Orchard Pruning / Harvesting SWMS
SWMS template for orchard pruning / harvesting. Covers Tree fruit + nut harvest, orchard ladders.. 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.
Orchard pruning and harvesting of tree fruit and nut crops exposes seasonal and permanent workers to a distinct cluster of agricultural hazards — falls from orchard ladders, repetitive upper-limb strain from secateurs and picking bags, sun and heat exposure across long shifts, and contact with pruning tools and powered cutting heads. Because pruning and picking activity routinely involves work at height above two metres on tripod and platform ladders, this scope sits within the High Risk Work definitions under WHS Regulation 2011 r291 and the equivalent state instruments, triggering a mandatory Safe Work Method Statement before work commences. A documented SWMS is also required by the Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice and is routinely demanded by Freshcare, SQF and major retailer audits. This template gives orchard PCBUs a CIH-reviewed, editable, jurisdiction-neutral document that workers can sign on to each season and supervisors can update block-by-block as varieties, ladder types and crew composition change.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Fractures, spinal injury or fatality; notifiable incident triggering regulator investigation and potential PCBU prosecution under WHS Act s32
Lateral epicondylitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and rotator cuff injury producing long-term workers compensation claims and lost-time injuries
Heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration collapse and cumulative non-melanoma skin cancer across seasonal workforce
Deep hand and forearm lacerations, tendon severance and amputations requiring surgical repair and rehabilitation
Lumbar disc injury, sprains and strains contributing to musculoskeletal claims that dominate horticulture compensation data
Anaphylaxis, envenomation and dermal organophosphate absorption breaching re-entry intervals under APVMA label conditions
Crush injury or fatality from being run over or pinned between bin trailer and tree trunk during high-density picking
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — design new plantings as pedestrian or platform-accessible trellis systems (2D, Tatura, V-trellis) that eliminate ladder use entirely for pruning and harvest.
- 2Elimination — schedule pruning and harvest during cooler morning and late-afternoon windows to remove exposure to peak UV and ambient temperatures above 35°C.
- 3Substitution — replace timber single-pole ladders with engineered aluminium orchard tripod ladders compliant with AS/NZS 1892.1 with a stabilised third leg.
- 4Substitution — substitute manual secateurs with battery-powered electric pruners (Felco, Pellenc) reducing grip force by up to 70% and cumulative repetitive strain.
- 5Engineering — deploy self-propelled orchard platforms with guardrails meeting AS/NZS 1657 for upper-canopy pruning, eliminating ladder falls above 2 metres.
- 6Engineering — fit picking bags with quick-release torso harnesses and ergonomic shoulder padding to distribute load across the trapezius and reduce lumbar shear.
- 7Administrative — implement work-rest cycles per the Managing the Risk of Heat Stress CoP, mandatory hydration breaks every 30 minutes above WBGT 28°C.
- 8Administrative — verify pesticide re-entry intervals against the spray diary and APVMA label before any worker enters a treated block for pruning or harvest.
- 9Administrative — conduct documented pre-start SWMS sign-on each shift covering ladder placement, row vehicle movements, snake awareness and emergency muster point.
- 10PPE — issue and enforce broadbrim hats, UPF50+ long-sleeve shirts, SPF50+ sunscreen, cut-resistant gloves (EN 388 level 3+), safety glasses and enclosed footwear.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates SWMS, fall-prevention hierarchy and ladder controls for all work at height above 2m, directly governing orchard ladder use during pruning and picking.
Sets construction, load and stability specifications for orchard tripod ladders; non-compliant ladders cannot be used as engineering control under PCBU duty of care.
Triggers risk assessment and control of repetitive secateur use, bag carrying and bin lifting under WHS Regulation r60, requiring documented controls in this SWMS.
Establishes PCBU duty to control thermal environment, provide shade, potable water and rest facilities during outdoor agricultural work in peak summer harvest.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Pruning and harvesting upper canopy of mature apple, stonefruit and nut trees routinely places workers above 2m on orchard ladders and platforms.
Picking and pruning involves thousands of repetitive cuts, overhead reaches and sustained pinch grip across 8–10 hour shifts during peak harvest.
PCBU must prepare, consult workers on, and retain the SWMS for the duration of work plus two years (or until incident closure). Penalties for non-compliance are substantial and indexed; current maximum follows the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Orchard owners and farm managers running pome, stonefruit or nut blocks
- →Labour-hire contractors supplying seasonal harvest crews
- →Horticulture supervisors and pruning leading hands
- →Agribusiness HSE managers preparing for Freshcare and SQF audits
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 mid-density Pink Lady apple orchard during late-March harvest, the leading hand gathers a crew of twelve seasonal pickers — eight returning workers and four new arrivals — at the packing shed at 6:15am for the pre-start brief. She opens this SWMS on a tablet and walks the crew through the day's specific risks: row 14 was sprayed with a fungicide 96 hours earlier so the re-entry interval is cleared; the forecast is 36°C by 1pm so the heat-stress work-rest cycle activates from 11am with mandatory 15-minute shaded breaks every 30 minutes. She points to the ladder-placement control and demonstrates correct tripod stabilisation on the irrigated, soft southern headland. Each worker signs the SWMS register, including the four newcomers who receive supplementary toolbox instruction on bag-harness release. Mid-shift, the supervisor observes one picker overreaching from the second-top rung of a 3.6m tripod ladder to grasp fruit at the canopy top — a direct breach of the SWMS ladder control. She halts the row, conducts a documented dynamic risk reassessment, swaps the worker to a self-propelled platform for the upper canopy, and annotates the SWMS daily log. The amended control is briefed to the full crew at the afternoon hydration break, demonstrating the SWMS functioning as a live, on-site risk management tool rather than a filed document.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces CoP