Polished Concrete Floor Finishing SWMS

Polished concrete floor finishing involves multi-stage diamond grinding, application of chemical densifiers, and progressive resin-pad polishing to achieve a specified gloss and abrasion class on cured concrete slabs. The process generates substantial respirable crystalline silica (RCS), exposes workers to corrosive lithium and sodium silicate densifiers, and requires operation of heavy planetary grinders and burnishers on power leads in often poorly ventilated interior spaces. Under WHS Regulation 2011 r291 and the harmonised WHS Regulations 2025, this work constitutes High Risk Construction Work because of confirmed RCS exposure above the 0.05 mg/m³ workplace exposure standard and the use of powered mobile plant in occupied or partially occupied buildings. A SWMS is mandatory before work commences, must be developed in consultation with workers under s47–49, and must be reviewed if controls fail or the work method changes. This document provides a CIH-reviewed, state-neutral template addressing silica, chemical, mechanical, electrical, and ergonomic risk across the full polish sequence from initial cut to final burnish.

Hazards identified

7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.

1. 1Elimination — Specify factory pre-polished concrete panels or terrazzo tiles at design stage to remove on-site grinding and densifier application entirely from the scope of works.
2. 2Elimination — Schedule polishing before fit-out trades occupy the floor, eliminating co-location exposure of unrelated workers to silica dust and densifier overspray during the works.
3. 3Substitution — Use lithium silicate densifier in low-VOC, lower-alkalinity formulation in place of sodium silicate to reduce chemical burn severity and respiratory irritation potential.
4. 4Substitution — Replace dry cup-wheel edging with wet-edge grinding using a 240V edge grinder and slurry vacuum to suppress airborne RCS at the source.
5. 5Engineering — Operate planetary grinders fitted with integrated shroud and HEPA-filtered M-class or H-class dust extractor delivering minimum 4000 L/min airflow per AS/NZS 60335.2.69.
6. 6Engineering — Install temporary mechanical ventilation and negative-pressure dust containment screens isolating the polishing zone from adjacent occupied areas during all grinding stages.
7. 7Administrative — Conduct daily pre-start SWMS sign-on, atmospheric monitoring under AS 2985, and rotate operators on a maximum two-hour grinding cycle to limit cumulative silica and vibration exposure.
8. 8Administrative — Restrict access using barricades and Class A silica-warning signage, lock out tag out the slab during densifier dwell, and maintain a 30 m exclusion zone from grinding plant.
9. 9PPE — Wear P2 half-face respirators fit-tested per AS/NZS 1715, Class 5 chemical splash goggles, nitrile gauntlets, and AS/NZS 2210.3 safety footwear during all grinding and densifier stages.
10. 10PPE — Don Class 5 hearing protection, anti-vibration gloves compliant with AS/NZS 2161.3, and disposable coveralls discarded on exit to prevent take-home silica contamination of vehicles and homes.

Applicable Codes of Practice

High-Risk Construction Work triggered

Worked example

On a 1,800 m² warehouse conversion to a retail showroom, the polishing crew arrives to find the slab cured at 32 days and the building partially occupied by electrical fit-out trades on a mezzanine above. The site supervisor opens the Polished Concrete Floor Finishing SWMS at the 6:30 am pre-start brief held on the slab. Working through the hazard register, the crew identifies that RCS and co-location with the electricians are the controlling risks for the shift. The supervisor selects engineering controls from the controls list — deploying the M-class extractor on the planetary grinder, erecting negative-pressure dust screens at the mezzanine stair, and re-scheduling the densifier application to the lunch break when the electricians stand down. Each crew member completes the SWMS sign-on sheet, confirms their P2 respirator fit-test is current, and the supervisor logs the air monitoring pump serial number against operator one. Mid-morning, a 50 mm transition strip is discovered at a doorway requiring dry edge grinding the SWMS had not anticipated. Work stops, the supervisor reviews the SWMS with the crew, adds wet-edge substitution as the control, annotates the change on the document, and re-signs the crew before resuming. The amended SWMS is uploaded to the project portal before knock-off.

Related legislation

• WHS Act 2011 (model)
• WHS Regulation 2025
• Crystalline Silica — National Strategy + CoP

Frequently asked questions