Office & Workstation Ergonomics (DSE) SWMS
SWMS template for office and computer-workstation (DSE) ergonomics. Covers workstation setup, posture, keyboard/mouse, lighting, cabling trip hazards and manual handling. Queensland coverage, CIH-reviewed editable DOCX, available as an instant download.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Office and workstation ergonomics covers sedentary office-based work performed at computer or display-screen-equipment (DSE) workstations across administrative, professional, and support environments in Queensland. The work routinely involves sustained static and awkward postures, prolonged sitting, repetitive keyboard and mouse use, monitor and screen positioning, seating and sit-stand desk configuration, workstation layout, and the surrounding lighting, thermal, and noise environment, together with occasional manual handling of stationery, reams, boxes, and printer consumables. Under section 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) a person conducting a business or undertaking owes a primary duty of care to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers, which extends to managing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders arising from hazardous manual tasks. Part 4.2 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) requires that risks from hazardous manual tasks be identified and controlled, having regard to postures, movements, forces, duration, and repetition. This is a lower-risk, non-construction office activity: a Safe Work Method Statement is not legally mandated here, but this document is provided as audit-grade best-practice risk documentation to record hazard identification, control selection, and worker consultation for any Queensland office.
Hazards identified
6 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Cumulative neck, shoulder, and lower-back musculoskeletal disorder, chronic postural pain, and lost-time discomfort claims
Upper-limb disorder including tenosynovitis, tendonitis, and repetitive strain injury of the wrist and forearm
Visual fatigue, eye strain, headaches, and reduced concentration over the working day
Slip or trip fall causing sprains, bruising, fractures, and disruption to adjacent workstations
Acute lumbar or shoulder strain from lifting, carrying, or reaching to high or low storage
Discomfort, distraction, fatigue, and reduced ability to sustain focused work across the shift
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Eliminate prolonged unbroken sitting by designing the role and task flow so that no worker is required to remain in a fixed seated posture for extended periods without change.
- 2Substitution — Substitute fixed-height desks and non-adjustable chairs with sit-stand desks and fully adjustable ergonomic seating that allow posture variation and individual fit.
- 3Isolation — Isolate cabling from the footwell and walkway using under-desk cable trays, floor-box outlets, and secured conduit so that no lead crosses a foot or pedestrian path.
- 4Engineering — Provide adjustable monitor arms, document holders, footrests, and keyboard trays so the screen top sits at eye level, forearms rest horizontal, and the individual is positioned per AS 3590 and ISO 9241 workstation principles.
- 5Engineering — Manage the visual environment with glare-free task lighting, blinds or diffusers on windows, and matte or anti-glare screens verified against the Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2021 (Qld).
- 6Administrative — Provide workstation self-assessment and set-up training, encourage regular micro-breaks and task rotation, and apply the 20-20-20 visual rest routine to break sustained screen focus.
- 7Administrative — Establish a housekeeping routine that keeps footwells and walkways clear, and require team lifting or a trolley for stationery, reams, and consumables stored above shoulder or below knee height.
- 8PPE — Personal protective equipment is not a primary control for DSE work; where light manual handling of consumables occurs, provide general-purpose gloves for grip and hand protection as required.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Imposes the PCBU duty to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the health and safety of workers, including managing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders from office-based hazardous manual tasks.
Requires identification and control of risks from hazardous manual tasks, having regard to posture, movement, force, vibration, duration, and repetition — the core exposures in sustained DSE work.
Provides the approved risk management methodology for identifying and controlling musculoskeletal disorder risk, including postural and repetition factors relevant to keyboard, mouse, and seated work.
Sets practical guidance on lighting, workspace layout, seating, ventilation, and thermal comfort applied to the office environment and workstation surroundings.
Defines dimensional and configuration criteria for display height, seating, keyboard and mouse placement, and workstation layout referenced when setting up each DSE position.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
This work is not high-risk construction work and does not trigger a SWMS requirement under section 291 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld); the SWMS is provided here as best-practice risk documentation rather than a mandatory instrument. Even so, the PCBU retains the primary duty under section 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) and the specific obligation under Part 4.2 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) to manage the risk of musculoskeletal disorders from hazardous manual tasks so far as is reasonably practicable. Failure to discharge that primary duty is an offence for which penalties under the WHS Act are substantial and indexed, and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland may take compliance and enforcement action.
Who this is for
- →Administrative and clerical staff working at DSE workstations
- →Professional and technical office-based employees
- →Contact-centre and data-entry operators
- →Managers and WHS coordinators setting up office workstations
What you receive
- ✓Editable DOCX template — Microsoft Word compatible
- ✓Queensland WHS legislation and Code of Practice schedule
- ✓Hazard register with risk ratings + hierarchy-of-control mapping
- ✓Workstation self-assessment checklist, worker sign-on register, and review record
Worked example
At a Brisbane professional-services office, a new administrative officer is being set up at a shared open-plan workstation. During the induction, the WHS coordinator opens this SWMS on the team tablet and walks through the hazard register, identifying sustained sitting, repetitive keyboard and mouse use, and screen glare as the controlling exposures for the role. The officer completes the workstation self-assessment: the chair is adjusted so the feet rest flat and the knees sit at desk height, the sit-stand desk is set to bring forearms horizontal, and a footrest is issued because the officer is shorter than the previous occupant. The monitor arm is raised so the top of the screen aligns with eye level and rotated away from the window; the coordinator lowers the venetian blind to remove the mid-morning glare striking the display. Under-desk cabling from the previous setup is found trailing across the footwell, so the leads are rerouted into the under-desk cable tray and the floor is confirmed clear. The coordinator briefs the officer on micro-breaks and the 20-20-20 visual rest routine, and notes that stationery reams are stored on a low shelf to avoid overhead reaching. Two weeks later the officer reports mild wrist discomfort; the coordinator reviews the setup, issues a padded wrist rest and repositions the mouse closer to the keyboard, records the change on the assessment, and schedules a follow-up review.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) — Part 4.2
- Hazardous manual tasks Code of Practice 2011 (Qld); Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2021 (Qld)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a SWMS for office and workstation ergonomics work?
No — office-based DSE work is not high-risk construction work, so it does not fall within the section 291 high-risk construction work list and a Safe Work Method Statement is not legally required on that basis. This document is provided as best-practice risk documentation to help you meet the broader duty. Under section 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) the PCBU must still manage the risk of musculoskeletal disorders so far as is reasonably practicable, and Part 4.2 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) requires hazardous manual task risks to be identified and controlled. Using a structured SWMS-style document is an efficient way to record that hazard identification, control selection, and worker consultation in auditable form.
How do I set up a DSE workstation correctly?
Adjust the chair first so the feet are flat on the floor or a footrest and the knees are roughly level with the hips, then set the desk or sit-stand height so the forearms are horizontal and the wrists straight while typing. Position the monitor about an arm's length away with the top of the screen at or just below eye level, directly in front of the user to avoid neck rotation. Keep the keyboard and mouse close together to prevent over-reaching, remove screen glare using blinds and matte surfaces, and encourage regular posture changes and micro-breaks. AS 3590 and ISO 9241 provide the dimensional principles, and the Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2021 (Qld) covers the surrounding lighting and workspace.
What are the main health risks of prolonged computer work?
The dominant risk is musculoskeletal disorder — cumulative neck, shoulder, and lower-back strain from sustained static sitting and poor postures, and upper-limb disorders such as tenosynovitis and repetitive strain injury from sustained keyboard and mouse use. Prolonged screen focus also causes visual fatigue, eye strain, and headaches, particularly where glare or poor lighting is present. These are managed by fitting the workstation to the individual, varying posture with sit-stand options and task rotation, and taking regular visual and movement breaks rather than relying on any single control.
Is this SWMS specific to Queensland?
Yes. This document is written for Queensland workplaces and cites the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) Part 4.2, and the Queensland Codes of Practice for hazardous manual tasks and for managing the work environment and facilities, with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland as the regulator. Queensland has adopted the model WHS laws, so the underlying duties translate closely to other harmonised jurisdictions, but if you operate outside Queensland you should update the legislation schedule and cite the equivalent regulator's materials for your state or territory.
How do I make this document site-specific before use?
Enter your PCBU and site details, then align the hazard register with your actual office layout — confirming the workstation types in use, the lighting and thermal conditions, the cable-management arrangements, and the storage locations for stationery and consumables. Verify that the listed controls match what is installed, such as adjustable chairs, sit-stand desks, monitor arms, and cable trays, then have workers complete a workstation self-assessment and consult them on the findings before signing on. A generic, unedited document will not reflect your workplace or stand up to an audit or a workers' compensation review.