Hot Works (Cutting / Grinding / Brazing) SWMS
SWMS template for hot works (cutting / grinding / brazing). Covers Hot work permit referenced, combustible exclusion zone, fire watch. 8-state AU coverage, CIH-reviewed editable DOCX, available as an instant download.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Hot works covering oxy-fuel cutting, abrasive disc grinding, plasma cutting, brazing and silver soldering generate ignition sources capable of igniting combustibles up to 11 metres from the point of work, produce metal fume containing hexavalent chromium and manganese, and expose workers to UV-A/B/C radiation, molten slag and compressed gas hazards. Under WHS Regulation 2011 r291, hot works performed on construction sites constitutes High Risk Construction Work where there is a risk of fire or explosion from the ignition of flammable or combustible materials, mandating a documented Safe Work Method Statement before work commences. The SWMS must be prepared in consultation with workers, reviewed if controls fail, and kept until the work is completed (or for two years if a notifiable incident occurs). This template integrates the hot work permit system, defined combustible exclusion zones, fire watch protocols and post-work monitoring required by AS 1674.1, AS 1674.2 and the Model Code of Practice for Welding Processes.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Structural fire, smoke inhalation injuries, total project loss, criminal negligence prosecution and insurer policy voidance
Metal fume fever, occupational asthma, chemical pneumonitis, Parkinsonism and Group 1 carcinogen exposure
Flash fire, explosion, asphyxiation, severe burns to multiple workers and structural blast damage
Photokeratitis (arc eye), corneal burns, skin erythema and long-term cumulative cataract and skin cancer risk
Full-thickness burns to hands, forearms and lower legs requiring debridement and skin grafting
Penetrating fragment injury to face/neck/torso, severed arteries, eye loss and fatality
Cylinder rocketing, BLEVE, internal cylinder fire, severe burns and projectile fatalities within blast radius
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Relocate componentry to an off-site fabrication workshop with engineered fume extraction, eliminating site hot works wherever prefabrication or mechanical fastening can substitute.
- 2Elimination — Use cold-cutting methods (hydraulic shears, reciprocating saws, nibblers, bandsaws) on any work within 15 metres of stored flammables, fuel lines or sprinkler-impaired zones.
- 3Substitution — Replace abrasive cutting with plasma or oxy-fuel where lower spark travel is needed, or substitute silver-bearing brazing alloys for cadmium-bearing alloys to remove acute toxicity.
- 4Substitution — Substitute angle grinders with mechanically-fed chop saws or band saws fitted with coolant to reduce spark generation, vibration exposure and disc burst probability.
- 5Engineering — Install fire-rated welding blankets (AS 1674.1 compliant to 1100°C), spark-proof screens and bunded slag trays; deploy LEV on-tool extraction capturing fume at 0.5 m/s face velocity.
- 6Engineering — Fit flashback arrestors at both regulator and torch ends on oxy-fuel sets per AS 4603, and use only AS 4839-marked hoses with crimped (not jubilee-clipped) fittings.
- 7Administrative — Issue a Hot Work Permit signed by the site supervisor before each shift, defining the 11 m combustible exclusion zone, fire watch duration (minimum 60 minutes post-work) and atmospheric test results.
- 8Administrative — Conduct pre-start atmospheric monitoring (LEL, O2, CO) in any confined or semi-confined area, verify isolation of sprinklers and document fire watch personnel and extinguisher type/location.
- 9PPE — Issue P2/P3 respirators (or PAPR for stainless/galvanised work per AS/NZS 1715), AS/NZS 1338.1 shade 5 cutting goggles, AS/NZS 2210.3 safety boots and leather welding leathers with spats.
- 10PPE — Provide flame-resistant FR-rated coveralls (AS/NZS 4824), leather gauntlets, neck flash protection and ensure no synthetic base layers; replace PPE showing scorch, melt or arc burn damage immediately.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates the 11 m combustible clearance, hot work permit system, fire watch duration and post-work monitoring referenced throughout this SWMS.
Specifies fume control hierarchy, LEV airflow requirements, respiratory protection selection and consultation duties under WHS Act s47-49 for welding fume.
Required device standard for oxy-fuel equipment; SWMS verifies arrestor presence, test date and certification before each shift's torch use.
Governs fit-testing, cartridge selection and PAPR deployment for hexavalent chromium and manganese fume exposures defined in hazard register.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Oxy-fuel flame temperatures exceed 3100°C and workpiece surfaces remain above 300°C, creating localised thermal extremes for operators and adjacent trades.
Grinding and cutting frequently occur near live switchboards, conduits and gas lines requiring isolation verification before sparks or heat application commence.
PCBU must prepare the SWMS in consultation with workers, supply it to the principal contractor before work starts, and retain it for two years post-incident; penalties for non-compliance are substantial and indexed annually under the prevailing WHS penalty schedule.
Who this is for
- →Boilermakers and welders on commercial fit-outs
- →Structural steel erectors on multi-storey construction
- →HVAC and mechanical services contractors on refurbishments
- →Demolition operatives performing oxy-cutting on structural members
What you receive
- ✓Editable DOCX template — Microsoft Word compatible
- ✓State-specific WHS legislation schedule (NSW/VIC/QLD/SA/WA/TAS/NT/ACT)
- ✓Hazard register with risk ratings + hierarchy-of-control mapping
- ✓Worker sign-on register, pre-start checklist, and incident escalation flow
Worked example
On a four-storey commercial refurbishment, a mechanical services subcontractor needs to cut and braze copper chilled-water lines on Level 2 directly above a tenanted retail space still trading on Level 1. At the 6:45 am pre-start, the leading hand opens the Hot Works SWMS on a tablet and walks the three-person crew through the hazard register, pausing on spark travel and fume inhalation. Using the SWMS control matrix, the crew confirms they cannot eliminate the hot work (push-fit fittings unsuitable for the pressure rating), so they move to engineering controls: deploying a 2 m x 3 m welding blanket below the work zone, taping a spark-proof screen to the ceiling grid, and setting up a portable LEV with HEPA filter within 300 mm of the braze point. The supervisor issues the Hot Work Permit attached to the SWMS, nominating one worker as dedicated fire watch with a 9 kg dry chemical extinguisher and a CO2 backup, and confirms the sprinkler head within 3 m is bagged and tagged with an impairment notice. All four workers sign on. Mid-task, a gust through an open stairwell shifts spark fall outside the blanket footprint — the fire watch calls stop-work, the crew consults the SWMS dynamic-risk clause, repositions the screen and extends the blanket, re-signs the amendment field, and resumes. Post-work, the fire watch maintains observation for 60 minutes and logs clearance on the permit.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- Code of Practice — Hazardous Manual Tasks