Blocklaying with Core Fill SWMS
SWMS template for blocklaying with core fill. Covers Reo placement, block-laying, pump core fill.. 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.
Blocklaying with core fill is a structural masonry activity where reinforcing steel is placed inside hollow concrete blocks, the wall is laid in lifts, and grout or concrete is pumped into the cores to create a reinforced masonry element. The work combines repetitive manual handling of 15–20 kg blocks, exposure to respirable crystalline silica from cutting and dry mortar handling, elevated work from trestles or scaffolds, and pressurised line work during the core fill pump. Under WHS Regulation 2011 r291, work performed at heights above 2 m, work involving structural alterations requiring temporary support, and work with a risk of falls all constitute High Risk Construction Work, triggering a mandatory Safe Work Method Statement before work commences. This SWMS sets out the hazard identification, the hierarchy of controls, and the consultation record required for the PCBU to discharge its primary duty under s19 of the WHS Act and its specific HRCW duties under r299–r300.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Chronic exposure causes accelerated silicosis, lung cancer and irreversible pulmonary fibrosis requiring transplant or causing death
Cumulative lumbar disc injury, rotator cuff tears and permanent musculoskeletal disability ending the worker's trade career
Fractures, spinal injury, traumatic brain injury or fatality from falls onto reinforcement starter bars or slab
Penetrating trauma to torso, abdomen or limbs causing massive haemorrhage, organ damage or death on impact
Full-thickness alkaline burns, chromate sensitisation and chronic contact dermatitis preventing return to trade work
High-velocity ejection of grout causing eye injury, blunt trauma, fractures or fatal head strike from hose movement
Crush injury, asphyxiation under collapsed masonry and grout, multiple fatalities if workers struck by falling lift
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Specify pre-cut block sizes from the supplier and pre-bent reinforcement cages to eliminate on-site silica cutting and bar bending at the workface entirely.
- 2Elimination — Eliminate top-of-wall work above 2 m by sequencing core fill before final lift wherever the structural engineer's pour plan permits.
- 3Substitution — Substitute dry-cut abrasive sawing with wet-cut masonry saws fitted with integrated water suppression to AS 2436 reducing silica exposure below the 0.05 mg/m³ WES.
- 4Substitution — Substitute hand-mixed mortar with pre-batched silo-delivered mortar to remove dry cement powder handling and bag tipping at the workface.
- 5Engineering — Install proprietary modular blockwork scaffold with 450 mm working platform, mid-rail, top-rail and toeboards complying with AS/NZS 1576 before commencing courses above 1.5 m.
- 6Engineering — Cap all vertical starter bars with engineered mushroom caps tested to AS 3610 impalement protection standard before any work proceeds above the slab.
- 7Engineering — Brace blockwork walls with proprietary acrow props and waling at maximum 1.2 m lift intervals before pumping core fill, in accordance with the engineer's temporary works design.
- 8Administrative — Limit pour lift height to 1.5 m, rest blockwork minimum 24 hours before core filling, and rotate cutting operators on 2-hour cycles to manage cumulative silica and manual handling exposure.
- 9Administrative — Conduct documented pre-start toolbox talk reviewing this SWMS, pump line pressure test certificate, and exclusion zone of 3 m around the discharge hose during placement.
- 10PPE — Issue P2 half-face respirators (or PAPR for sustained cutting), impact safety glasses, nitrile-lined chemical gloves, long sleeves, hi-vis, and steel-cap boots per AS/NZS 1715, 1337, 2161 and 2210.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Triggers mandatory fall prevention hierarchy for all blockwork above 2 m including scaffold over ladders and edge protection during top-course laying.
Requires air monitoring, on-tool water suppression and health monitoring for workers cutting concrete blocks above the 0.05 mg/m³ workplace exposure standard.
Requires risk assessment of repetitive block lifting and implementation of mechanical aids, weight limits and team-lift protocols for masonry units.
Mandates line pressure testing, secured boom and hose restraints, qualified pump operator and exclusion zones during core fill placement operations.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Laying upper block courses, placing reinforcement and discharging core fill from scaffold platforms regularly exposes workers to fall heights exceeding 2 metres.
Cutting concrete blocks, handling dry mortar and cleaning mortar splatter generates respirable crystalline silica above the workplace exposure standard during routine task execution.
Un-cured reinforced blockwork walls require engineered propping and bracing during the core fill pour to prevent wet-grout pressure causing structural collapse.
PCBU must prepare, consult workers on, and retain this SWMS for the duration of the HRCW plus two years post-incident; penalties are substantial and indexed annually under the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Licensed bricklaying and blocklaying subcontractors on commercial builds
- →Principal contractors managing reinforced masonry structural walls
- →Concrete pumping operators servicing core fill placements
- →Residential builders constructing block retaining and basement walls
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
On a four-unit townhouse project, a blocklaying crew is starting Day 3 — pumping core fill into the ground floor party wall reinforced blockwork. The leading hand opens this SWMS at the 6:45 am pre-start under the site shed awning. Walking through the hazard register, the crew flags that overnight rain has left the scaffold platform wet, so the fall control row is amended in pen: non-slip matting laid before pump commences, and the platform is squeegeed and inspected. The pump operator confirms the line pressure test certificate is dated yesterday and the 3 m exclusion zone is marked with bunting. The reinforcement check identifies two starter bars in grid line C without mushroom caps — work is paused, the apprentice fits caps from the site supply, and the SWMS impalement control is signed off. Each worker signs the sign-on register acknowledging the silica control (P2 respirators, no dry cutting today as all cuts were pre-made), the manual handling rotation (15-minute breaks every 2 hours), and the wall bracing (acrows at 1.2 m verified by the leading hand against the engineer's temporary works sketch). Mid-pour, a hose kink causes a pressure spike; the operator signals stop, the crew steps outside the exclusion zone per the SWMS pump line whip control, and work resumes only after the blockage is cleared and the line is re-purged into the spoil bin.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces CoP