Concreting JSA Template
This template breaks a complete concreting task into its real work sequence — pre-pour planning, formwork and reinforcement checks, pump set-up, placement, screeding, finishing, curing and cutting control joints. Every step is pre-filled with specific hazards, before-and-after risk ratings and hierarchy-tagged controls, including the concrete pump interface, silica dust from joint cutting and cement burns from wet concrete. It is supplied as an editable Word document so you can tailor each step to your site, your crew and your equipment before the pour.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
This JSA covers a standard structural or slab-on-ground concreting task on an Australian construction site: planning and setting up the pour, inspecting formwork and reinforcement, coordinating the concrete pump and agitator trucks, placing and vibrating the concrete, screeding, finishing with hand tools and power trowels, applying curing compound, stripping forms and saw-cutting control joints. The dominant risks across the task are powered mobile plant movement, concrete delivery line failures, skin and eye contact with wet concrete, musculoskeletal strain, and respirable crystalline silica generated when hardened concrete is cut.
A JSA is a general risk-management tool, not a legislated document, and completing it does not discharge any SWMS duty. Where the concreting work involves a category of high-risk construction work under regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations — such as movement of powered mobile plant in the work area, work on or adjacent to a road in use, trenches deeper than 1.5 metres, or tilt-up and precast concrete work — a SWMS must be prepared before that work starts, and this JSA supplements it. In Victoria the equivalent requirements sit under the OHS Regulations 2017.
Hazards identified
21 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Arises at step: Plan the pour and set up the work area. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Plan the pour and set up the work area. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Inspect formwork and reinforcement before the pour. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Inspect formwork and reinforcement before the pour. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Inspect formwork and reinforcement before the pour. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Set up the concrete pump and manage the agitator truck interface. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Set up the concrete pump and manage the agitator truck interface. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Place and vibrate the concrete. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Place and vibrate the concrete. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Place and vibrate the concrete. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Screed and level the surface. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Screed and level the surface. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Finish the surface with hand tools and power trowel. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Finish the surface with hand tools and power trowel. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Finish the surface with hand tools and power trowel. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Apply curing compound and strip formwork. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Apply curing compound and strip formwork. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Apply curing compound and strip formwork. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Cut control joints in the hardened slab. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Cut control joints in the hardened slab. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Cut control joints in the hardened slab. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Isolation — Delineate a dedicated truck path and pump set-up zone with barriers, physically separated from pedestrian routes and the pour crew
- 2Administrative — Appoint a trained spotter for every reversing and slewing movement, with agreed hand signals and no-go positions
- 3Administrative — Hold a pre-pour briefing covering truck sequencing, wash-out location and communication between the pump operator and the placing crew
- 4Elimination — Position the pump so the boom at full extension cannot enter the no-go zone for overhead lines; choose an alternative set-up location if clearance cannot be achieved
- 5Administrative — Confirm powerline clearance distances with the electricity network operator before the pour and mark the exclusion area on the ground
- 6Administrative — Use a dedicated spotter whenever the boom operates near the marked clearance boundary
- 7Engineering — Have formwork erected and certified to the formwork design, with props, walers and ties installed as specified
- 8Administrative — Complete a documented pre-pour formwork inspection by a competent person, checking bracing, tie spacing and stripping pins
- 9Administrative — Agree a controlled pour rate and placement sequence with the pump operator so hydrostatic pressure stays within the form design limits
- 10Engineering — Fit steel-reinforced protective caps or timber capping rails to all exposed vertical starter bars
- 11Engineering — Establish planned access routes across the reinforcement using secured walk boards
- 12Administrative — Keep designated walkways boarded and clear of offcuts, tie wire and tools
- 13Administrative — Brief the crew on the agreed access routes across the deck before work starts
- 14Engineering — Fit safety clips or pins to every pipeline coupling and inspect lines, bends and clamps for wear before priming
- 15Administrative — Only the pump operator clears blockages, and only after releasing line pressure; all other workers stand clear of discharge ends and couplings
- 16Isolation — Keep a marked exclusion area along the pipeline route during priming and blockage clearing
- 17Administrative — No worker holds or stands near the end hose while the line is being primed or a blockage cleared
- 18Engineering — Use double-ended snap clamps and a correctly rated end hose free of unauthorised extensions
- 19Administrative — Agree stop-start signals between the hose hand and pump operator before placement begins
- 20Administrative — Direct the end hose close to the placement surface to reduce splash height
- 21PPE — Wear sealed safety glasses or a face shield during discharge and vibration
- 22Engineering — Locate an eye wash station at the pour before discharge starts
- 23Engineering — Provide wash-down water and clean-up facilities at the pour area so contaminated skin and clothing can be rinsed immediately
- 24PPE — Wear alkali-resistant gloves, long sleeves and waterproof boots high enough for the pour depth; change out any clothing soaked with concrete
- 25Administrative — Plan the pour sequence so concrete is discharged close to its final position rather than moved by hand
- 26Administrative — Rotate hose hand, shovelling and vibrating duties through the crew during long pours
- 27Engineering — Use long-handled or vibrating screeds sized to the pour to reduce stooped postures
- 28Administrative — Rotate screeding duties and schedule short recovery breaks on large slabs
- 29Engineering — Use maintained, low-vibration equipment and report units that run rough
- 30Administrative — Limit individual trigger time by rotating vibration tasks through the crew
- 31Engineering — Confirm the dead-man control and blade guard are fitted and functional before starting the trowel
- 32Isolation — Keep all other workers clear of the operating area of the trowel
- 33Administrative — Operators wear fitted clothing with no loose drawstrings or straps
- 34Substitution — Use electric or battery trowels for enclosed areas such as basements and tilt panels under cover
- 35Engineering — Provide forced ventilation where combustion engines must run in partially enclosed spaces
- 36Administrative — Stop work and ventilate if any worker reports headache, dizziness or nausea
- 37Engineering — Use kneeling boards that spread load and keep skin off the wet surface
- 38PPE — Wear waterproof knee protection and rinse any skin contact immediately
- 39Substitution — Select a water-based curing compound where the specification allows
- 40Administrative — Review the SDS before use, spray downwind of the crew, and ventilate enclosed areas
- 41PPE — Wear chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection when mixing and spraying
- 42Administrative — Strip formwork in the sequence specified in the formwork documentation and only after the nominated stripping time or strength is confirmed
- 43Isolation — Exclude all workers not involved in stripping from the area below and beside the forms
- 44Administrative — Use two-person lifts or mechanical aids for large panels and stack components close to the work area
- 45Administrative — De-nail and stack stripped materials progressively to keep the work area clear
- 46Engineering — Wet-cut only, with a constant water feed to the blade; dry cutting of concrete is prohibited on this task
- 47Isolation — Exclude workers not involved in cutting from the cutting area
- 48PPE — Operators wear a fit-tested P2 (or higher) respirator during cutting and clean-up, with slurry removed wet rather than swept dry
- 49Engineering — Use a sharp, undamaged blade rated for the saw and for concrete, with the guard correctly fitted
- 50Administrative — Plan cut lines so the operator maintains a stable two-handed stance and never cuts above shoulder height
- 51Administrative — Contain slurry with bunding or a wet vacuum and clean the area progressively as cutting proceeds
Applicable Codes of Practice
Silica dust controls for cutting and grinding steps.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
A JSA is a general risk-management tool, not a legislated document, and completing it does not discharge any SWMS duty. Where the concreting work involves a category of high-risk construction work under regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations — such as movement of powered mobile plant in the work area, work on or adjacent to a road in use, trenches deeper than 1.5 metres, or tilt-up and precast concrete work — a SWMS must be prepared before that work starts, and this JSA supplements it. In Victoria the equivalent requirements sit under the OHS Regulations 2017.
Who this is for
- →Concreting contractors pricing and delivering slab, footing and structural pours
- →Formwork and concrete crews who need a task-level risk document for each pour
- →Builders self-performing concrete works who must document hazards and controls
- →Site supervisors and WHS coordinators reviewing subcontractor concreting documentation
- →Owner-operators who cut, core or grind concrete and need silica controls in writing
What you receive
- ✓Editable Word (DOCX) Job Safety Analysis pre-filled for a complete concreting task
- ✓Eight sequenced work steps with specific hazards, hierarchy-tagged controls and before/after risk ratings
- ✓PPE schedule referencing Australian standards, plus training and competency checklist
- ✓Emergency response notes covering cement burns, pump line failures and formwork incidents
- ✓Toolbox briefing and worker sign-on section to record who was consulted
- ✓Plain-English guidance notes on tailoring the document to each site
Worked example
This JSA covers a standard structural or slab-on-ground concreting task on an Australian construction site: planning and setting up the pour, inspecting formwork and reinforcement, coordinating the concrete pump and agitator trucks, placing and vibrating the concrete, screeding, finishing with hand tools and power trowels, applying curing compound, stripping forms and saw-cutting control joints. The dominant risks across the task are powered mobile plant movement, concrete delivery line failures, skin and eye contact with wet concrete, musculoskeletal strain, and respirable crystalline silica generated when hardened concrete is cut.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations of your state or territory (in Victoria, the OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017)
- How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice
- Where the task is high-risk construction work: the SWMS provisions of your jurisdiction (a JSA supplements, and does not replace, a required SWMS)
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need a SWMS if I use this JSA?
Often, yes. Concreting itself is not a listed category of high-risk construction work, but pours frequently trigger categories listed in regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations — for example work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant (agitator trucks and pumps), work on or adjacent to a road in use, work in or near a trench deeper than 1.5 metres, or tilt-up and precast concrete work. If any of those apply, a SWMS is legally required before that work starts, and this JSA supplements the SWMS — it never replaces it. In Victoria the equivalent duties sit under the OHS Regulations 2017.
Is the template editable and can I reuse it?
Yes. It is a standard Microsoft Word (DOCX) file bought once. You can edit every field — steps, hazards, ratings, controls, PPE and sign-on details — and reuse it across your jobs within your business. There is no subscription and nothing expires.
Does it cover concrete pump operations?
It covers the concreter's interface with the pump: set-up zones, powerline clearances, delivery line and coupling checks, end hose handling and blockage clearing. The pump operator remains responsible for their own plant documentation, and an operator using a concrete placing boom must hold a High Risk Work licence class PB. Use this JSA alongside the pump company's procedures, not instead of them.
What does the template include for silica dust when cutting joints?
The cutting step is written around eliminating dry cutting: water-fed wet cutting, an exclusion zone around the saw, wet slurry clean-up rather than dry sweeping, and fit-tested P2 respiratory protection for the operator. It also flags that cutting concrete is a crystalline silica process under WHS regulations, which brings training and, in some cases, health monitoring duties.
How do I adapt the JSA to my site?
Walk each pre-filled step against your actual pour: delete what does not apply, adjust hazards and controls to your equipment and ground conditions, and add anything site-specific such as live traffic, trenches or overhead services. Then brief the crew, have them sign on, and keep the completed JSA as a record. Review it whenever the task, the crew or the site conditions change.