Apiary / Beekeeping Operations SWMS
SWMS template for apiary / beekeeping operations. Covers Hive inspection, honey extraction, apiary site work.. 8-state AU coverage, CIH-reviewed editable DOCX, available as an instant download.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
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.
Rapid systemic IgE-mediated reaction causing airway obstruction, cardiovascular collapse and death without immediate adrenaline administration
Acute lumbar disc prolapse, chronic lower back injury and shoulder rotator cuff tears requiring surgical intervention
Fractures, traumatic brain injury or fatality from falls exceeding 2m onto hard substrate or apiary equipment
Second and third-degree thermal burns to hands and forearms, plus bushfire ignition liability under state fire regulations
Heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration and cognitive impairment leading to secondary incidents and worker collapse
Deep tendon and nerve lacerations to hands requiring microsurgical repair and prolonged rehabilitation
Respiratory sensitisation, occupational asthma and regulatory quarantine obligations under state apiary biosecurity legislation
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Remove rooftop and elevated hive placements where ground-level apiary sites with all-weather vehicle access can achieve equivalent forage outcomes.
- 2Elimination — Pre-screen all workers for bee venom hypersensitivity via medical clearance before assignment, excluding sensitised individuals from direct hive handling duties.
- 3Substitution — Replace traditional 10-frame full-depth supers with 8-frame manley or ideal supers to reduce per-lift mass below 20kg threshold.
- 4Substitution — Use electric uncapping machines and motorised radial extractors in place of manual uncapping knives and hand-cranked extractors wherever throughput permits.
- 5Engineering — Install mechanical hive lifters, trolley-mounted super carriers and height-adjustable extraction benches to eliminate awkward postures during loading and processing.
- 6Engineering — Provide ventilated bee suits with integrated cooling vests, fitted veils with stainless mesh, and sealed glove cuffs tested against AS/NZS 2161 standards.
- 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.
- 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.
- 9PPE — Issue full ventilated bee suit, sting-proof gloves, enclosed leather boots with elastic gaiters, and wide-brim veil compliant with apiary industry specifications.
- 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
Triggers mandatory SWMS where apiary tasks involve work at height above 2m on elevated stands, rooftops or vehicle-mounted hive platforms.
Requires risk assessment and control of repetitive super lifting, awkward postures during frame removal and sustained forceful exertion during extraction.
Governs anchor points and harness systems where workers access rooftop apiaries or elevated hive structures exceeding the 2m fall threshold.
Mandates hydration, rest breaks and acclimatisation protocols where full bee suits elevate core temperature in field conditions exceeding 28°C.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Rooftop apiary inspections, elevated hive stands and ladder access to top supers regularly position workers above the 2m fall threshold.
Direct bee handling exposes workers to apitoxin venom and hive-borne allergens capable of inducing fatal IgE-mediated systemic reactions.
Repetitive lifting of 25-40kg honey supers from low and elevated positions constitutes high-force manual handling under Schedule 1 criteria.
PCBU must document the SWMS, consult affected workers under s47-49, retain records for the project duration plus two years, and produce on inspector request. Penalties for Category 1 breaches are substantial and indexed; current maximum follows the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Commercial apiarists and migratory beekeeping operators
- →Honey processing and extraction facility supervisors
- →Agricultural pollination service contractors
- →Hobbyist association trainers running paid workshops
What you receive
- ✓Editable DOCX template — Microsoft Word compatible
- ✓State-specific WHS legislation schedule (NSW/VIC/QLD/SA/WA/TAS/NT/ACT)
- ✓Hazard register with risk ratings + hierarchy-of-control mapping
- ✓Worker sign-on register, pre-start checklist, and incident escalation flow
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