Apiary / Beekeeping Operations SWMS

Apiary and beekeeping operations expose workers to a distinctive combination of biological, ergonomic and fall hazards that demand structured risk control. Tasks covered by this Safe Work Method Statement include hive inspection, frame removal, honey extraction, swarm management, queen introduction, supering, and apiary site establishment and maintenance. Under WHS Regulation 2025 and the harmonised state regulations, a PCBU conducting commercial apiary work must document hazard identification, risk assessment and control measures before work commences, particularly where workers face anaphylaxis risk from bee stings, manual handling injuries from full supers, and falls from elevated hive stands or rooftop apiaries. A SWMS is mandatory where the work meets the High Risk Construction Work definition in r291 (work at height above 2m, in confined apiary structures, or where biological agents may cause sensitisation). This template provides a CIH-reviewed framework aligned with the Australian Beekeeping Code of Practice and AS/NZS 4360 risk management principles.

Hazards identified

7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.

1. 1Elimination — Remove rooftop and elevated hive placements where ground-level apiary sites with all-weather vehicle access can achieve equivalent forage outcomes.
2. 2Elimination — Pre-screen all workers for bee venom hypersensitivity via medical clearance before assignment, excluding sensitised individuals from direct hive handling duties.
3. 3Substitution — Replace traditional 10-frame full-depth supers with 8-frame manley or ideal supers to reduce per-lift mass below 20kg threshold.
4. 4Substitution — Use electric uncapping machines and motorised radial extractors in place of manual uncapping knives and hand-cranked extractors wherever throughput permits.
5. 5Engineering — Install mechanical hive lifters, trolley-mounted super carriers and height-adjustable extraction benches to eliminate awkward postures during loading and processing.
6. 6Engineering — Provide ventilated bee suits with integrated cooling vests, fitted veils with stainless mesh, and sealed glove cuffs tested against AS/NZS 2161 standards.
7. 7Administrative — Schedule heavy lifting and inspection tasks for early morning when bee aggression and ambient temperature are lowest; enforce buddy system within line-of-sight.
8. 8Administrative — Maintain documented adrenaline auto-injector (EpiPen) protocol, in-date stock at each apiary site, and current first aid training to HLTAID011 for all field workers.
9. 9PPE — Issue full ventilated bee suit, sting-proof gloves, enclosed leather boots with elastic gaiters, and wide-brim veil compliant with apiary industry specifications.
10. 10PPE — Provide cut-resistant gloves rated EN388 Level 5 for uncapping and extraction tasks, plus safety eyewear to AS/NZS 1337.1 against honey and wax splash.

Applicable Codes of Practice

Worked example

At a 240-hive commercial apiary site in a regional canola pollination contract, the field supervisor opens the pre-start brief at 6:15am beside the work ute. The SWMS is laid out on the tailgate alongside the site risk register. The supervisor walks the three-person crew through each documented hazard, starting with anaphylaxis — confirming the EpiPen kit is in-date, the satellite communicator is paired, and asking each worker to verbally confirm no new bee sting reactions since the last shift. Moving to manual handling, the crew identifies that two of the southern row hives are now four supers high after a strong honey flow, exceeding the safe lifting threshold in the SWMS. The supervisor selects the engineering control: the mechanical hive lifter is unloaded from the trailer before any inspection begins. During the sign-on, one worker discloses mild dehydration from the previous day; the administrative control of mandatory hourly water breaks is reinforced and a buddy check is scheduled. Mid-morning, ambient temperature rises faster than forecast to 34°C. The supervisor pauses work, references the heat stress control in the SWMS, and shifts remaining inspections to the shaded eastern apiary block. The SWMS is annotated with the variation, signed by all three workers, and filed for the compliance record.

Related legislation

• WHS Act 2011 (model)
• WHS Regulation 2025
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces CoP

Frequently asked questions