Housekeeping, Slips, Trips & Falls SWMS
SWMS template for workplace housekeeping and the control of slips, trips and same-level falls. Covers spill clean-up, clear walkways and egress, lead/cable management, floor condition and tidy storage. Queensland coverage, CIH-reviewed editable DOCX, available as an instant download.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Housekeeping and the prevention of same-level slips, trips and falls covers the everyday practices that keep a warehouse, workshop or office floor safe to move around — identifying and cleaning up spills, keeping walkways and emergency egress routes clear, managing trailing power and data leads and hoses, maintaining floor surface condition and controlling contaminants, tidy storage and stacking, adequate lighting, wet-floor signage during cleaning, and safe housekeeping around steps, level changes and stairs. Slips, trips and falls on the same level are among the most common causes of workplace injury in Queensland, producing sprains, fractures and head injuries that drive a large share of lost-time claims. Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), a PCBU has a primary duty to provide and maintain a work environment without risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable, including safe means of entry and exit, and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) sets specific duties for the general working environment, floors, lighting and emergency plans. This SWMS establishes a systematic, auditable framework for managing housekeeping and same-level fall risk across a Queensland workplace.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Loss of footing causing wrist and hip fractures, head strike, back injury and lost-time claim
Fall to the same level causing sprains, fractures, facial injury and a struck-against injury on adjacent plant
Ankle and knee injury, forward fall onto hard surfaces and lacerations from surrounding equipment
Fall down a flight causing serious head injury, spinal injury, multiple fractures and potential fatality
Delayed or prevented evacuation in a fire or emergency causing crush, smoke inhalation and fatality risk to multiple persons
Acute lower-back and shoulder injury, chronic musculoskeletal disorder and lost-time claim
Head and limb injury from falling stock, crush injury and secondary trip hazard from spilled contents
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Remove redundant stock, packaging, offcuts and waste from work areas and walkways at the end of each shift so that clutter never accumulates as a standing trip or egress hazard.
- 2Elimination — Eliminate trailing leads at floor level by relocating fixed power and data outlets, or by permanently routing services overhead or in ducted skirting so cables never cross pedestrian paths.
- 3Substitution — Substitute long extension leads and temporary hose runs with battery or cordless tools, drop-down reels and shorter task-length leads to reduce the length of cable exposed across floors.
- 4Substitution — Replace worn or low-slip-resistance floor finishes in wet and contaminant-prone zones with materials classified for slip resistance to AS 4586 and HB 197 appropriate to the pedestrian surface.
- 5Isolation — Barrier off and sign areas being mopped or that hold a live spill using wet-floor stands and physical barriers so pedestrians are diverted until the surface is dry and clean.
- 6Engineering — Provide cable covers and floor-mounted lead protectors where cables must temporarily cross a walkway, install drip trays and bunding at leak-prone plant, and ensure lighting on stairs, walkways and level changes meets the illuminance for the task.
- 7Engineering — Fit stairs with compliant handrails, slip-resistant nosings and edge marking, and provide colour-contrast and even lighting at every change of level to make the edge clearly visible.
- 8Administrative — Implement a documented housekeeping schedule and end-of-shift walkway inspection, a spill-response procedure with spill kits stationed near contaminant sources, and keep marked emergency egress routes permanently clear per the emergency plan.
- 9Administrative — Induct and train workers in spill identification and clean-up, correct storage and stacking limits, reporting of damaged flooring, and safe manual handling and team-lifting for clearing obstructions.
- 10PPE — Provide slip-resistant safety footwear to AS/NZS 2210.3 for the floor conditions, and task-appropriate gloves and eye protection when handling spill-clean-up chemicals and absorbents.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Imposes the PCBU duty to provide and maintain a work environment without risks so far as is reasonably practicable, including safe walkways, floors and means of entry and exit relied on throughout this SWMS.
Sets specific duties for floors and surfaces, lighting, workspace and the maintenance of clear emergency egress and evacuation planning that this housekeeping SWMS is built to satisfy.
Provides the approved practical guidance for floors, walkways, lighting, housekeeping and egress that duty holders apply to meet their obligations under the WHS Act and Regulation in Queensland.
Defines the slip-resistance classification used when selecting, assessing and maintaining floor surfaces in wet and contaminant-prone areas to control same-level slip risk.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
General workplace housekeeping to prevent same-level slips, trips and falls is not classified as high-risk construction work, so a SWMS is not mandated on that basis. However, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) imposes a primary duty on the PCBU to provide and maintain a safe work environment — including safe walkways and floors, adequate lighting and clear means of entry and exit — and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) sets specific duties for the general working environment and emergency plans. A documented SWMS remains best practice for demonstrating that these duties have been met. Penalties for failing to comply with these duties are substantial and indexed under the WHS Act, and are enforced by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.
Who this is for
- →Warehouse and store staff maintaining floors, aisles and racking
- →Workshop and production workers managing leads, hoses and spills
- →Office and facilities coordinators keeping walkways and egress clear
- →Cleaners and housekeeping personnel performing wet-floor tasks
What you receive
- ✓Editable DOCX template — Microsoft Word compatible
- ✓Queensland WHS legislation schedule (WHS Act & Regulation 2011, Qld)
- ✓Hazard register with risk ratings + hierarchy-of-control mapping
- ✓Worker sign-on register, pre-start checklist, and incident escalation flow
Worked example
At a Brisbane distribution warehouse, a team leader is responsible for housekeeping across the pick-and-pack floor at the start of the afternoon shift. During the 2:00pm pre-start brief, she opens this SWMS on the toolbox tablet and walks the crew through the hazard register, flagging obstructed egress and stair falls as the controlling hazards for the shift after the previous crew reported a full inbound. A forklift operator notes that a pallet of shrink-wrapped stock has been left partly across the marked emergency exit path near dock three, and that a hydraulic leak under a reach truck has left an oil film on the main walkway. Controls are selected from the hierarchy: the egress path is cleared immediately and the pallet relocated to a marked staging bay, the oil spill is contained with a spill kit, barriered with wet-floor stands and cleaned, and the damaged truck is tagged out for maintenance. A worker reports a lifted edge on the mezzanine stair nosing and poor lighting over the top landing; the team leader isolates the stair with a barrier, logs a maintenance request for the nosing and a replacement luminaire, and directs traffic to the alternative stair until repaired. PPE is confirmed — slip-resistant footwear for all floor staff and gloves for the worker handling the spill absorbent. The crew signs on to the SWMS. Mid-shift, rain is tracked in at the roller door creating a wet entry; the team leader amends the SWMS to add a walk-off matting and hourly entry inspection during the weather event, the crew re-signs the amendment, and work continues under the revised controls.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
- Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2021 (Qld)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a SWMS for general housekeeping and slips, trips and falls?
General workplace housekeeping to prevent same-level slips, trips and falls is not high-risk construction work, so a SWMS is not mandated on that basis under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld). However, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) still requires the PCBU to provide and maintain a safe work environment — including safe floors and walkways, adequate lighting and clear means of entry and exit — so far as is reasonably practicable. A documented SWMS is best practice for showing how you identify these hazards, select controls and consult workers, and principal contractors and clients frequently require one before allowing work on their sites.
Which Queensland laws and codes apply to housekeeping and floor safety?
The primary duty of care sits in the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), supported by the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld), which covers the general working environment, floors and surfaces, lighting and emergency plans. The Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2021 (Qld) gives the approved practical guidance on floors, walkways, lighting, housekeeping and egress. For floor surface selection, AS 4586 and HB 197 provide the slip-resistance classification used to specify and maintain pedestrian surfaces. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is the regulator and publishes slips, trips and falls prevention guidance.
How do I keep emergency exits and walkways compliant?
Marked emergency egress and exit routes must be kept clear at all times under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) and your emergency plan; stock, pallets, waste and equipment must never be stored on or narrow an escape path, even temporarily. Walkways should be defined, unobstructed and adequately lit, with trailing leads and hoses managed off the floor or covered where they must cross. Build a documented housekeeping schedule with end-of-shift inspections so obstructions are cleared before they accumulate, and record and act on any reported blockage promptly.
What controls best prevent same-level slips and trips?
Work down the hierarchy of control. Eliminate clutter and trailing leads by removing waste each shift and routing services overhead or in skirting. Where cables must cross a walkway, use floor-mounted covers. Control contaminants with prompt spill response, spill kits near source, drip trays at leak-prone plant, and wet-floor signage and barriers during and after cleaning. Select and maintain floor surfaces with an appropriate slip-resistance classification to AS 4586 and HB 197 in wet zones, ensure lighting is adequate on walkways, stairs and level changes, and provide slip-resistant footwear as the final layer.
How do I make this SWMS site-specific before use?
Enter your PCBU and site details, then align the hazard register with your actual layout — mapping the walkways, floor surfaces and contaminant sources, the stairs and level changes, and the marked emergency egress routes for your building. Confirm the listed controls match what is installed on site, such as cable management, spill kits, lighting levels and stair handrails and nosings, and set your housekeeping schedule and inspection frequency. Consult the workers doing the task and have them sign on before work starts. A generic, unedited SWMS will not stand up to an audit or incident investigation.