SWMS Works

Employers or on-site managers must be confident that a Safe Work Method Statement is set for all high-risk actions and tasks before employees are allowed to carry out any kind of work. Experts agree and highly recommend that all Work Method Statements be kept on-site so that they can be quickly delivered to the site without any problems or hassles.

WHAT DOES AN SWMS CONTAIN?

Most people do not really know what an SWMS covers. All they know is that it is a document that helps to promote occupational health and safety. However, this document is clearly more than that. A Safe Work Method Statement must:

• Identify the work or activity that is considered "high-risk" or dangerous

• Clearly state the hazards that are related to the high risk task

• State out what kind of effect those hazards can bring about to a person's health and safety

• Describe what measures should be used to control the risks

• Describe how the risk control measures should be carried out, monitored and assessed.

Besides the aforementioned information, a Method Statement or an MS should also include the following:

• The PCBU's (Persons Conducting Business or Undertaking) name, address and ABN (optional)

• Names and details of the persons who are assigned to perform the high risk task.

• Name of the main contractor

• The site or location where the work is carried out

• The date the MS was prepared

Make sure all information that is stated or included in the SWMS is stated in a clear and straightforward manner. It should be easy to understand and accessible by all workers and on-site supervisors. The MS should not only include a list of safe work practices but also enough information on how to implement the risk controls for a particular task or activity.

WHO BENEFITS FROM AN SWMS?

Initially, only those who are involved in the construction industry benefited from having a Safe Work Method Statement. However, over the years, other businesses and industries started creating their own MS as well. This is hardly any surprise since there are certainly risks involved regardless of the industry or business you are in. There are certain health and safety regulations that must be complied in order to guarantee complete protection for the workers at all times. Companies can create their own SWMS; however there are firms and agencies that also specialize in creating customized Method Statements for a specific field or work.