asbestos or ACM is fixed to or installed in the structure or plant if the competent person is, on reasonable grounds, uncertain, or if part of the structure or plant is inaccessible and likely to be disturbed. If asbestos or ACM is determined or assumed to be present, it must inform the occupier and the owner of the premises (residential premises) or, in any other case, the person with management or control of the workplace
• §reg 452 and reg 453: all asbestos that is likely to be disturbed by the demolition must be identified and, so far as is reasonably practicable, removed before the demolition is commenced. For residential premises this is the duty of the business carrying out the demolition (reg 453); for any other workplace it is the duty of the person with management or control of the workplace, or of the structure or plant (reg 452). Removal first is not required where the purpose of the demolition is to gain access to the asbestos. An emergency demolition of a structurally unsound structure or plant is covered by reg 454 and reg 455 instead
• §reg 456 and reg 457: all asbestos that is likely to be disturbed by the refurbishment must be identified and, so far as is reasonably practicable, removed before the refurbishment is commenced. For residential premises this is the duty of the business carrying out the refurbishment (reg 457); for any other workplace it is the duty of the person with management or control of the workplace, or of the structure or plant (reg 456)

What's inside

• ✓ Title block: PCBU, principal contractor, site address, prepared and review dates
• ✓ High risk construction work categories identified for your activity
• ✓ Step-by-step work method with hazards, risk ratings, and controls
• ✓ Controls in hierarchy order: eliminate, substitute, isolate, engineer, administer, PPE
• ✓ Plant, equipment, permits, licences, and training requirements
• ✓ Emergency procedures and review triggers
• ✓ Your state’s legislation cited (WHS Regulation, or OHS Regulations in Victoria)
• ✓ Worker consultation and sign-off block