Boat Slipway / Dry Dock Operations SWMS
SWMS template for boat slipway / dry dock operations. Covers Vessel slipping, antifouling, out-of-water survey.. 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.
Boat slipway and dry dock operations involve hauling vessels out of water onto cradles or marine railways, supporting them on blocks and shores, and conducting hull works including antifouling removal and reapplication, out-of-water surveys, anode replacement and underwater fitting inspections. The work combines mechanical hazards from winches, wires and cradles with chemical exposure to copper and zinc-based biocides, work at height on staging around the hull, and confined space entry into ballast tanks and void spaces. Under WHS Regulation 2011 r291 this constitutes high risk construction work because it involves work at heights exceeding 2 metres on hull staging, use of hazardous chemicals classified under the GHS, and structural work on vessels that may collapse if blocking fails. A documented SWMS is mandatory before work commences, must be prepared in consultation with workers under s47, and must be available for inspection by the regulator throughout the duration of the work.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Crush fatalities, catastrophic hull damage, secondary injuries to adjacent workers and significant prosecution exposure under WHS Act s31
Acute dermatitis, chronic respiratory sensitisation, heavy metal bioaccumulation and aquatic environmental contamination breaching EPL conditions
Fatal head and spinal injuries from impact with concrete hardstand, fractured limbs and crush injuries against keel blocks
Runaway vessel, struck-by fatalities, equipment destruction and prolonged facility shutdown pending engineering reassessment
Asphyxiation, hydrocarbon poisoning, ignition of flammable atmospheres and rescuer fatalities in unmonitored entries
Fire, explosion of vapour-rich compartments, severe burns and total loss of vessel and slipway infrastructure
Acute lumbar disc injuries, crush injuries to hands and feet, and chronic musculoskeletal disorders requiring workers compensation claims
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Eliminate solvent-based antifouling reapplication by specifying water-based or silicone foul-release coatings where vessel owner and class society permit, removing biocide exposure entirely.
- 2Elimination — Eliminate hot work over fuel tanks by cold-cutting plating with hydraulic shears or abrasive water jet, removing ignition sources from hydrocarbon-rich zones.
- 3Substitution — Substitute high-pressure water blasting (3000+ bar) for dry sanding of antifouling to suppress airborne biocide dust per AS/NZS 4360 hazard reduction principles.
- 4Substitution — Substitute aluminium adjustable shoring jacks for traditional timber wedges to provide calibrated load support and eliminate split-timber failure modes.
- 5Engineering — Install fixed engineered hull staging with toeboards, midrails and top rails compliant with AS/NZS 1576, with edge protection certified for the specific vessel beam.
- 6Engineering — Operate slipway winch through dual-brake system with proof-tested wire rope inspected per AS 2759 before every haul, with emergency stop accessible from cradle deck.
- 7Administrative — Conduct daily pre-start SWMS sign-on, blocking plan review against vessel docking drawings, and atmospheric testing of all confined spaces per AS 2865 before entry permits issue.
- 8Administrative — Restrict antifouling application to licensed applicators holding current SDS training, with exclusion zones marked and downwind air monitoring per the Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice.
- 9PPE — Issue full-face powered air-purifying respirators with A2-P3 cartridges, chemical-resistant coveralls (Type 4/5), nitrile gauntlets and impervious overboots during all antifouling works.
- 10PPE — Provide fall-arrest harnesses with twin lanyards anchored to engineered hull staging anchor points, plus hard hats, safety eyewear and steel-capped boots compliant with AS/NZS 2210.3.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates SWMS preparation, consultation and review for high risk construction work including work at heights above 2 metres on hull staging.
Specifies engineered edge protection, anchor point certification and rescue planning for hull staging exceeding 2 metres above hardstand.
Requires SDS register, exposure monitoring and health surveillance for workers handling copper and zinc biocides in antifouling systems.
Triggers entry permit system, atmospheric testing and standby rescue arrangements for ballast tanks, voids and chain lockers.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Hull staging, transom platforms and scaffold towers around vessels typically range from 3 to 8 metres above the hardstand surface.
Out-of-water surveys require entry to ballast tanks, fuel voids and chain lockers meeting the AS 2865 confined space definition.
Antifouling removal and application exposes workers to GHS-classified biocides, isocyanate primers and solvent-based thinners during routine slipway cycles.
PCBU must prepare, consult workers on, and retain the SWMS for the duration of work plus two years after any notifiable incident; penalties are substantial and indexed annually under the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Slipway operators and marine railway facility managers
- →Commercial shipwrights and antifouling contractors
- →Naval architects supervising out-of-water surveys
- →Marina and boatyard PCBUs hosting third-party trades
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 regional commercial slipway, the dock master is preparing to haul out a 22-metre steel-hulled fishing trawler for biennial survey and antifouling renewal. At 0630 the supervisor convenes the pre-start brief on the hardstand and tables the Boat Slipway / Dry Dock Operations SWMS alongside the vessel's docking plan. Walking through hazard one, the team confirms the blocking layout matches the trawler's keel structure and that aluminium shoring jacks have been proof-loaded. The shipwright flags that the previous antifouling contains cuprous oxide, so the SWMS control requiring PAPR respirators and Type 4/5 coveralls is reinforced and downwind air monitoring positions are pegged out. A subcontract painter signs the SWMS attendance register and produces evidence of current licensed applicator training as the document requires. Mid-morning, atmospheric testing of the forepeak void returns 18.2% oxygen — below the AS 2865 threshold. The supervisor halts confined space entry, returns to the SWMS confined space control, initiates mechanical ventilation and reissues the entry permit only after retesting confirms 20.9%. The change is recorded as a SWMS amendment, workers re-sign the revised document, and the regulator's inspector copy in the site office is updated. The SWMS functions as the live operational reference rather than a filing-cabinet artefact, directly preventing an asphyxiation incident.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces CoP