WORK METHOD STATEMENTS
SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENT RESOURCES
Work method statements and all of our free Safety And Risk Management Downloads can be found here: FREE DOWNLOADS
Here are a few links to examples of safe work method statements templates and resources that may be useful:
Free Safe Work Method Statement
By following this link : http://buildingasaservice.com/free-safe-work-method-statements/ anyone can download a free Safe Work Method Statement, a completed example and a checklist to help with completion.
What is a Work Method Statement and when is it required?
According to QLD DEIR, a work method statement is always required for high-risk activities which include:
- tilt-up and precast construction work
- structural alterations that require temporary support to prevent collapse
- moving powered mobile plant at the workplace
- working on a telecommunications tower
- working in, over or adjacent to water where there is a risk of drowning
- working on, or adjacent to, a road or railway
- working on or near a pressurised gas distribution mains and consumer piping
- working on or near a chemical, fuel or refrigerant line
- work near an exposed energised electrical installation
- work in an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere
- work in an area where there are artificial extremes of temperature.
- Great guide from Ipswich City Council: Contractors Work Method Statement (2842)
- New company in the SWMS market – ENSAFE – Visit their SWMS CENTRAL WEBSITE They offer a pre-written SWMS that requires minor touches to make specific to your particular site and task; and you can easily do it in consultation with your working team. They claim that their SWMS satisfies the requirements of Workcover authorities, the Office of Federal Safety Commissioner and State government guidelines.
- Guidelines for writing safe work method statements in plain English – Workcover: DOWNLOAD HERE: Workcover WMS Plain English Guidelines (15254)
- Requirements issued by QLD DEIR for Construction work method statements
- Use this template to conduct job hazard analysis and risk assessments on individual tasks to assist in developing Job Safety Analysis (JSA) and Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS). Download Here:
- Worksafe Victoria Guide to Work Method Statements including legal requirements, samples of completed statements and a blank proforma. Victoria used to call their SWIMS a Job Safety Analysis
- Download a PDF sample of a safe work method statement.
- Download a Word Version Here: Worksafe SWMS Template (4175)
- Building and construction-safe work method statement/job safety analysis information from Worksafe WA – What is a job safety analysis (JSA) or a safe work method statement? To make sure that everyone is aware of what is going on, JSA’s and safe work method statements are used in building and construction as a way to assess what hazards may come up on the job and deal with them safely.
When and why would you do a JSA or safe work method statement?
- if there was an incident in the past involving that job
- new jobs
- jobs that more dangerous than usual like working at heights, in holes, near electricity or moving equipment. These jobs are classified as high risk work.
There are three steps in developing them:
- Direct observation:
Your boss watches and discusses job steps, hazards and solutions with the worker doing the job. - Group discussion:
A team of people who know a job well work out steps, hazards and solutions. - Recall and check:Your boss writes up a summary of the work and then checks with the workers to make sure it’s right.
Construction and Contractor Work Method Statement Toolkit
In the Tool Kit you will find everything you need to help you develop a WMS. It is the reader’s responsibility to refer to legislation when reading this guide or using any of the tools in the tool kit to ensure the most up to date information is being used. Failing to do this could lead to a breach of legislation and legal action being taken. Refer to samples in the tool kit for further prompts on completing WMS.
Download HERE: WMS Toolkit (1497) and WMS Guidelines and Toolkit (640)
Struggling with how to write a safe work method statement? Workcover have produced this excellent guide for writing work method statements in plain English.
DOWNLOAD HERE: Workcover WMS Plain English Guidelines (15254)
Coles Contractor Work Method Statement Requirements:
Contractors must complete a Work Method Statement for all works conducted on Coles Group sites.
A Work Method Statement is a document which describes the job to be completed, outlines the steps involved, the hazards associated with the work and the controls to be implemented to ensure that the work is completed safely. Work Method Statements are completed by the contractor company as the contractor is expected to be experienced in the work and the hazards associated with it.
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Download an example of a completed Work Method Statement (47 KB) 
Download a blank Work Method Statement (28 KB)
If the work to be completed is routine work, one Work Method Statement is sufficient for all occasions where the work is conducted as long as the conditions do not change and all relevant staff are trained in the practice and understand the controls to be implemented. Generic work method statements can be used at a number of sites as long as the task and conditions do not change. The store/site manager or delegate must be able to view a copy of the Work Method Statement when the contractor arrives on site to complete a particular task. While on site the contractor must have access to a copy of the Work Method Statement and be able to make it available on request. Contractors may use an alternative format to the Coles Group format for a Work Method Statement (eg JSA) however, it must contain at least the information required in the Coles Group format.
More Examples of Work Method Statements
We are being inundated with requests for free examples of safe work method statements, particularly for lawn mowing? Here are some really good examples from the The Municipal Works Officers Association (MWOA) Website.
Below the Ground less than 1.5 metres
Cleaning Gutters on a single story tiolet block
Hand Chemical Spraer Operation
Loading and Unloading Equipment
Oval Maintenance Grass Mowing Operation
Twin Vibrating Drum Roller Operation
Working at Height Above 2 Metres
Sites where you can buy Safe Work Method Statements and Safe Work Procedures:
These are a good starting point but don’t forget that you have a legal obligation to consult with people actually performing the task and modify accordingly. A switched on Principal Contractor or Safety Officer will throw a generic SWMS back in your face!
Consultants who specialise in writing high quality work procedures for the mining industry. They go to site, facilitate a JSA and job step definition, capture the data (photos, work methods), then collate this information to a point where they send the procedure for review. Reviews are conducted both internally and externally resulting in high quality, well syndicated, work procedures, creating high consistency across site, in extremely easy to read layout.
This site lists a large range of complete Safe Work Method Statements for Construction, Industrial, Manufacturing and Professional Services. They regularly add procedures for all types of plant, equipment and workplace processes. SWMS’s are developed after consulting with manufactures recommendations, Australian Standards, Industrial Relations and other Government bodies who provide valuable information for developing the safest work methods. Average price is around $70
Safety Culture has a large library of prefilled Safe Work Procedures for around $80. For an additional fee they can customise one unique to your needs. To do this, their will inspect the equipment, consult the manufacturers recommendations in conjunction with the Australian Standards and relevant government legislation. All Safe Work Procedures are written in Microsoft Word format and can be easily implemented into your current OH&S System.
Safe Work Method
Statements are designed to provide safety guidance for a specific work activity.
No matter what trade or trades you do they can can develop safe work method
statements to suit. They try to keep them simple, compliant and easy to follow
and include pictures. They can develop SWMS for workers with a poor understanding of english.
OHS Documents Australia
- OH&S documentation for your small business.
OHS Docs specialise in Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS), which are sometimes called Job Safety Analysis (JSA).
These are the documents that your small business presents to a principal
contractor to explain how you will safely carry out your work. They also have a full range of other supporting documents to suit your needs.
Training
WRITING SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENTS – Australian Federation of Employers and Industries
This course enables participants to develop and write safe work method statements (SWMS).
Designed For
Principal contractors, sub-contractors and workplace (construction) safety officers.
Content
The topics covered in this course include:
- Key components of SWMS
- General guidelines for preparing SWMS
- OHS risk management
- Consultation requirements for preparing SWMS
- Establishing relationships between SWMS, OHS risk management, consultation and tool box meetings.
Award
A Certificate of Attendance will be issued at the completion of the course.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of the course participants should be able to:
- Outline the elements required for conclusion in SWMS
- Outline the requirements to provide SWMS to all workers engaging in construction work
- Explain the legal requirement for SWMS to contain OHS risk management information
- Explain how SWMS can be used to program work
Duration of Course
Half Day 9.00am- 12.30pm
Course Fee (GST Free)
Fee Member AUD $180
Fee Non Member AUD $200
Other Details
Fee includes afternoon tea and course materials.
Master Builders Training
| Introduction to Safe Work Method Statements | |||
| Date : TBA Time : 08:15-12:30 Location : Port Macquarie MBA Office | |||
Course AimTo provide the knowledge and skills to implement effective safe work method statements in construction environments. Who should attend?
Topics
Duration: 4 hours Register for this program | |||
For more on Work Method Statements Click Here
How do you develop your own WORK METHOD STATEMENTS
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Fully agree with Rick. Too many people confuse JSAs and SWMS as being one and same. A JSA usually looks at what sequence of steps are occurring during a defined work procedure. A SWMS is a documented risk assessment and needs to be considered as a living document which is reviewed regularly to ensure the control measures remain current. A JSA, manufacturer’s instructions, MSDS and OHS regulations etc can be used to inform and build the development of a SWMS.
Whoa – keep your shirt on Rick. I wouldn’t get too concerned about nomenclature and if you do a Google search you will find Safe Operating Procedures referred to quite often in legislation and by regulatory authorities in many states. How to do something properly and how to do it safely should never be two separate documents. The more we stop getting hung up over the letter of the law (which is no longer as prescriptive as it used to be anyway) and the more we realise that safety is just integral with everything we do, the less the people at the front end are going to construe it as a paperwork driven administrative bum covering exercise.
Your document “Safe Work Method Statement – A basic explanation” is dangerously mixed up – at least, under the Western Australian OSH Act. The terms ‘Safe Work Method Statement’, ‘Safe Operating Procedure’, and ‘Job Safety Analysis’ are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE.
In point of fact, I have yet to discover any legislative basis for the existence of Safe Operating Procedures. The term appears to be a corruption of the term ‘Standard Operating Procedure’, probably propagated by those who misuse the Behavioural-based Safety concept construing it as a means to blame the worker for an accident. In its most useful form it is a mini Workshop Manual and is concerned with how the job is done, not PRIMARILY with safety issues.
A Job Safety Analysis is an investigation report. It is a document which is used to produce a SWMS. Workers do not have to sign on to one.
IMHO:
1. Burn all SOPs!
2. Use JSAs for the purpose for which they were created.
3. Read the legislation and don’t stretch it.
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