Glazing Vacuum Lifting Attachment SWMS

Glazing vacuum lifting attachments are mechanical lifting devices that use suction cups and vacuum reservoirs to handle large, heavy glass panels — often up to 1000 kg — during facade installation, curtain wall glazing, and shopfront fit-outs. The work involves attaching the vacuum frame to a crane or spider-crane hook, energising a dual-circuit vacuum pump, lifting suspended glass through congested airspace, and landing the panel into a structural opening or glazing channel. This activity is classified as High Risk Construction Work under WHS Regulation 2025 section 291 because it combines crane-suspended loads with the catastrophic consequences of glass breakage at height. A Safe Work Method Statement is mandatory under regulation 299 before work commences, must be prepared in consultation with workers under section 47 of the WHS Act, and must remain available on site for the duration of the activity. Failure to develop, implement, or comply with the SWMS is a standalone offence carrying significant penalties for the PCBU and officers under section 27.

Hazards identified

7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

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

1. 1Elimination — Where building design permits, eliminate suspended glass handling by using pre-glazed unitised curtain wall panels lifted and locked directly into structural brackets.
2. 2Elimination — Remove workers entirely from beneath suspended load by establishing hard-barricaded exclusion zones with spotter control before any lift commences.
3. 3Substitution — Substitute manual vacuum cup arrays with certified powered dual-circuit vacuum lifters rated to AS 4991 with documented 2:1 safety factor on rated capacity.
4. 4Engineering — Use only vacuum lifters fitted with independent dual pump circuits, audible low-vacuum alarms, battery backup, and gauges visible to the dogger throughout the lift.
5. 5Engineering — Install taglines on each lower corner of the panel and use rigid push-pull poles for final landing to prevent direct hand contact with edges.
6. 6Administrative — Conduct documented pre-lift vacuum hold test for minimum 60 seconds at 200 mm lift height, recording gauge reading before clearing the panel for trAS/NZSt.
7. 7Administrative — Implement wind monitoring with anemometer at lift height; suspend operations when sustained wind exceeds manufacturer limit, typically 7.7 m/s (28 km/h).
8. 8Administrative — Restrict operation to licensed crane operators (CN/CO) and dogger-licensed (DG) personnel with documented competency on the specific vacuum lifter model.
9. 9PPE — Issue cut-resistant Level D gloves (AS/NZS 2161.3), safety glasses to AS/NZS 1337.1, and steel-cap boots to AS/NZS 2210.3 for all glazing crew.
10. 10PPE — Provide hard hats to AS/NZS 1801 Type 2 with chinstraps and high-visibility long-sleeve garments to AS/NZS 4602.1 for all personnel in the lift zone.

Applicable Codes of Practice

High-Risk Construction Work triggered

Worked example

On a six-storey mixed-use commercial fit-out, the glazing crew is scheduled to install eight 850 kg laminated facade panels using a 2.9-tonne spider crane and a dual-circuit vacuum lifter. At the 6:45 am pre-start brief, the leading hand opens this SWMS on a site tablet and walks the four-person crew through the hazard register, focusing on sudden vacuum loss and pendulum swing in the open atrium. The dogger confirms the vacuum lifter's last AS 4991 inspection sticker is current and demonstrates the 60-second hold test required by the administrative controls section. The supervisor identifies that today's forecast shows gusts to 9 m/s by 11 am, so the team applies the wind-suspension trigger from the SWMS and reschedules the final two panels to the following morning. Each worker signs the SWMS sign-on register, confirming they hold valid DG or CO tickets and have received the toolbox briefing. Mid-task, the dogger notices the secondary vacuum gauge dropping faster than the primary during a slew — directly matching the dual-circuit failure hazard listed. Following the SWMS escalation procedure, he halts the lift, lands the panel on stillage, and the team isolates and replaces a degraded seal before resuming. The SWMS is annotated with the incident, re-signed, and filed for the project's HRCW records.

Related legislation

• WHS Act 2011 (model)
• WHS Regulation 2025
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces CoP

Frequently asked questions