Concrete Repair SWMS
Safe Work Method Statement covering the key hazards and control measures for concrete repair.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Concrete repair encompasses the cutting, chipping, grinding, patching and resurfacing of damaged or deteriorated concrete elements on commercial, civil and residential sites. The work routinely generates respirable crystalline silica (RCS), exposes workers to alkaline cementitious materials, involves powered hand tools with kickback risk, and is frequently performed at heights, in trenches or in confined plant rooms. Under WHS Regulation 2025, a Safe Work Method Statement is mandatory because concrete repair almost always meets at least one High Risk Construction Work (HRCW) trigger under Schedule 1 — most commonly work involving silica dust from cutting, grinding or chipping concrete. A documented SWMS is the principal mechanism by which the PCBU demonstrates risk identification, control selection against the hierarchy, worker consultation and supervisor sign-off prior to task commencement. Failure to prepare, communicate and enforce a compliant SWMS exposes the PCBU and officers to enforcement action under Part 2 of the WHS Act and creates significant common-law liability if a worker develops silicosis or sustains an acute injury.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Irreversible silicosis, lung cancer, COPD and notifiable occupational disease liability under WHS Reg 675
Full-thickness chemical burns, sensitisation dermatitis and permanent skin damage requiring surgical debridement
Permanent vascular and neurological damage, vibration white finger and loss of manual dexterity and grip
Penetrating eye injuries, facial lacerations, dental damage and potential loss of vision requiring enucleation
Cardiac arrest, electrocution fatality and severe arc-flash burns triggering notifiable incident obligations
Lumbar disc herniation, chronic musculoskeletal injury and permanent restriction from manual trade work
Permanent noise-induced hearing loss, tinnitus and workers compensation claims under audiometric monitoring obligations
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Where structurally viable, replace deteriorated concrete sections by precast substitution rather than in-situ chipping and grinding to eliminate dust and vibration exposure entirely.
- 2Elimination — Schedule repair works during unoccupied site periods to remove third-party worker exposure to RCS, noise and projectiles from the active work zone.
- 3Substitution — Specify low-silica polymer repair mortars and pre-bagged non-shrink grouts in place of site-batched mixes to reduce respirable dust generation at source.
- 4Substitution — Replace abrasive cutting wheels with diamond-segmented blades and hydraulic concrete crunchers, lowering both dust liberation and projectile velocity per AS/NZS 2243.10.
- 5Engineering — Fit all grinders, saws and scabblers with on-tool H-class HEPA extraction or integrated water suppression delivering ≥99.95% capture efficiency per AS/NZS 60335.2.69.
- 6Engineering — Install 30 mA portable RCDs on every 240V circuit, inspect leads per AS/NZS 3012, and isolate wet slurry zones from electrical equipment.
- 7Administrative — Implement a silica exposure control plan with air monitoring per AS 2985, rotate operators every 60 minutes, and maintain a health surveillance register under WHS Reg 419.
- 8Administrative — Conduct a documented SWMS pre-start briefing, sign-on register and toolbox talk identifying the specific repair zone, exclusion radius and emergency eyewash location.
- 9PPE — Issue P2/P3 powered air-purifying respirators fit-tested per AS/NZS 1715, wraparound impact goggles to AS/NZS 1337.1 and Class 5 hearing protection to AS/NZS 1270.
- 10PPE — Provide nitrile-lined alkali-resistant gloves to AS/NZS 2161.10, anti-vibration gloves to AS/NZS ISO 10819, and full-length overalls with sealed cuffs to prevent slurry ingress.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Establishes the SWMS preparation duty for HRCW including silica-generating concrete works and prescribes consultation, review and retention obligations on the PCBU.
Mandates exposure assessment, control hierarchy, air monitoring and health surveillance for any task generating RCS, directly applicable to concrete grinding and chipping.
Prescribes fit-testing, cartridge selection and maintenance for the P2/P3 PAPR systems required when engineering controls cannot reduce RCS below the WES of 0.05 mg/m³.
Governs RCD protection, lead testing, tagging intervals and isolation procedures for the 240V power tools and extraction equipment used in concrete repair tasks.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Concrete repair routinely requires mechanical removal of degraded concrete by grinder, scabbler or jackhammer, liberating respirable crystalline silica above the 0.05 mg/m³ WES.
PCBUs must prepare, consult workers on, and retain the SWMS for the duration of the work plus two years after a notifiable incident; penalties for non-compliance are substantial and indexed, with the current maximum following the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Concreting subcontractors on commercial refurbishment projects
- →Civil maintenance crews repairing bridge decks and culverts
- →Principal contractors managing structural remediation packages
- →Facilities managers procuring car park and slab repairs
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 suburban multi-storey car park remediation, a concreting crew is engaged to repair spalled slab soffits and corroded reinforcement on Level 3. At 6:45 am the supervisor convenes the pre-start brief at the site office and opens the Concrete Repair SWMS on the site tablet. He walks the four-person crew through the hazard register, focusing on RCS exposure because the day's task involves diamond-grinding 12 linear metres of delaminated concrete edge. The crew confirms the on-tool HEPA extraction units have been tested that morning, the exclusion zone barriers are positioned at the 3-metre radius specified in the control measures, and the eyewash station has been relocated to within 10 metres per the administrative control. Each worker signs the SWMS sign-on register, acknowledging PAPR fit-test currency and RCD test records. Two hours into the task the wind direction shifts and visible dust begins drifting toward an adjacent occupied tenancy. The leading hand pauses work, returns to the SWMS, and applies the documented review trigger — adding wet-cutting suppression and erecting a polythene dust curtain. The amendment is annotated on the SWMS, re-signed by the crew, and a copy is emailed to the principal contractor's site manager. Work resumes within 25 minutes with the revised controls in place and air monitoring badges deployed for the remainder of the shift.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- Crystalline Silica — National Strategy + CoP
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a SWMS for concrete repair work?
Yes. Concrete repair almost always meets the silica-dust High Risk Construction Work trigger identified in this document, because grinding, chipping and saw-cutting liberate respirable crystalline silica above the workplace exposure standard, so a SWMS is legally required before work commences. The PCBU must prepare it in consultation with workers and obtain supervisor sign-off before the task starts.
Can I use this SWMS in Victoria or other states?
You can use it as a starting point in any jurisdiction — the template includes a state-specific WHS legislation schedule covering NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, NT and ACT. Victoria, however, 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 Safe Work Australia Codes of Practice.
Are the Codes of Practice referenced in this SWMS legally binding?
In New South Wales, yes. The Construction Work Code of Practice and the respirable crystalline silica code requirements flagged in this document are legally binding under Section 26A of the WHS Act (NSW) since 1 July 2026, making the on-tool extraction, air monitoring and health surveillance controls they prescribe enforceable minimums rather than guidance.
Does this SWMS satisfy my silica air monitoring and health surveillance duties?
No — it references them, but they are separate obligations. Air monitoring per AS 2985, the silica exposure control plan and the health surveillance register are standalone duties under the WHS Regulation, and respirator fit-testing under AS/NZS 1715 and electrical testing under AS/NZS 3012 must each be evidenced in their own records. The SWMS coordinates these controls at task level; it does not generate the monitoring data or medical records itself.
Do I need to tailor this SWMS before using it on site?
Yes — every SWMS must be made site-specific before use. Define the actual repair zone and exclusion radius, the tools and the extraction or suppression fitted to them, RCD and lead test status, and the eyewash location, then brief and sign the document with the crew at pre-start. As the worked example shows, amend and re-sign it in the field when conditions change, such as dust drifting toward occupied areas.