High-Rise Riser Plumbing Maintenance SWMS
Safe work method statement for maintenance and repair of vertical plumbing risers in high-rise buildings including working in occupied shafts, fall protection, and building management system coordination.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
High-rise riser maintenance covers the maintenance and repair of the vertical service risers in high-rise buildings — the water, drainage, hot water and fire-service pipework that runs vertically through the building to serve the floors. It combines the plumbing work with the specific hazards of the high-rise riser environment: working in confined riser shafts, working at height within the shafts, the stored energy and pressure of the tall water columns, fire-service systems, and the coordination needed to maintain services to a tall occupied building. This document is written on the basis that high-rise riser maintenance is carried out by a licensed plumber with the confined-shaft, work-at-height, pressure and service-continuity controls in place.
High-rise riser maintenance is carried out to the relevant parts of AS/NZS 3500, with the riser pipework and any fire services maintained, and the tall water columns bringing significant static pressure. The riser shafts can be confined spaces, the work within them is at height, and the building is tall and occupied, so confined-space, work-at-height, pressure and service-continuity controls are critical. This document coordinates the confined-shaft, work-at-height, pressure, fire-service and service-continuity controls so the riser maintenance is carried out safely.
Hazards identified
9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Oxygen deficiency, restricted access and atmospheric hazards in the riser shaft
Falls within the riser shaft over the height of the building
High static pressure release from the tall water columns
Impact injury from objects falling down the riser shaft
Fire-service hazards and the need to maintain fire systems
Welfare impact from loss of services to the tall occupied building
Infection from drainage riser work
Scalding from hot water release during the work
Musculoskeletal injury in the confined riser shaft
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Administrative: apply the confined space entry permit, atmospheric testing, ventilation, standby and rescue controls to the riser shafts where they meet the confined space definition.
- 2Engineering: provide fall prevention for the work at height within the riser shafts — anchored systems, platforms and edge protection — to the managing the risk of falls Code of Practice, recognising the fall height over the building.
- 3Engineering: manage the stored pressure of the tall water columns, isolating and depressurising the relevant section before the work, because the static pressure of a tall column is significant.
- 4Engineering: control falling tools and materials down the riser shaft with tethering, exclusion and securing, because an object falling down a riser can travel the height of the building.
- 5Administrative: maintain services to the occupied building or provide temporary services, and maintain the fire services and their function.
- 6Administrative: manage the biological hazard with hygiene controls, washing facilities, gloves and protective clothing, and prohibition of eating, drinking and smoking until decontaminated.
- 7Engineering: isolate and manage hot water and stored energy so it does not scald, and use mechanical aids for manual handling in the confined riser.
- 8Administrative: ensure the work is carried out and certified by an appropriately licensed plumber or gasfitter under the relevant state or territory plumbing and gasfitting licensing scheme, with the relevant competencies and a compliance certificate issued where required.
- 9Administrative: all workers must hold a valid White Card (General Construction Induction Training, CPCCWHS1001) where the work is construction work, with the plumbing, gasfitting, confined space and any other competencies required for the work.
- 10Administrative: conduct a pre-start toolbox talk covering the day's work, identified hazards, isolations, required PPE and emergency procedures, and record attendance in the consultation section.
- 11Administrative: 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.
- 12PPE: eye protection to AS/NZS 1337.1, hearing protection where required, gloves appropriate to the task, high-visibility clothing, and Class I or Class II safety footwear with protective toecap to AS/NZS 2210.3.
- 13Administrative: 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.
Applicable Codes of Practice
The water services standard for the water supply, backflow protection and connection.
The sanitary plumbing and drainage standard for the sanitary and drainage work.
Atmospheric testing, ventilation, entry permit and rescue controls where the work involves entry into a confined space.
Fall-prevention controls for any work at height involved in the task.
The risk management process and hierarchy of controls applied to the hazards of the work.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Riser shafts can meet the confined space definition, and work in them is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS before the work commences.
Work at height within the riser shafts involves a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres, which is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS before the work commences.
High-rise riser maintenance is licensed plumbing work that, in the circumstances described, is high risk construction work — work in or near a confined space, and work where there is a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres — so a SWMS must be prepared before the work commences, kept readily accessible, reviewed as necessary, and given to the principal contractor if one is appointed. The work is carried out to the relevant AS/NZS 3500 plumbing and drainage standards, with the confined-space and work-at-height controls applied, and the riser shafts, tall water columns and falling-object hazards managed. A fall, a confined-space incident or a falling object in a riser can cause serious or fatal injury, and breaches of the plumbing legislation and the primary duty of care under the model WHS Act are actively enforced, with offence categories running from failure-to-comply through to reckless conduct, and the most serious breaches carrying imprisonment for individuals. Body-corporate maxima are substantial and indexed; the current maximum follows the prevailing schedule of the responsible regulator.
Who this is for
- →Licensed plumbers maintaining high-rise service risers.
- →Plumbing and mechanical businesses servicing high-rise buildings.
- →Building and facility managers of high-rise buildings.
- →Building owners and PCBUs responsible for high-rise services.
- →PCBU safety managers and supervisors coordinating the confined-shaft, work-at-height and pressure 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 high-rise riser maintenance hazards — each with a documented consequence, inherent risk rating on a 5x5 likelihood-consequence matrix, hierarchy-of-control measures, and residual risk rating.
- ✓High-rise riser prompts referencing AS/NZS 3500, a confined-shaft and work-at-height section, a tall-water-column pressure section, and a falling-object and service-continuity record.
- ✓Licensing, competency and permit prompts for the relevant plumbing, gasfitting, confined space and specialist 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
A licensed plumber is engaged to maintain the service risers in a high-rise building. The riser shafts are entered under a confined space entry permit, with atmospheric testing, ventilation, standby and rescue controls where they meet the confined space definition. Fall prevention is provided for the work at height within the shafts — anchored systems, platforms and edge protection — recognising the fall height over the building, with a SWMS prepared. The stored pressure of the tall water columns is managed, isolating and depressurising the relevant section before the work, because the static pressure of a tall column is significant. Falling tools and materials down the riser shaft are controlled with tethering, exclusion and securing, because an object can travel the height of the building. Services to the occupied building are maintained or temporary services provided, and the fire services maintained. The biological hazard of drainage risers is managed, and hot water isolated so it does not scald. The work is completed safely, 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 — Section 291 high risk construction work and the SWMS preparation and review duties, and the confined space, excavation and electrical provisions where applicable, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
- The relevant plumbing and drainage standards AS/NZS 3500 (Parts 0–5), AS/NZS 5601.1:2022 for gas, the AS 4032 valve standards, and the hazardous chemicals and electrical requirements, are called up by the state and territory plumbing, gas and safety legislation, together with the relevant network utility, healthcare and site requirements.
- Plumbing and gasfitting work is licensed under each state and territory's plumbing and gasfitting licensing scheme, with the relevant competencies for the specialist work, and compliance certification required for notifiable work; 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 high risk construction work, confined space and electrical provisions applying in place of the model instruments.
Frequently asked questions
What are high-rise service risers?
High-rise service risers are the vertical service shafts and pipework that run through a high-rise building — the water, drainage, hot water and fire-service pipework that serves the floors. Maintaining the risers involves working in the riser shafts, which can be confined spaces, at height within the building, and with the tall water columns under significant pressure.
Are riser shafts confined spaces?
Riser shafts can meet the confined space definition, with restricted access and possible atmospheric hazards, so the confined space entry permit, atmospheric testing, ventilation, standby and rescue controls apply where they do, and the work is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS. The confined-shaft controls apply alongside the work-at-height controls.
What is the hazard of the tall water columns?
The water columns in a high-rise riser are tall, so they have significant static pressure, and a release of that pressure can be hazardous. The stored pressure is managed by isolating and depressurising the relevant section before the work, because the static pressure of a tall column is significant.
Why are falling objects a particular concern in risers?
An object that falls down a riser shaft can travel the full height of the building, gaining energy and causing serious impact injury below. Falling tools and materials are controlled with tethering, exclusion and securing, because the fall height in a high-rise riser makes a falling object a serious hazard.
How are services maintained during riser work?
Services to the occupied building are maintained by planning the work or providing temporary services, and the fire services maintained and kept functioning. Maintaining service continuity to the tall occupied building, and the fire services, is a heightened control because the risers serve the whole building.