Expansion Joint Installation SWMS
SWMS template for expansion joint installation. Covers Carpark + bridge joints, epoxy / metal joints.. 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.
Expansion joint installation in carparks, bridge decks and trafficable slabs involves cutting out existing joint material, preparing substrates, mixing two-part epoxies or polysulfide sealants, and bedding metal joint profiles or compression seals into the prepared chase. The work routinely exposes installers to silica dust from saw-cutting, isocyanate and amine sensitisers in epoxy components, manual handling injuries from lifting heavy joint profiles, and traffic risk where joints are installed in live or partially live carparks and bridge structures. Under WHS Regulation 2011 r291 this work is classified as High Risk Construction Work because it is performed on or adjacent to a road or railway used by traffic other than pedestrians, frequently involves work at heights on bridges, and uses hazardous chemical products. A Safe Work Method Statement must be prepared, consulted on with workers, and held on site before work commences, and must be reviewed if controls fail or scope changes. This SWMS template covers epoxy nosing joints, metal extruded joints and compression seals across carpark and bridge applications nationally.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Silicosis, accelerated lung fibrosis, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — irreversible and notifiable occupational disease
Permanent occupational dermatitis, occupational asthma and lifelong cross-reactivity preventing further work with epoxies
Fatal or critical crush injuries, traumatic amputation and notifiable incident requiring immediate regulator notification
Acute lumbar disc injury, shoulder impingement and cumulative musculoskeletal disorders requiring surgical intervention
Fatal fall, multi-trauma fractures and notifiable incident under WHS Regulation Schedule 5
Hand-arm vibration syndrome, vascular and neurological damage to fingers and reduced grip capacity
Full-thickness burns to hands and forearms, inhalation injury from bitumen fume and asphalt exposure
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Schedule joint installation during full carpark or bridge lane closures so all vehicle traffic is removed from the work zone for the full installation and cure window.
- 2Elimination — Specify pre-formed factory-cured joint cartridges where design permits, removing on-site epoxy mixing and exotherm exposure entirely from the work sequence.
- 3Substitution — Select low-VOC, MDI-free epoxy systems with amine-adduct hardeners rated below 0.1% free isocyanate per the safety data sheet to reduce sensitisation potential.
- 4Substitution — Replace dry abrasive cutting with wet-cut diamond blade systems using continuous water suppression to keep respirable silica below the workplace exposure standard.
- 5Engineering — Fit on-tool H-class HEPA dust extraction to all saws and grinders, integrated with shadow vacuuming and tested for capture velocity at task commencement.
- 6Engineering — Install Type 2 longitudinal traffic barriers, water-filled barriers or concrete F-shape barriers between the work zone and any live trafficked lane per AS 1742.3.
- 7Administrative — Conduct pre-start brief using this SWMS, sign on all workers, rotate saw operators every 60 minutes to limit vibration exposure, and lock out adjoining bays.
- 8Administrative — Implement a permit-to-work system for hot work and confined chase entry, with spotters in high-visibility garments controlling any residual vehicle movements.
- 9PPE — P2 half-face respirator fit-tested per AS/NZS 1715, chemical-resistant nitrile gauntlets, Type 5/6 coveralls, safety glasses to AS/NZS 1337 and Class D/N hi-vis to AS/NZS 4602.1.
- 10PPE — Anti-vibration gloves rated to ISO 10819, hearing protection class 5 for saw cutting, and steel-midsole safety boots to AS/NZS 2210.3 for puncture protection.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Establishes the risk management cycle and consultation duty applied through this SWMS for identifying joint installation hazards and verifying controls
Sets the SWMS preparation, review and on-site availability requirements for High Risk Construction Work under WHS Regulation r291(g) and r291(d)
Governs storage, decanting, labelling and atmospheric monitoring of epoxy resins and amine hardeners used in joint nosing systems on site
Specifies barrier selection, signage layout and speed reduction zones required around bridge and trafficked carpark joint installation works
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Two-part epoxy nosing systems, polysulfide sealants and amine hardeners are GHS-classified hazardous chemicals mixed and applied in the joint chase
Carpark and bridge expansion joints are installed within or adjacent to live trafficked surfaces where vehicle separation cannot always be fully maintained
Joint replacement on bridge decks requires temporary load redistribution and sequenced bay cutting to maintain structural continuity during installation
PCBU must prepare, consult workers on and retain this SWMS for the duration of the work and at least two years after a notifiable incident; penalties for Category 1 breaches are substantial and indexed, with the current maximum following the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Specialist joint installation subcontractors on infrastructure projects
- →Waterproofing and remedial contractors servicing commercial carparks
- →Bridge maintenance crews under state road authority contracts
- →Principal contractors coordinating trafficable deck rehabilitation works
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-level suburban shopping centre carpark refurbishment, a two-person joint crew arrives at 6am to replace 42 lineal metres of failed epoxy nosing joint across Level 2. The supervisor opens this SWMS on a site tablet at the pre-start brief, walks both installers through the seven listed hazards, and confirms today's specific controls: the centre management has closed the eastern half of Level 2 to vehicles, water-filled barriers are positioned along the live lane, and the wet-cut saw is paired with an H-class vacuum. Both workers sign on against the control list, confirming P2 respirators are fit-tested and SDS for the selected epoxy is in the site folder. Mid-task, the installer notices the dust extraction capture is reduced because the chase has filled with slurry — they stop work, refer back to the engineering control on this SWMS requiring verified capture velocity, clear the chase with the wet vac, and resume only once suction is restored. At 11am a delivery vehicle is mistakenly directed into the closed bay; the spotter halts work under the administrative control clause, the supervisor radios centre management to reinstate the closure, and the SWMS is annotated with the near-miss before re-signing on. The completed signed SWMS is retained for the project record and uploaded to the principal contractor's HSE system that evening.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- AS 3958 — Ceramic tiles; AS 4654 — Waterproofing membranes
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a SWMS for expansion joint installation?
Yes. The work is High Risk Construction Work under WHS Regulation 2011 r291 because it uses GHS-classified hazardous chemicals such as two-part epoxies and amine hardeners, is performed on or near roads and trafficked surfaces, and can involve structural alterations requiring temporary support on bridge decks. A SWMS is therefore legally required before work commences, must be consulted on with workers, and must be held on site for the duration of the task.
Can I use this SWMS in Victoria or other states and territories?
You can use it as a starting point — the template covers carpark and bridge joint applications nationally and includes a state-specific WHS legislation schedule for NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, NT and ACT. Victoria operates under the OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017 rather than the model WHS laws, so update the legislation schedule with OHS-Act equivalents and cite WorkSafe Victoria compliance material in place of the model Codes of Practice.
Are the Codes of Practice referenced in this SWMS legally binding?
In New South Wales, yes. The How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks, Construction Work, and Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Codes of Practice referenced in this template are legally binding under Section 26A of the WHS Act (NSW) since 1 July 2026, so duty holders must comply with the Code or achieve an equivalent or higher standard of protection. In other jurisdictions the Codes remain strong evidence of what is reasonably practicable.
Is this SWMS a traffic management plan for live carparks and bridges?
No. The SWMS documents the barrier, spotter, and exclusion controls at the work zone, but traffic guidance schemes, barrier selection and signage layouts to AS 1742.3, and any road authority or centre management approvals are separate documents prepared alongside it. Hot work also requires its own permit under the permit-to-work system referenced in the controls.
How do I make this SWMS site-specific before use?
Enter the PCBU and site details, then check the hazard register against the actual installation — the joint system and its SDS, whether the deck or carpark is fully or partially closed to vehicles, barrier positions, and cutting method with dust extraction verified at task start. Remove controls that do not apply, have every worker sign on at the pre-start, and annotate the document with any near-miss or control change before work resumes.