Concrete Floor Surfacing & Grinding SWMS
NSW — Concrete Floor Surfacing & Grinding. Full task scope, hazards and controls to be authored to Phase 1 standard.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Concrete floor surfacing and grinding involves the mechanical abrasion of cured concrete slabs using ride-on or walk-behind grinders, edgers and shot-blasters to remove coatings, level surfaces, expose aggregate or prepare substrates for polishing. The work generates substantial respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust, produces high noise and hand-arm vibration exposures, and typically deploys powered mobile plant — including propane or electric ride-on grinders weighing several hundred kilograms — within occupied or partially occupied buildings, warehouses and civil structures where struck-by and crush risks to workers and building occupants are foreseeable.
Under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW), this task constitutes high risk construction work because it involves the movement of powered mobile plant (section 291(o)). Section 299 requires a Safe Work Method Statement to be prepared before work commences, identifying hazards, documenting control measures and describing how those controls will be implemented, monitored and reviewed. Controls follow the hierarchy in section 36, with strong emphasis on elimination of dust at source (integrated water suppression or H-class extraction), engineering isolation of mobile plant paths, and administrative exclusion zones.
Hazards identified
12 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Fatal crush injuries, fractures, amputation of feet from track/wheel contact
Silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — irreversible and potentially fatal
CO poisoning, loss of consciousness, death; delayed neurological injury
Mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis
Electrocution, cardiac arrest, burns
Permanent noise-induced hearing loss, tinnitus
Hand-arm vibration syndrome, vascular and neurological damage
Falls at same level, sprains, fractures, head injury
Musculoskeletal injury to back, shoulders and hands; crush injuries during tool changes
Eye injury, laceration, foreign body penetration
Burns, deflagration, structural fire
Heat exhaustion, heat stroke, impaired decision-making
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Eliminate dry grinding wherever practicable — specify wet grinding with integrated water feed and slurry recovery, or use grinders coupled to H-class HEPA-filtered dust extraction rated to AS/NZS 60335.2.69 for hazardous dust; verify air flow at start of each shift.
- 2Substitute LPG ride-on grinders with electric or battery-powered plant in enclosed areas to eliminate carbon monoxide generation; where propane plant is unavoidable, provide mechanical ventilation and continuous CO monitoring with audible alarms set to workplace exposure standards.
- 3Establish a documented traffic management plan for powered mobile plant per section 215 of the WHS Regulation 2025 — designate exclusion zones with physical barriers, spotters for reversing, and prevent unauthorised persons from entering the operating radius of ride-on grinders.
- 4Before commencing, review structural drawings, asbestos register (Regulation section 425) and services drawings to identify asbestos-containing floor coverings, embedded conduits and post-tensioned cables; test suspect materials via NATA-accredited laboratory prior to any disturbance.
- 5Implement engineering noise controls — enclosed cabs on ride-on plant where available, well-maintained vacuum silencers — and establish hearing protection areas per AS/NZS 1269.0 with signage; conduct audiometric testing per Regulation section 58.
- 6Ensure all electrical plant is inspected, tagged and tested to AS/NZS 3012 for construction sites; use RCDs on all circuits; isolate wet grinding operations from electrical leads and route cables away from slurry paths.
- 7Conduct atmospheric silica monitoring representative of the task per AS 2985; where the workplace exposure standard for RCS (0.05 mg/m³ 8-hour TWA) may be exceeded, provide respiratory protection selected and fit-tested per AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716 — minimum P2, escalating to PAPR for extended dry work or confined areas.
- 8Provide full PPE ensemble: safety footwear (AS/NZS 2210.3), impact eye protection (AS/NZS 1337.1), Class 5 hearing protection (AS/NZS 1270), anti-vibration gloves, and disposable coveralls; establish decontamination procedure before leaving the work area to prevent take-home silica exposure.
- 9Rotate operators on walk-behind grinders and edgers to limit hand-arm vibration exposure below the daily A(8) action value; log tool time and maintain diamond tooling to reduce vibration magnitude.
- 10Store LPG cylinders upright in ventilated locations away from ignition sources per AS/NZS 1596; empty slurry catch tanks regularly; keep housekeeping current to prevent slip hazards from wet slurry tracking into adjoining areas.
- 11Conduct pre-start inspections of ride-on grinders including brakes, emergency stops, guards, tooling security and CO detector function; only competent operators trained on the specific model may operate the plant, with training records retained.
- 12All workers hold a current General Construction Induction (White Card — CPCCWHS1001); the SWMS is developed in consultation with workers per section 47 of the WHS Act 2011 (NSW), signed by all personnel before work, and reviewed under section 302 of the WHS Regulation 2025 whenever controls fail, plant changes or a notifiable incident occurs.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Framework for hazard identification, risk assessment and hierarchy of controls applied to grinding operations.
Applies where surfacing occurs on suspended slabs, near penetrations, edges or ramps requiring edge protection during plant movement.
Guides noise assessment, control selection and audiometric testing obligations for grinder operators.
Selection and fit-testing of respirators used against RCS during concrete grinding.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Ride-on concrete grinders, shot-blasters and propane burnishers are powered mobile plant that traverse the work area with operators on board and pedestrians (other trades, occupants) in proximity, creating struck-by and crush risks that section 291(o) specifically addresses.
Because the work is HRCW, section 299 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) requires a SWMS to be prepared before work starts and section 302 requires it to be reviewed and revised if controls are inadequate. Failure to comply exposes the PCBU to enforcement action under the WHS Act 2011 (NSW), including improvement and prohibition notices, and — where a duty holder recklessly or negligently exposes a person to risk of death or serious injury — Category 1 (section 31) or Category 2 (section 32) offences. Current maximum penalties are set out in the SafeWork NSW penalty schedule and are indexed periodically; refer to the SafeWork NSW website for the prevailing amounts.
Who this is for
- →Concrete polishing and surface preparation subcontractors operating ride-on grinders
- →Flooring contractors preparing substrates for epoxy, urethane or vinyl systems
- →Commercial fit-out builders coordinating grinding within occupied premises
- →Civil contractors performing rumble strip, joint or defect grinding on slabs and hardstands
- →Principal contractors requiring HRCW SWMS from grinding subcontractors before site access
What you receive
- ✓Fully editable Microsoft Word SWMS aligned to NSW WHS Regulation 2025 sections 299–303
- ✓Pre-populated HRCW declaration for section 291(o) powered mobile plant
- ✓10–12 assessed hazards with consequence and priority ratings
- ✓Hierarchy-of-control measures citing current AS/NZS standards and NSW Codes of Practice
- ✓Silica exposure control plan section aligned to Regulation Chapter 7 crystalline silica provisions
- ✓Traffic management and exclusion zone diagram template for mobile grinder movement
- ✓PPE schedule with respiratory selection guidance per AS/NZS 1715
- ✓Worker consultation and sign-on register meeting section 47 WHS Act requirements
- ✓SWMS review and revision log to evidence section 302 compliance
Worked example
A concrete polishing subcontractor is engaged to grind and polish 1,800 m² of warehouse slab in Wetherill Park, western Sydney, ahead of tenant fit-out. The scope includes two ride-on 480V electric planetary grinders, edge work with hand-held grinders, and coating removal from a mezzanine ramp. The site remains partially occupied by racking installers. The PCBU prepares this SWMS identifying section 291(o) HRCW, establishes barricaded exclusion zones with a dedicated spotter during shift changeovers, mandates wet grinding with H-class extraction backup, conducts static and personal silica sampling on day one to verify controls, and holds toolbox talks each morning documented on the sign-on register. When a diamond segment detaches on day three and strikes a bollard, work stops, the SWMS is reviewed under section 302, tooling inspection frequency is increased to twice daily, and the revised SWMS is re-signed by all workers before recommencement.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) — sections 19, 31, 32, 47
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — sections 36, 291, 299–303
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Chapter 7 Hazardous chemicals and crystalline silica provisions
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — sections 419–434 Asbestos
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — section 215 Powered mobile plant
- Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) — slurry discharge and waste management
Frequently asked questions
Is concrete grinding always high risk construction work?
Grinding itself is not automatically HRCW, but the moment ride-on or self-propelled grinders, shot-blasters or burnishers are used, the work falls within section 291(o) of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) — movement of powered mobile plant — and a SWMS is required under section 299. Hand-held grinding alone may still be HRCW if performed on structures more than 2 m above ground, in confined spaces, or where other section 291 categories apply.
How do we control respirable crystalline silica during dry grinding?
Elimination of dry grinding is the preferred control. Where dry grinding is unavoidable — such as edge work or coatings removal — couple the grinder to an H-class HEPA-filtered vacuum sized to the tool, conduct silica air monitoring per AS 2985 to verify controls, and provide fit-tested respiratory protection selected under AS/NZS 1715. The workplace exposure standard for RCS is 0.05 mg/m³ over an 8-hour TWA.
Do we need to check for asbestos before grinding an old slab?
Yes. Under section 425 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW), the person with management or control of the workplace must ensure an asbestos register is available for buildings constructed before 31 December 2003. Vinyl floor tiles, adhesives and bitumen backing on older slabs frequently contain asbestos. Sample and test via a NATA-accredited laboratory before any disturbance, and if asbestos is confirmed, engage a licensed asbestos removalist.
Who must sign the SWMS and how long do we keep it?
Every worker performing the HRCW must be consulted in developing the SWMS (section 47, WHS Act 2011) and sign on before starting. The SWMS must be kept available for inspection for the duration of the work; if a notifiable incident occurs in connection with the work, section 303 of the WHS Regulation 2025 requires the SWMS to be retained for at least two years from the date of the incident.
Document details
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