Asphalt Paver Operations SWMS
Asphalt paver (spreader) operation covers hopper loading from haul trucks, screed temperature management, hot-mix exposure controls (180°C+ surface), tow chain and emulsion handling, and mat thickness verification.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Asphalt paver operations covers the operation of the asphalt paver — running the self-propelled paving machine that places and screeds the hot asphalt during road construction and resurfacing. The defining hazards are the powered mobile plant and its moving parts, the burns from the hot asphalt and screed, the interaction with trucks feeding the paver and with workers, and the road traffic. This document is written on the basis that asphalt paver operations are carried out by a competent operator with the plant, hot-asphalt, feeding and traffic controls in place.
Asphalt paver operations are carried out as construction work in connection with the plant and traffic requirements, with the paver operated safely, the burns from the hot asphalt and screed managed, the feeding trucks and workers managed around the paver, and the road traffic managed. Because the work is in an area of powered mobile plant movement and on or adjacent to a live road, it is high risk construction work. The plant, the hot asphalt, the feeding and workers, and the traffic are the considerations. This document coordinates the plant, hot-asphalt, feeding and traffic controls so the asphalt paver operations are carried out safely.
Hazards identified
9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Crush and entanglement from the paver and its moving parts
Severe burns from the hot asphalt and the heated screed
Crush and collision from the trucks feeding the paver
Crush and run-over of workers around the paver
Being struck by road traffic on or adjacent to a live road
Run-over from the paver reversing and manoeuvring
Burns from the hot surfaces and the screed
Hearing and respiratory harm from noise and fumes
Entanglement in the augers and conveyors on the paver
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Engineering: use the road and civil plant — pavers, rollers, profilers, graders, rigs and trucks — safely to the plant requirements and the manufacturer's instructions, with guarding, pre-operational checks, competent operators and the plant maintained.
- 2PPE: protect against burns from hot bitumen and asphalt, which is applied hot and causes severe burns, with heat-resistant gloves, long protective clothing and face protection, and if hot bitumen contacts the skin flush immediately with water and do not attempt to remove it, seeking immediate medical attention.
- 3Engineering: manage the trucks feeding the paver with a procedure, communication and a spotter, and keep workers clear of the paver, augers and conveyors.
- 4Engineering: separate pedestrians and powered mobile plant with designated routes, exclusion zones, spotters and a traffic management plan, because pedestrian and plant interaction is a leading cause of serious injury on civil sites.
- 5Engineering: manage the road traffic with a traffic management plan and traffic guidance scheme, accredited traffic controllers, signage, barriers and speed reduction, separating the workers and plant from the live traffic, because working on or near a live road is a serious hazard.
- 6Engineering: manage the paver reversing and manoeuvring with a procedure, cameras and a spotter.
- 7Administrative: manage the hot surfaces and screed, and the noise and fumes from the operation.
- 8Administrative: because the work is on, in or adjacent to a road or traffic corridor in use by traffic other than pedestrians, prepare a SWMS for the high risk construction work before it commences, with the traffic management implemented.
- 9Administrative: because the work is carried out in an area in which there is movement of powered mobile plant, prepare a SWMS for the high risk construction work before it commences, with the pedestrian and plant separation implemented.
- 10Administrative: all workers must hold a valid White Card (General Construction Induction Training, CPCCWHS1001), with the plant tickets, traffic control accreditation, confined space, and other competencies required for the work.
- 11Administrative: conduct a pre-start toolbox talk covering the day's work, identified hazards, the traffic and plant movements, required PPE and emergency procedures, and record attendance in the consultation section.
- 12Administrative: consult workers and any health and safety representatives on the work and its risks, record the consultation, and keep this document available at the workplace.
- 13PPE: high-visibility clothing to AS/NZS 4602.1, eye protection, hearing protection where required, gloves appropriate to the task, and Class I or Class II safety footwear with protective toecap to AS/NZS 2210.3.
- 14Administrative: review and update this SWMS whenever the work scope changes, after any incident or near miss, when a worker or health and safety representative raises a concern, when new hazards are identified, or at minimum every 12 months.
- 15Administrative: confirm the work is completed safely, the excavation, plant and area are left in a safe condition, and the site is secured.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Controls for the road and civil plant, rigs, rollers and pavers used in the work, including guarding and safe operation.
The separation of workers and plant from live road traffic, traffic guidance schemes and traffic control.
The general construction work duties for the civil road work, including the SWMS and principal contractor duties.
Management of the bitumen, paints, solvents and fuels, including safety data sheets and exposure controls.
The risk management process and hierarchy of controls applied to the hazards of the work.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
The work is carried out in an area in which there is movement of powered mobile plant such as pavers, rollers and profilers, which is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS before the work commences.
Roadworks are carried out on or adjacent to a road in use by traffic other than pedestrians, which is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS and a traffic management plan before the work commences.
This is civil construction work that, in the circumstances described, is high risk construction work — involving in an area at a workplace in which there is movement of powered mobile plant; on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor in use by traffic other than pedestrians — so a SWMS must be prepared before the work commences, kept readily accessible, reviewed as necessary, and given to the principal contractor if one is appointed. The work is carried out in connection with the relevant construction, excavation, traffic, plant and other requirements, with the controls for the specific hazards applied. A failure in this work can cause a fatal trench collapse, traffic, plant, fall, gas or other serious injury, and breaches of the relevant legislation and the primary duty of care under the model WHS Act are actively enforced, with offence categories running from failure-to-comply through to reckless conduct, and the most serious breaches carrying imprisonment for individuals. Body-corporate maxima are substantial and indexed; the current maximum follows the prevailing schedule of the responsible regulator.
Who this is for
- →Asphalt paver operators.
- →Road construction and surfacing contractors.
- →Civil and road construction businesses.
- →Councils and PCBUs requiring asphalt paving.
- →PCBU safety managers and supervisors coordinating the plant, hot-asphalt and traffic controls.
What you receive
- ✓Editable Microsoft Word document (.docx) fully compatible with Microsoft Word 2016 and newer, Google Docs, and LibreOffice Writer.
- ✓Title page with editable fields for PCBU name, ABN, site or project address, work description, principal contractor details, and document revision date.
- ✓Hazard register with the asphalt paver operations hazards — each with a documented consequence, inherent risk rating on a 5x5 likelihood-consequence matrix, hierarchy-of-control measures, and residual risk rating.
- ✓Asphalt paver prompts referencing the plant and traffic Codes of Practice, a powered-mobile-plant section, a hot-asphalt and screed section, and a truck-feeding and traffic record.
- ✓Licensing and competency prompts for the plant, traffic control, confined space and other work, and a plant pre-operational and inspection checklist where relevant.
- ✓Worker consultation record per the model WHS Act consultation duty and a worker sign-on register (blank, expandable).
- ✓Applicable legislation and Codes of Practice schedule pre-populated for the model WHS jurisdiction with a state-variance reference table covering the harmonised states, plus Victoria.
- ✓Emergency procedure template and a revision log.
Worked example
A competent operator is engaged to run the asphalt paver during a resurfacing job. The paver is operated safely to the plant requirements, with pre-operational checks, and workers kept clear of the paver, augers and conveyors. The burns from the hot asphalt and heated screed are managed with heat-resistant gloves, protective clothing and face protection, with the bitumen-burn first aid in place. The trucks feeding the paver are managed with a procedure, communication and a spotter. Pedestrians and the plant are separated. The road traffic is managed with a traffic management plan and accredited traffic controllers. The paver reversing and manoeuvring are managed with a procedure, cameras and a spotter. Because the work is in an area of powered mobile plant movement and on a live road, a SWMS is prepared for the high risk construction work. The hot surfaces, noise and fumes are managed. The paving operation is completed, and the records retained.
Related legislation
- Model Work Health and Safety Act — primary duty of care; the duty to consult workers; the reckless-conduct offence; and notifiable-incident provisions, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
- Model Work Health and Safety Regulations — the construction work, excavation, plant, traffic, confined spaces and falls provisions, and the Section 291 high risk construction work and SWMS duties, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
- The construction work, excavation work, confined spaces and falls Codes of Practice, the traffic management guidance, and the relevant standards such as AS 5100 for bridges and AS 4678 for retaining structures, are called up by the relevant safety legislation for the civil road work.
- Essential services information is obtained through Before You Dig Australia for underground assets and the Look Up and Live information for overhead assets before excavating; plant operation, traffic control and confined space work require the relevant licences, accreditations and competencies.
- Victoria operates under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, with the construction, excavation, plant and high risk construction work provisions applying in place of the model instruments.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main hazard operating an asphalt paver?
The hazards are the powered mobile plant and its moving parts, the burns from the hot asphalt and screed, the trucks feeding the paver, the workers around the paver, and the road traffic. These are managed with the plant, hot-asphalt, feeding and traffic controls.
Is asphalt paver operation high risk construction work?
Yes — it is carried out in an area of powered mobile plant movement and on or adjacent to a live road, both of which are high risk construction work requiring a SWMS before the work commences. The paver operation triggers the powered-mobile-plant and traffic-corridor high risk construction work categories.
How are the feeding trucks managed?
The trucks feeding the paver are managed with a procedure, communication and a spotter, and workers kept clear of the paver, augers and conveyors. Managing the feeding trucks and keeping workers clear controls the crush and entanglement hazards around the paver.
What are the entanglement hazards on a paver?
The augers and conveyors on the paver present an entanglement hazard, so workers are kept clear of them, and the paver operated safely with guarding. Keeping workers clear of the augers and conveyors prevents entanglement in the paver.
Who operates the asphalt paver?
Asphalt paver operations are carried out by a competent operator in connection with the plant and traffic requirements, with the plant, hot-asphalt, feeding and traffic controls, and a SWMS for the high risk construction work. The paver is operated with the plant, hot asphalt and traffic managed.