Mine Crusher & Screening Plant SWMS
Primary and secondary crusher, screen deck, and stockpile reclaim. RCS from feed material, conveyor entanglement, isolation/LOTO for blockage clearing, fall risk on elevated platforms.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Mining crusher and screening operations reduce and size run-of-mine rock through crushers and screens, in fixed processing plants and mobile crushing and screening units on surface and underground. The process concentrates two kinds of hazard: the powerful mechanical hazards of the crushing and screening plant — crush and entanglement at the crusher, conveyors and screens, and the energy stored in the plant — and the large quantities of respirable dust and crystalline silica liberated as the rock is broken and sized. Clearing blockages and crusher hang-ups, and maintenance on the plant, are particularly high-risk because they can bring workers close to stored energy and crushing points. This document is written on the basis that the crushing and screening plant is guarded and isolated under a rigorous energy-isolation regime, and that the respirable dust and silica are controlled at the dust-generating points.
Crusher and screening operations are governed by the dual mining regime: under the model Work Health and Safety Regulations the work engages the plant and machinery duties and, where part of construction, the high risk construction work provisions; under the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations the mechanical hazards and airborne dust are managed within the mine safety management system and any relevant principal mining hazard management plan. Crucially, crushing and screening rock is processing of a crystalline silica substance, so the respirable crystalline silica controls apply, and diesel particulate matter from mobile plant is controlled against its standard. This document coordinates the guarding, energy-isolation, blockage-clearing, dust and silica controls so the plant is operated and maintained without a mechanical or a silica injury.
Hazards identified
9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Fatal crushing or entanglement at unguarded or inadequately isolated plant
Release of stored mechanical energy injuring workers during intervention
Crush injury and uncontrolled movement when a blockage clears
Silicosis and respiratory disease from the high-dust process
Fall injury from elevated plant access points
Permanent noise-induced hearing loss without effective hearing protection
Carcinogenic diesel exhaust exposure where diesel-powered plant is used
Impact and eye injury from ejected material
Musculoskeletal injury during plant maintenance
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Engineering: guard the crusher, conveyors and screens to prevent access to crushing and entanglement points, with interlocked guards where appropriate and designed access for maintenance.
- 2Engineering: control respirable crystalline silica and dust at the dust-generating points — enclosure, water suppression and dust extraction at crushers, screens and transfer points — to keep airborne silica below the standard.
- 3Engineering: a rigorous energy-isolation and lockout regime for maintenance and blockage clearing, isolating and de-energising all energy sources and dissipating stored energy before intervention, with verification.
- 4Engineering: safe elevated access — platforms, walkways and edge protection — to crushers, screens and conveyors, and fall-prevention for access at height.
- 5Administrative: a defined blockage and hang-up clearing procedure that keeps workers out of the crushing zone and line of fire and uses the isolation regime, with no clearing of a live or energised crusher.
- 6Administrative: prepare the relevant principal mining hazard management plan and mechanical control measures, a silica risk control plan for the high-risk processing of a crystalline silica substance, and a SWMS where construction work applies.
- 7Administrative: air monitoring for respirable crystalline silica against the respirable crystalline silica workplace exposure standard of 0.05 mg/m3 (eight-hour time-weighted average), reframed as a workplace exposure limit from 1 December 2026, with exceedances reported to the regulator and diesel particulate against the diesel particulate matter exposure standard, currently 0.1 mg/m3 as an eight-hour time-weighted average measured as sub-micron elemental carbon, with a Workplace Exposure Limit of 0.01 mg/m3 measured as respirable elemental carbon applying from 1 December 2026, with health monitoring for silica-exposed workers and records retained.
- 8Administrative: all workers must hold a valid White Card (General Construction Induction Training, CPCCWHS1001) where construction work applies, and the mining inductions, statutory tickets and competencies required for the mine before entering the operation.
- 9Administrative: conduct a pre-shift toolbox talk covering the day's work, the principal mining hazards and their controls, atmospheric and ground conditions, plant movements, required PPE and emergency procedures, and record attendance in the consultation section.
- 10Administrative: consult workers and health and safety representatives on the work and its risks, record the consultation, and keep this document and the relevant plans available at the operation.
- 11PPE: underground or site high-visibility clothing, head protection, eye protection to AS/NZS 1337.1, hearing protection matched to the measured noise, gloves, and Class I or Class II safety footwear with protective toecap to AS/NZS 2210.3.
- 12Administrative: review and update this SWMS and the relevant principal mining hazard management plan whenever the work, the ground or atmospheric conditions, the plant or the controls change, after any incident or near miss, when a worker or health and safety representative raises a concern, or at minimum every 12 months.
Applicable Codes of Practice
The mining-specific regulations requiring identification of principal mining hazards and a principal mining hazard management plan for each, within the mine safety management system.
The risk management process and hierarchy of controls applied to the principal mining hazards of the work.
The risk assessment, silica risk control plan, air monitoring and health monitoring duties where the work generates respirable crystalline silica.
Controls and the exposure standard for the high noise levels generated by mining and processing plant.
Selection, fit testing, use and maintenance of the respiratory protection required for the dust, diesel particulate, silica and atmospheric hazards of the work.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Mobile crushing and screening plant and feed and haulage plant operate around the operation, bringing the work within this category and driving the plant-and-pedestrian separation controls.
This work is governed by the dual mining regime. Under the model WHS Regulations it is high risk construction work — engaging the categories above — 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. Under the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations the mine operator must identify the principal mining hazards relating to the mechanical hazards of the crushing and screening plant and the respirable dust and silica generated and prepare a principal mining hazard management plan for each, within the mine safety management system. Where the work generates respirable crystalline silica, the silica risk control plan, air monitoring and health monitoring duties apply, with the exposure standard reframed as a workplace exposure limit from 1 December 2026. Mining incidents in this category can be catastrophic, and breaches of the primary duty of care under the model WHS Act and the mines legislation 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
- →Crushing and screening plant operators on surface and underground.
- →Mobile crusher and screen operators.
- →Fixed plant maintenance crews working on crushers, conveyors and screens.
- →Processing and mechanical engineers managing the plant.
- →Mine managers and supervisors overseeing the mechanical and silica controls and the SWMS.
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 the mine operator and PCBU name, ABN, site address, project name, principal contractor details, and document revision date.
- ✓Hazard register with the mining crusher screening hazards — each with a documented consequence, inherent risk rating on a 5x5 likelihood-consequence matrix, hierarchy-of-control measures, and residual risk rating.
- ✓Guarding and energy-isolation prompts, a blockage and hang-up clearing procedure, a silica and dust control section aligned to the model crystalline silica Code of Practice, and air-monitoring record fields.
- ✓Principal mining hazard management plan reference prompts and, where relevant, a silica risk control plan aligned to the model crystalline silica Code of Practice referencing the 0.05 mg/m3 exposure standard.
- ✓Competency, statutory-ticket and induction verification fields, and a respiratory protection selection and fit-test record per AS/NZS 1715.
- ✓Worker consultation record and a worker sign-on register (blank, expandable).
- ✓Applicable legislation and Codes of Practice schedule pre-populated for the model WHS and mines jurisdiction with a state-variance reference table covering the harmonised states, plus Victoria.
- ✓Emergency procedure template and a revision log.
Worked example
A mine is crushing and screening run-of-mine rock through a fixed crushing plant and a mobile screening unit. Because the work involves powerful plant, mobile plant movement, and the crushing and screening of rock is processing of a crystalline silica substance, a SWMS is prepared where construction work applies, a silica risk control plan is in place, and the mechanical hazards are managed within the mine safety management system. The crusher, conveyors and screens are guarded to prevent access to crushing and entanglement points, with interlocked guards and designed maintenance access. Respirable crystalline silica and dust are controlled at the dust-generating points with enclosure, water suppression and dust extraction at the crushers, screens and transfer points. A rigorous energy-isolation and lockout regime governs maintenance and blockage clearing, isolating all energy sources and dissipating stored energy before intervention, and a defined blockage-clearing procedure keeps workers out of the crushing zone and never clears a live crusher. Safe elevated access with edge protection serves the plant, and air monitoring tracks crystalline silica and diesel particulate against their standards, with health monitoring for silica-exposed workers. The plan, SWMS and monitoring records are 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 where relevant the crystalline silica high-risk processing, silica risk control plan, air monitoring and health monitoring provisions, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
- Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation / Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations — identification of principal mining hazards, principal mining hazard management plans, the mine safety management system and, for underground mines, ventilation control plans, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
- Exposure standards: respirable crystalline silica 0.05 mg/m3 (eight-hour TWA), reframed as a workplace exposure limit from 1 December 2026; respirable dust and, in coal, the lower coal-mine dust standard; and diesel particulate matter, currently 0.1 mg/m3 (sub-micron elemental carbon) with a Workplace Exposure Limit of 0.01 mg/m3 (respirable elemental carbon) from 1 December 2026.
- Victoria, and other jurisdictions, operate their own mining safety and work health and safety legislation; in Victoria the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and Regulations 2017 and the relevant mining instruments apply in place of the model instruments.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main hazards of crushing and screening?
Two kinds: the powerful mechanical hazards of the plant — crush and entanglement at the crusher, conveyors and screens, and stored energy — and the large quantities of respirable dust and crystalline silica liberated as rock is broken and sized. Clearing blockages and maintenance are particularly high-risk, so the plant is guarded and isolated under a rigorous energy-isolation regime and the dust and silica are controlled at source.
Is crushing and screening high-risk silica work?
Yes. Crushing and screening rock is processing of a crystalline silica substance, generating large quantities of respirable crystalline silica, so a silica risk control plan is prepared, the silica is controlled at the dust-generating points with enclosure, water suppression and dust extraction, and air monitoring against the 0.05 mg/m3 standard with health monitoring for exposed workers applies.
Why is clearing a crusher blockage so dangerous?
Clearing a blockage or crusher hang-up can bring workers close to crushing points and stored energy, and a blockage that clears suddenly can cause crush injury or uncontrolled movement. It is managed by a defined clearing procedure that keeps workers out of the crushing zone and line of fire, using the energy-isolation regime, and never clearing a live or energised crusher.
How is the plant made safe for maintenance?
Through a rigorous energy-isolation and lockout regime that isolates and de-energises all energy sources and dissipates stored energy before any intervention, with verification, together with guarding of crushing and entanglement points and safe elevated access. Stored energy in the plant is a serious hazard during maintenance, so isolation is fundamental.
What plans and monitoring apply to crushing and screening?
The mechanical hazards are managed within the mine safety management system and the relevant principal mining hazard management plan and mechanical control measures, a silica risk control plan applies because the work is high-risk silica processing, and a SWMS is required where construction work applies. Air monitoring covers respirable crystalline silica and diesel particulate, with health monitoring for silica-exposed workers.