Polished Concrete Flooring SWMS
NSW — Polished Concrete Flooring. 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.
Polished concrete flooring involves the mechanical grinding, honing and polishing of concrete slabs using powered planetary grinders, edge grinders and burnishers, together with the application of densifiers, dyes and sealers. The process generates significant volumes of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust when performed dry, involves heavy self-propelled plant moving in occupied or shared spaces, and uses chemical treatments that can be corrosive, flammable or produce hazardous vapours. Slurry from wet grinding creates slip and confinement hazards, while electrical leads, three-phase power and high-noise plant compound the risk profile on both new-build and refurbishment sites.
Under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW), the movement of powered mobile plant constitutes high risk construction work under section 291(o), and a Safe Work Method Statement must be prepared before work commences under section 299. Controls are applied through the hierarchy in section 36, prioritising elimination of dry cutting, engineered dust extraction (H-Class) and water suppression, workplace exposure standard compliance for RCS, and licensed asbestos identification before any grinding of pre-2004 slabs or overlays.
Hazards identified
12 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and renal disease from exceedance of the 0.05 mg/m³ 8-hour TWA workplace exposure standard
Fatal crush injury, fractures and amputations from contact with plant weighing 200–1,500 kg operating in shared spaces
Mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer from disturbance of ACM without a clearance inspection or licensed removal
Electrocution, cardiac arrest and burns
Chemical burns, dermatitis, respiratory sensitisation and, for solvent sealers, fire or vapour ignition
Fractures, head injuries and back injuries from falls onto hard surfaces
Noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus exceeding the 85 dB(A) LAeq,8h exposure standard
Vibration white finger, carpal tunnel syndrome and peripheral neurological damage
Musculoskeletal injury to lower back, shoulders and hands
Carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen depletion and flammable atmosphere ignition
Penetrating eye injury, lacerations and burns
Heat exhaustion, reduced situational awareness and secondary injury from impaired judgement
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Eliminate dry grinding wherever practicable by specifying wet polishing systems or fully integrated tool-mounted extraction; where dry methods are unavoidable, restrict to enclosed rooms with the workforce excluded and negative pressure containment.
- 2Substitute high-VOC solvent-borne sealers with water-based lithium silicate densifiers and hybrid sealers to reduce vapour, fire and dermal hazards.
- 3Engineer respirable dust control using H-Class HEPA vacuums coupled to grinders via shrouded heads, maintained to AS/NZS 60335.2.69, with airflow verification and pre-filter change-out logged each shift.
- 4Isolate powered mobile plant movement zones using physical barriers, spotters and a documented traffic management plan; establish exclusion zones around planetary grinders and prohibit reverse operation without a spotter.
- 5Test and tag all electrical leads, tools and RCDs to AS/NZS 3012 before each site mobilisation; use IP-rated plant for wet polishing and elevate leads on stands clear of slurry.
- 6Obtain a written asbestos clearance or licensed removal certificate for any substrate installed before 2004 before grinding commences, consistent with the SafeWork NSW Code of Practice: How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace.
- 7Monitor RCS exposure by air sampling on representative shifts against the 0.05 mg/m³ WES; review results with workers and adjust controls where 50% of the WES is exceeded.
- 8Manage chemicals under a current SDS register, bunded storage, spill kits and ventilation; prohibit hot works and smoking within 6 m of solvent sealer application until flash-off is complete.
- 9Issue and enforce PPE to AS/NZS standards: P2/P3 RPE fit-tested to AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716, hearing protection to AS/NZS 1270, eye protection to AS/NZS 1337.1, chemical-resistant gloves to AS/NZS 2161.10, and R-rated slip-resistant footwear to AS/NZS 2210.3.
- 10Implement job rotation to limit hand-arm vibration exposure below the ISO 5349-1 action value, with tool weight offset by counter-balance rigs for edge work and mechanical lifting for tooling change-out.
- 11Monitor atmospheres in basements and lift cores with a four-gas detector when LPG burnishers or solvent sealers are used; provide forced mechanical ventilation and evacuate on any CO reading above 30 ppm.
- 12Verify all operators hold a White Card (CPCCWHS1001), conduct SWMS consultation and sign-on under section 47 of the WHS Act 2011 (NSW), and review the SWMS under section 302 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) if controls fail, plant changes or a notifiable incident occurs.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Approved code establishing baseline duties for SWMS preparation, consultation and high risk construction work controls on polished concrete projects.
Provides the risk control framework for RCS generated during mechanical processing of silica-containing materials, applied by analogy to concrete grinding and polishing.
Governs identification, sampling and clearance of ACM in pre-2004 substrates before grinding or polishing commences.
Specifies performance and filtration requirements for H-Class industrial vacuums used for hazardous dust extraction on grinders.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Polished concrete works use self-propelled planetary grinders, ride-on burnishers and, for material logistics, forklifts and telehandlers operating in the same footprint as workers, other trades and — on occupied refurbishment sites — the public.
Under section 299 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) a SWMS must be prepared before HRCW commences and complied with throughout; under section 302 it must be reviewed and revised if a control measure is revised, a hazard or risk is not effectively controlled, or a notifiable incident occurs. Failure to discharge the primary duty of care exposes the PCBU and officers to Category 1 (reckless conduct) and Category 2 offences under sections 31 and 32 of the WHS Act 2011 (NSW), with monetary and custodial penalties determined by the current SafeWork NSW penalty schedule in force at the date of offence.
Who this is for
- →Specialist polished concrete and decorative flooring contractors operating across commercial fit-out and residential slabs
- →Concrete grinding and preparation subcontractors engaged by tier-1 and tier-2 builders
- →PCBUs delivering refurbishment works in occupied retail, warehouse and hospitality premises
- →Self-employed operators performing edge grinding, densifier application and sealer coats
- →Principal contractors coordinating polished concrete works within a broader construction program
What you receive
- ✓Editable SWMS in Microsoft Word aligned to section 299 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW)
- ✓Task-specific hazard register with priority rating and residual risk scoring
- ✓Hierarchy-of-control matrix mapped to AS/NZS standards and approved Codes of Practice
- ✓HRCW declaration for section 291(o) powered mobile plant movement
- ✓Worker consultation and sign-on register meeting section 47 of the WHS Act 2011 (NSW)
- ✓Plant, tool and PPE schedule including H-Class vacuum, RPE fit-test and RCD requirements
- ✓Emergency response, spill and first-aid procedures for chemical and electrical incidents
- ✓SWMS review trigger checklist referencing section 302 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW)
- ✓Free lifetime updates when the underlying legislation, codes or referenced standards change
Worked example
A polished concrete contractor is engaged to grind, densify and polish 1,800 m² of exposed slab across a new logistics facility in Eastern Creek, Western Sydney. Two planetary grinders and one edge grinder operate simultaneously while a forklift shuttles pallets of diamond tooling and 200 L drums of lithium densifier through the same footprint. Before mobilisation, the site supervisor completes the SWMS with the crew under section 47 consultation, confirms all four operators hold current White Cards, and issues an exclusion-zone plan segregating the polishing cell from ongoing racking installation. H-Class vacuums are commissioned with airflow verified at each grinder shroud, and P2 RPE is fit-tested. Mid-project, the client requests polishing of an adjoining 1998-era slab; work is suspended, an asbestos assessment is arranged, and the SWMS is reviewed under section 302 before recommencement.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) — sections 19, 31, 32, 46, 47
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — sections 36, 49–50, 291, 299, 302
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Chapter 7 (Hazardous chemicals) and Schedule 14 (workplace exposure standards)
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Part 4.5 (Plant)
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Chapter 8 (Asbestos)
- Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) — for slurry and wastewater discharge
Frequently asked questions
Is polished concrete flooring high risk construction work in NSW?
Yes. The routine use of self-propelled planetary grinders, ride-on burnishers and material-handling plant places polished concrete work within section 291(o) of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) — work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant — which triggers the requirement for a SWMS under section 299 before work commences.
Do we need silica air monitoring for concrete polishing?
Air monitoring is required under the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) where exposure to a hazardous chemical with a workplace exposure standard cannot reliably be shown to be below the standard. Given the RCS content of cementitious matrices and the energy input from planetary grinders, representative personal sampling against the 0.05 mg/m³ 8-hour TWA is the defensible position, particularly for dry or partially suppressed processes.
What if we discover suspected asbestos in an older slab or floor covering?
Stop work immediately, isolate the area and arrange sampling by a competent person. Grinding must not resume until either a negative result is confirmed or licensed removal is completed under Chapter 8 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) and the SafeWork NSW asbestos code of practice, and the SWMS is reviewed under section 302.
How often must this SWMS be reviewed?
Under section 302 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW), the SWMS must be reviewed and, if necessary, revised whenever a control measure is changed, a hazard or risk is not effectively controlled, powered mobile plant or chemicals change, a notifiable incident occurs, or a health and safety representative reasonably requests it. Best practice is to also review at project commencement and at defined project milestones.
Document details
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