Terrazzo Flooring Install SWMS
Install of poured-in-place or precast terrazzo flooring. Includes divider strip install, cementitious or epoxy matrix pour with aggregate, multi-stage grinding to polish, sealer.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Terrazzo floor installation covers the installation and finishing of terrazzo floors — laying the cementitious or resin terrazzo with its stone aggregate and grinding and polishing it to a finished surface. The defining hazard is the respirable crystalline silica released by grinding and polishing the terrazzo, which contains stone aggregate in a matrix, alongside the alkaline wet cementitious matrix, the grinding plant, and the manual handling. This document is written on the basis that terrazzo floor installation is carried out by competent installers with the silica, wet-matrix, plant and manual-handling controls in place.
Terrazzo floor installation is carried out with the respirable crystalline silica from grinding and polishing controlled at the source, the alkaline wet cementitious matrix managed against skin burns, the grinding plant operated safely, and the heavy materials handled. The silica from grinding and polishing, the alkaline wet matrix, the grinding plant, and the manual handling are the considerations. This document coordinates the silica, wet-matrix, plant and manual-handling controls so the terrazzo floor is installed safely.
Hazards identified
9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Silicosis from respirable crystalline silica grinding and polishing the terrazzo
Chemical burns and dermatitis from the alkaline wet cementitious terrazzo matrix
Injury from the grinding and polishing plant and its moving parts
Dust and slurry exposure and hazards from the grinding
Musculoskeletal injury handling the materials and stone aggregate
Skin and respiratory exposure to resin terrazzo chemicals
Hearing damage from the grinding and polishing plant
Knee and back injury from kneeling and bending
Electric shock from the grinding equipment around slurry and water
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Engineering: control respirable crystalline silica from grinding, cutting or surface preparation of concrete, terrazzo or screeds at the source — on-tool water suppression or H-class dust extraction — never dry-grinding uncontrolled, with respiratory protection as required, recognising the workplace exposure standard for silica reduces on 1 December 2026.
- 2PPE: protect skin and eyes against alkaline wet cementitious self-levelling compound, screed and mortar, which can cause burns and dermatitis, with waterproof gloves, protective clothing and prompt washing of any contact.
- 3Engineering: use the sanders, grinders, mixers and tools safely to the plant requirements, with guarding and the manufacturer's instructions, and have any electrical work and connection by a licensed electrician.
- 4Engineering: control the dust and slurry from the grinding — water suppression and slurry management — with respiratory protection, recognising the slurry and dust contain silica.
- 5Engineering: use mechanical aids and team lifting for the heavy rolls, packs, bags and panels, and manage the awkward kneeling and bending postures of flooring work with knee protection, task rotation and breaks.
- 6Administrative: where the terrazzo is a resin system, manage the resin chemicals to their safety data sheets, and control the noise from the grinding plant.
- 7Administrative: have the electrical work for the grinding equipment by a licensed electrician, recognising the electrical hazard around slurry and water.
- 8Administrative: all workers must hold a valid White Card (General Construction Induction Training, CPCCWHS1001) where the work is construction work, with the flooring, asbestos-awareness and any other competencies required for the work.
- 9Administrative: conduct a pre-start toolbox talk covering the day's work, identified hazards, required PPE and emergency procedures, and record attendance in the consultation section.
- 10Administrative: consult workers and any health and safety representatives on the work and its risks, record the consultation, and keep this document available at the workplace.
- 11PPE: eye protection to AS/NZS 1337.1, hearing protection where required, gloves appropriate to the task, knee protection for kneeling work, and Class I or Class II safety footwear with protective toecap to AS/NZS 2210.3.
- 12Administrative: review and update this SWMS whenever the work scope changes, after any incident or near miss, when a worker or health and safety representative raises a concern, when new hazards are identified, or at minimum every 12 months.
- 13Administrative: ensure the work is carried out by competent flooring installers, with any electrical work by a licensed electrician and any asbestos removal by a licensed asbestos removalist, under the applicable requirements.
Applicable Codes of Practice
The control of respirable crystalline silica from grinding and cutting concrete, terrazzo and screeds.
Management of the coatings, adhesives, hardeners and chemicals, including safety data sheets and exposure controls.
Controls for the sanders, grinders, mixers and plant used in the work, including guarding.
The control of noise from the sanders, grinders and plant used in the work.
Selection, fit testing and use of respiratory protection for wood dust, silica, asbestos, isocyanates and other airborne hazards.
Who this is for
- →Installers laying and finishing terrazzo floors.
- →Terrazzo and specialist flooring contractors.
- →Flooring businesses providing terrazzo floors.
- →Builders and PCBUs requiring terrazzo floors.
- →PCBU safety managers and supervisors coordinating the silica, wet-matrix and plant controls.
What you receive
- ✓Editable Microsoft Word document (.docx) fully compatible with Microsoft Word 2016 and newer, Google Docs, and LibreOffice Writer.
- ✓Title page with editable fields for PCBU name, ABN, site address, project name, principal contractor details, and document revision date.
- ✓Hazard register with the terrazzo floor installation hazards — each with a documented consequence, inherent risk rating on a 5x5 likelihood-consequence matrix, hierarchy-of-control measures, and residual risk rating.
- ✓Terrazzo floor prompts referencing the silica and plant Codes of Practice, a grinding-and-polishing silica section, an alkaline-wet-matrix section, and a grinding-plant and slurry record.
- ✓Competency and licensing prompts for the flooring work and any asbestos removal or electrical work, and a respiratory protection selection and fit-test record per AS/NZS 1715 where relevant.
- ✓Worker consultation record per the model WHS Act consultation duty and a worker sign-on register (blank, expandable).
- ✓Applicable legislation and Codes of Practice schedule pre-populated for the model WHS jurisdiction with a state-variance reference table covering the harmonised states, plus Victoria.
- ✓Emergency procedure template and a revision log.
Worked example
An installer is engaged to lay and finish a terrazzo floor. The respirable crystalline silica from grinding and polishing the terrazzo, which contains stone aggregate, is controlled at the source with on-tool water suppression or H-class extraction, never dry-grinding uncontrolled, with respiratory protection, recognising the silica exposure standard reduces on 1 December 2026. The alkaline wet cementitious matrix is managed against skin and eye burns with waterproof gloves, protective clothing and prompt washing. The grinding and polishing plant is used safely to the plant requirements, and the dust and slurry from the grinding controlled with water suppression and slurry management. The heavy materials and stone aggregate are handled with mechanical aids, and the kneeling and bending postures managed. Where the terrazzo is a resin system, the resin chemicals are managed. Noise is controlled, and the electrical work for the grinding equipment carried out by a licensed electrician, recognising the electrical hazard around slurry and water. The terrazzo floor is installed, and the records retained.
Related legislation
- Model Work Health and Safety Act — primary duty of care; the duty to consult workers; the reckless-conduct offence; and notifiable-incident provisions, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
- Model Work Health and Safety Regulations — the asbestos provisions and licensing, the hazardous chemicals and silica provisions, and the Section 291 high risk construction work and SWMS duties where applicable, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
- The asbestos Codes of Practice (managing and controlling asbestos, and safely removing asbestos), the hazardous chemicals and silica requirements, and the respiratory protection standards AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716, are called up by the relevant safety legislation, together with the construction and product requirements.
- Asbestos removal is licensed under each state and territory's asbestos licensing scheme, with friable asbestos and asbestos made friable by the removal method requiring a Class A asbestos removal licence holder; electrical work is carried out by a licensed electrician.
- Victoria operates under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, with the asbestos, hazardous chemicals and high risk construction work provisions applying in place of the model instruments.
Frequently asked questions
Why is silica the defining hazard in terrazzo?
Terrazzo contains stone aggregate in a cementitious or resin matrix, and grinding and polishing it releases respirable crystalline silica, which causes silicosis, so silica is controlled at the source with on-tool water suppression or H-class extraction, never dry-grinding uncontrolled, recognising the silica exposure standard reduces on 1 December 2026. The silica from grinding and polishing is the defining hazard of terrazzo installation.
Why is the wet matrix a burn hazard?
The cementitious terrazzo matrix is alkaline when wet and can cause chemical burns and dermatitis on contact with skin, so it is managed with waterproof gloves, protective clothing and prompt washing. Protecting the skin and eyes against the alkaline wet matrix prevents burns when laying cementitious terrazzo.
How is the grinding dust and slurry controlled?
The dust and slurry from grinding are controlled with water suppression and slurry management, with respiratory protection, recognising the slurry and dust contain silica. Controlling the dust and slurry at the source, with water suppression, manages the silica hazard of grinding and polishing terrazzo.
What plant is used for terrazzo?
Grinding and polishing plant is used to finish the terrazzo, and it is used safely to the plant requirements with guarding, with the electrical work by a licensed electrician given the slurry and water. The grinding and polishing plant and its electrical hazards are managed alongside the silica.
Who installs terrazzo floors?
Terrazzo floor installation is carried out by competent installers with the silica, wet-matrix, plant and manual-handling controls, and electrical work by a licensed electrician. The terrazzo is ground and polished with the silica controlled at the source and the alkaline wet matrix managed against burns.