Concreting Work SWMS
Formwork, reinforcement placement, concrete pour, finishing, and curing for slabs, footings, and walls.
SWMS variants reference your state's WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
This SWMS covers the full scope of concreting work on Australian construction sites — placement of ready-mix concrete for slabs on ground, suspended slabs, footings, columns and walls; line and boom-pump operations; concrete cutting, grinding, and polishing; post-tensioning of tendons; tilt-up panel erection; formwork stripping; concrete finishing by hand and power trowel; rebar installation and tying; and concrete saw operation. It is written for licensed concreters, concrete finishers, placement crews, and pump operators engaged on residential, commercial, and civil projects.
Concreting work triggers multiple high-risk construction work categories under Schedule 1 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW). Category 13 — use of powered mobile plant and powered tools — applies across cutting, grinding, and pump operations. Category 17 — work in an atmosphere with a contaminant exceeding the Workplace Exposure Standard — applies to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) generated during concrete cutting, grinding, and sawing; the new Code of Practice for Managing Risks of Respirable Crystalline Silica (February 2026) is directly on point. Category 8 — tilt-up or precast concrete elements — applies to tilt-up erection. Category 3 applies to elevated formwork and suspended-slab work. Section 299 of the WHS Regulation requires a SWMS before HRCW commences.
Hazards identified
12 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Accelerated and chronic silicosis, lung cancer, and autoimmune disease from inhalation of sub-micron RCS particles generated by concrete saws, grinders, and core drills.
Deep alkaline burns with pH 12-13 wet concrete eroding through clothing into skin over hours; third-degree burns requiring skin graft are common in knee and shin contact.
Fatal crush injury from falsework, bearers, or sheathing failure under the hydrostatic load of wet concrete during a pour or from premature striking before design strength is reached.
Fatal electrocution of the operator and personnel in contact with the boom, pump, or hose when a boom intrudes into the exclusion zone around HV or LV overhead lines.
Whipping hose and projectile ejection of aggregate and grout at pressures to 85 bar when blockages clear suddenly; multiple fatalities have occurred from unsecured hose ends.
Fatal crush from a panel failing during lift, from inadequate bracing after stand, or from workers inside the crush zone during placement — a named HRCW category in Schedule 1.
Fatal projectile injury from strand release during stressing when anchorage or tendon fails under load; specialised high-risk work with defined exclusion zones.
Fatal or permanent injury from falls exceeding 2 metres when working on deck edges, through penetrations, or from slipform and jumpform platforms.
Lumbar disc injury, shoulder and wrist injury from repeated handling of reo bundles, formply, bearers, and charged pump hose.
Permanent hearing loss and hand-arm vibration syndrome from sustained exposure during vibrating, sawing, and hand-held demolition tool use.
Asphyxiation or crush from concrete placed into a column or wall form while a worker is inside for rodding, vibrating, or bar adjustment.
Fatigue-driven errors and shortcutting of controls when a truck arrival triggers a compressed placement window; sustained high pressure through the pour cycle.
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Eliminate RCS generation wherever practicable — pre-cut and pre-drill off-site, specify concrete with lower silica aggregate, and use fibre-reinforcement to reduce sawcut joints.
- 2Engineering controls for all dry concrete cutting and grinding: on-tool vacuum extraction compliant with AS/NZS 60335.2.69 and a wet-cut method for floor saws and walk-behind saws. Water flow maintained throughout the cut; slurry captured and disposed as regulated waste.
- 3Respiratory protection: minimum P2 half-face respirator for short-duration low-dust tasks; P3 PAPR hood for high-dust tasks or enclosed areas. Selected per AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716 against the current WES and the 1 December 2026 transition to a tighter Workplace Exposure Limit.
- 4Formwork designed to AS 3610.1:2018 and AS 3610.2:2023 and signed off by a competent person before each pour. Striking follows a written strip schedule based on in-situ cylinder strengths — no striking before specified strength is confirmed.
- 5Concrete pump lift plan with identified overhead services, exclusion zones per Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace Code of Practice, outrigger set-up on bearing pads, and ground assessment for pump unit placement.
- 6Line-pump and boom-pump operators hold the relevant CPCCLRG3002 or manufacturer certification. Pipeline is supported every 3 metres, anchored at bends, and pressure-tested to 1.5 times working pressure before the first pour. Hose ends secured with chokers or a weighted clamp.
- 7Tilt-up erection follows a documented engineering sequence: panel inserts designed to AS 3850, designated rigger, exclusion zone during placement, dual-bracing until permanent connection, and a hold-point for bracing verification before crane release.
- 8Post-tensioning exclusion zones maintained during all stressing. Workers outside the line-of-strand zone; stressing jack monitored via remote gauge where practicable. Anchorage inspection before each stress per the specialist engineer's ITP.
- 9Fall protection per the Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces. Edge protection on all formwork decks and suspended slabs; penetration covers load-rated and fixed; travel restraint or fall arrest per AS/NZS 1891.1 only where higher-order controls are not reasonably practicable.
- 10Wet concrete PPE: full-length waterproof trousers, waterproof gloves worn under leather outer gloves for rebar tying, rubber boots with safety toe, and eye protection against splash. Skin washed immediately at any splash with potable water.
- 11Confined-form placement controls: no worker inside a column or wall form during placement beyond rodder with dedicated safety observer at the access opening, forced ventilation, and emergency stop for the placement crew. Prefer tremie or remote vibration.
- 12Rebar protection: all projecting bar capped with proprietary plastic or purpose-made mushroom caps to AS 4100 to prevent impalement injury.
- 13All concreters hold a valid White Card (CPCCWHS1001). Pump operators, riggers, and doggers hold the relevant high-risk work licence. Apprentices work under direct supervision.
- 14Psychosocial controls per WHS Regulation 2025 r55A-55D: pre-pour briefing agreeing roles, a pour sequence that allows scheduled breaks, two-way communication between pump operator and placement crew, and a documented stop-work right during adverse weather or formwork concern.
- 15Health monitoring under WHS Regulation 2025 Part 7.1 for workers with ongoing RCS exposure: baseline and periodic chest imaging and lung function testing per the Silica Code of Practice.
- 16Conduct a daily pre-start toolbox talk covering scope, weather, pour sequence, exclusion zones, and dust controls. Record attendance.
Applicable Codes of Practice
The February 2026 Code directly addresses RCS from concrete saw, grinder, and core-drill operations — binding for concreting.
Baseline for HRCW categorisation, SWMS content, and principal contractor interaction on all concreting.
Governs fall protection on formwork, suspended slabs, tilt-up, and elevated pour work.
Applies to the handling of reo, formply, bearers, and charged hose.
Applies to saw, vibrator, and power-trowel operations which routinely exceed the daily exposure standard.
Technical standard for formwork design, documentation, and competent-person inspection before pour.
Technical standard for tilt-up and precast design, lifting inserts, and erection bracing.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Tilt-up erection and precast panel placement are named HRCW in Schedule 1 because of the history of panel collapse and crush fatalities.
Concrete cutting, grinding, coring, and sawing generate respirable crystalline silica that routinely exceeds the WES without engineering controls.
Concrete pumps, mixers, power trowels, saws, and grinders are used across the scope.
Formwork deck, suspended slab, and wall-pour work routinely places workers above 2 metres.
Because concreting work triggers multiple HRCW categories — including named tilt-up work — Section 299 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) requires the SWMS to be prepared before work commences, kept available on site for inspection, reviewed and updated if the work changes, and provided to the Principal Contractor on request. Failure by a PCBU to prepare or maintain a current SWMS for HRCW is an offence under Section 300; maximum penalty for a body corporate is $36,000 per offence and $7,200 for an individual. RCS exposure above the WES triggers additional health monitoring and notification obligations under Part 7.1.
Who this is for
- →Licensed concreters, formworkers, and concrete finishers engaged on residential, commercial, and civil projects.
- →Concrete pump operators (line and boom) holding the relevant CPCCLRG3002 or equivalent.
- →Tilt-up erection crews, doggers, riggers, and crane-lift supervisors.
- →Post-tensioning operators and ITP-holders on stressing work.
- →Site supervisors and WHS leads reviewing concrete subcontractor SWMS during pre-start.
What you receive
- ✓Editable Microsoft Word document (.docx, Word 2016 or newer compatible).
- ✓Title page with PCBU name, ABN, site address, project, and revision date fields.
- ✓Signed approval block for PCBU, Principal Contractor, and nominated concreting supervisor.
- ✓Hazard register with the 12 hazards above, each with consequence, inherent risk, controls, and residual risk scored on a 5x5 matrix.
- ✓Hierarchy-of-control measures cross-referenced to WHS Regulation sections and applicable Codes of Practice.
- ✓Pump lift plan template with overhead service check and exclusion-zone diagram.
- ✓Consultation record for HSR sign-off and worker input per Section 47 of the WHS Act.
- ✓Worker sign-on register for daily acknowledgement with space for high-risk work licence records.
- ✓Legislation schedule pre-populated for NSW with variance table for VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, NT, ACT.
- ✓Emergency contacts, pump-blockage recovery procedure, and review-and-update log.
Worked example
A five-person concreting crew — one concreter-in-charge, two placement operators, one finisher, and one pump operator — is subcontracted to pour a 180 m² suspended first-floor slab on a residential duplex in Bondi Junction. The work involves a boom-pump truck positioned on the street, boom traversing the site boundary, and placement through a grid of 30 mm rebar. The concreter completes this SWMS: the pour triggers HRCW Category 3 and requires full edge protection with guardrails; the pump triggers an overhead-services check (one LV line at 6.5 metres is identified, and the boom plan routes around it with a 3-metre clearance); the formwork is signed off by a competent person that morning; RCS controls apply to the finishing saw-cut of control joints next day. The SWMS is signed, the pour proceeds, and a mid-morning pressure drop triggers the pump-blockage procedure; the secured hose is depressurised and cleared without incident.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) — Section 19 primary duty; Section 27 officer due diligence; Section 47 worker consultation.
- WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) — r. 298-300 (SWMS); r. 49-51 (WES/WEL); r. 368-381 (health monitoring); r. 55A-55D (psychosocial); r. 215 (high-risk construction work licences).
- Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) — concreting as regulated building work.
- Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) — concrete slurry and washout waste.
- Building Code of Australia (National Construction Code) — concrete structural compliance.
Frequently asked questions
Does this SWMS cover tilt-up panel erection?
Yes. Tilt-up is specifically named in Schedule 1 of the WHS Regulation 2025 and this SWMS includes panel inserts, bracing, exclusion zones, and the hold-point for bracing verification before crane release. For projects with specialised precast sequencing, a project-specific addendum referencing the engineer's erection plan should accompany this SWMS.
How does this SWMS handle the new Silica Code of Practice?
The February 2026 Code of Practice for Managing Risks of Respirable Crystalline Silica is referenced directly. Controls follow its hierarchy — substitution, on-tool extraction, wet methods, and respiratory protection as the last line — and health monitoring is referenced for workers with ongoing exposure.
Can I use this SWMS in Victoria?
You can use it as a starting point. Victoria operates under the OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017 with tilt-up and precast regulated under Part 5.3. Update the legislation schedule and cite WorkSafe Victoria Compliance Codes in place of SafeWork Australia Codes of Practice.
Does the SWMS cover concrete pump operation?
Yes. Boom and line pump hazards, overhead service exclusion, pipeline securing, and the CPCCLRG3002 licence requirement are covered. Complex lifts over buildings or within 6.4 metres of HV lines require an additional project-specific lift study.
How often does this SWMS need to be reviewed?
Review whenever the work or hazards change materially, after an incident, or when a worker raises a concern. At minimum, every 12 months, at the start of each project, and when the regulatory baseline changes. The 1 December 2026 WES-to-WEL transition and the February 2026 Silica Code of Practice are both mandatory triggers.
Is this SWMS compliant with the 1 July 2026 Section 26A changes?
Yes. From 1 July 2026, 34 approved Codes of Practice become legally binding under Section 26A of the amended WHS Act. This SWMS cites the currently-approved Codes that will become binding — Construction Work, Managing the Risk of Falls, Hazardous Manual Tasks, Managing Noise, and the Silica Code. No amendment is required for the 2026 transition.
Document details
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