Passive Fire Protection / Penetration Sealing SWMS
SWMS template for passive fire protection / penetration sealing. Covers Fire collars, mortars, batts. 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.
Passive fire protection (PFP) and penetration sealing work involves installing fire-rated collars, mortars, intumescent batts, pillows and sealants around service penetrations through fire-rated walls, floors and shafts to maintain the building's compartmentation rating. This work is classified as High Risk Construction Work (HRCW) under WHS Regulation 2011 r291 because it routinely involves work at heights above two metres on plant rooms, riser shafts and ceiling voids, exposure to hazardous chemicals in two-part intumescent products, and inhalation of cementitious mortar dust and crystalline silica. A documented and signed SWMS is mandatory before work commences and must be reviewed when conditions change, when the work team rotates, or following any notifiable incident. This template addresses the integrated PFP scope across new-build, ACP rectification and remedial fire-stopping projects, and aligns the control framework to AS 4072.1, AS 1530.4 and the Building Code of Australia Specification C1.13.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Accelerated silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer; lifetime workers' compensation and dust disease registry notification
Fatal impact trauma, spinal injury and PCBU prosecution under WHS Act s32 for failing to manage fall risk
Permanent occupational asthma, contact dermatitis and mandatory health monitoring obligations under WHS Reg Schedule 14
Structure fire, smoke inhalation injuries to occupants and breach of AS 1851 hot work permit requirements
Lumbar disc injury, shoulder rotator cuff tears and long-term musculoskeletal disability claims
Head and crush injuries to workers below; breach of WHS Reg r214 falling object protection duties
Arc flash burns, electrocution fatality and prosecution under AS/NZS 4836 live work prohibition clauses
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Reschedule PFP installation to occur before services are energised and before ACP cladding is fixed, removing live electrical and hot work exposure entirely.
- 2Elimination — Specify pre-formed cast-in fire collars at the design stage to remove the need for on-site mortar mixing and silica dust generation.
- 3Substitution — Substitute solvent-based two-part intumescent sealants with water-based acrylic equivalents carrying equivalent FRL ratings under AS 1530.4 testing.
- 4Substitution — Replace bagged cementitious fire mortar with pre-mixed pumpable mortar delivered in sealed cartridges to reduce respirable silica generation.
- 5Engineering — Provide on-tool H-class HEPA dust extraction on all grinders and mixers, with local exhaust ventilation in riser shafts per AS/NZS 1715.
- 6Engineering — Install edge protection, mesh penetration covers and rated working platforms at every shaft opening before sealing work commences each shift.
- 7Administrative — Issue hot work permits, isolate and tag electrical services per AS/NZS 4836, and brief this SWMS at daily pre-start with signed acknowledgement.
- 8Administrative — Implement respiratory health monitoring under WHS Reg r368 for silica and isocyanate exposed workers, with records retained for 30 years.
- 9PPE — Mandate P2 reusable half-face respirators for mortar work, full-face A1P3 for isocyanate sealants, fit-tested annually per AS/NZS 1715.
- 10PPE — Require cut-5 gloves, safety glasses, long-sleeve cotton drill, harness with twin lanyard for shaft work, and chemical-resistant nitrile gloves for sealants.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Defines installation, certification and tagging requirements for every penetration seal — non-compliance voids the building's fire compartmentation rating.
Mandates fit testing, cartridge selection and maintenance for respirators worn against silica mortar dust and isocyanate sealant vapours.
Triggers fall prevention duty under WHS Reg r78 for shaft and ceiling void work above two metres during penetration sealing tasks.
Requires SDS register, exposure assessment and health monitoring for isocyanate sealants and crystalline silica under WHS Reg Chapter 7.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Riser shafts and ceiling voids used for penetration sealing meet the confined space definition under AS 2865 due to restricted egress and atmospheric risk.
Two-part intumescent sealants contain MDI isocyanates and epoxies classified as hazardous under the GHS, requiring exposure controls and health monitoring.
Sealing penetrations on plant room floors, riser shafts and elevated service runs routinely exposes workers to falls exceeding the two-metre threshold.
PCBUs must prepare, consult workers on, and retain this SWMS for two years after work ceases, or until incident records close; penalties are substantial and indexed, with the current maximum following the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Passive fire protection subcontractors on commercial fitout
- →ACP rectification principal contractors managing fire-stopping
- →Building surveyors auditing penetration seal compliance
- →Facility managers coordinating remedial PFP works
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 14-storey commercial tower undergoing ACP rectification, the PFP crew arrives at level 9 to seal 42 service penetrations through the hydraulic riser shaft following cable tray reinstatement. The leading hand opens this SWMS at the 6:45am pre-start in the site shed, projecting it onto the whiteboard. The team walks through each hazard line: the silica risk from mortar mixing is flagged, and the leading hand confirms the Hilti CFS-M RG mortar will be mixed in the ground-floor bunded area with H-class extraction, not in the shaft. The isocyanate sealant row prompts the apprentice to collect a full-face A1P3 respirator from the store and confirm his fit test is current. The fall row triggers a check that twin-lanyard harnesses are rigged to the engineered anchor at the shaft head, and that the mesh penetration covers stay in place until each seal is complete. All four workers sign on against the SWMS. At 10:20am conditions change — an electrician needs to energise an adjacent cable tray. Work stops, the SWMS is reopened on the tablet, the electrical hazard row is reviewed, lockout is verified with the electrician's permit, and workers re-sign the amendment before resuming. The signed SWMS and amendment are uploaded to the project compliance portal.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces CoP