Rodent Control SWMS
Rodent control program — bait station install, trapping, sealing of entry points. Includes roof-void and subfloor access, exclusion proofing, follow-up monitoring, safe disposal of carcasses.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Rodent control programs across commercial, residential and food-handling premises involve the deployment of anticoagulant and non-anticoagulant rodenticides, mechanical trapping, exclusion proofing and carcass retrieval, frequently within roof voids, subfloor cavities, ceiling spaces and service ducts. The work exposes technicians to Schedule 7 and 6 poisons, biological agents including Leptospira, Hantavirus and Salmonella shed in rodent urine and faeces, and confined or restricted spaces with poor ventilation and atmospheric hazards. Under WHS Regulation 2025, the combination of hazardous chemical use, biological exposure and confined space entry classifies elements of this work as High Risk Construction Work under Schedule 1, mandating a Safe Work Method Statement prepared in consultation with workers before work commences. The SWMS must identify each hazard, document the hierarchy of controls applied, and be reviewed whenever the work method, product or site conditions change. PCBUs delivering rodent management services hold a non-transferable duty under s19 of the WHS Act to ensure this documentation is in place, signed and accessible on site for the duration of the program.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Coagulopathy, internal haemorrhage, prolonged INR requiring vitamin K1 therapy over weeks, hospitalisation, notifiable incident under s38
Leptospirosis, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, salmonellosis, rat-bite fever, lymphocytic choriomeningitis — notifiable disease, hospitalisation
Asphyxiation, heat stress, entrapment requiring emergency rescue, fatality — Category 1 offence if uncontrolled entry permitted
Rat-bite fever (Streptobacillus moniliformis), wound infection, tetanus, secondary cellulitis requiring antibiotic therapy and lost-time injury
Fractures, spinal injury, traumatic brain injury, fatality from falls exceeding 2 metres — notifiable dangerous incident
Civil liability, APVMA label breach, prosecution under Agvet Code, coronial inquest if child fatality, licence cancellation
Lumbar strain, knee bursitis, lacerations from rusted metal, contaminated puncture wounds requiring tetanus prophylaxis
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — eliminate the need for confined space entry by using external tamper-resistant bait stations and remote monitoring sensors wherever rodent activity can be addressed at the perimeter.
- 2Elimination — eliminate use of second-generation anticoagulants in sensitive sites by deploying snap-trap-only programs in food premises, schools and wildlife-adjacent properties.
- 3Substitution — substitute brodifacoum with first-generation anticoagulants (warfarin, coumatetralyl) or non-anticoagulant alternatives (cholecalciferol) where label permits to reduce secondary poisoning severity.
- 4Substitution — substitute manual carcass retrieval with mechanical pick-up tools, sealed bags and long-handled scoops to avoid direct hand contact with contaminated remains.
- 5Engineering — install lockable tamper-resistant bait stations secured to substrate per APVMA label, with mechanical ventilation of roof voids before entry and atmospheric testing for O2, CO and H2S.
- 6Engineering — provide LED inspection lighting, mechanical fans achieving 20 air changes prior to entry, and fixed or temporary edge protection where roof access exceeds 2 metres.
- 7Administrative — implement confined space entry permit per AS 2865:2025, standby person with communications, pre-start atmospheric monitoring logged, and APVMA-compliant chemical register with current SDS on site.
- 8Administrative — restrict work to licensed pest management technicians holding current state pest licence, with documented annual training in rodenticide handling, zoonotic disease awareness and confined space entry.
- 9PPE — P2 respirator (or PAPR for heavy contamination per AS/NZS 1715:2009), nitrile gloves over cotton liners, disposable Type 5/6 coveralls, sealed safety eyewear and steel-midsole boots.
- 10PPE — post-task decontamination station with hand wash, eyewash, sealed disposal bags for contaminated PPE, and immediate change of clothing before leaving site; biological waste consigned to clinical waste stream.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Triggers chemical register, SDS, risk assessment, health monitoring under reg 368 and labelling/storage duties under regs 341–344 for Schedule 6/7 rodenticides.
Applies to roof void and subfloor entry where ventilation is restricted; mandates permit, atmospheric testing, standby person and documented rescue plan.
Governs P2/PAPR selection, fit testing and maintenance for technicians exposed to aerosolised rodent excreta and rodenticide dusts in enclosed voids.
Requires use strictly in accordance with registered label — placement, bait weight, tamper-resistance and non-target protection — breach is a strict-liability offence.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Deployment of Schedule 6 and 7 anticoagulant rodenticides and tracking powders constitutes use of hazardous chemicals requiring SDS, register and exposure control.
Roof voids and subfloor cavities meeting the AS 2865 confined space definition — restricted entry, limited natural ventilation and potential atmospheric contamination from biological agents.
Access to commercial and industrial roof voids via ladders, fragile ceilings or unguarded hatches commonly exceeds the 2 metre fall threshold triggering fall protection duties.
PCBU must prepare, consult workers on, and retain the SWMS for 2 years post-incident; failure attracts Category 1–3 penalties — substantial and indexed; current maximum follows the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Licensed pest management technicians servicing commercial sites
- →Facility managers overseeing rodent programs in food premises
- →Strata managers coordinating multi-unit residential treatments
- →Council environmental health officers auditing pest contractors
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
A pest management technician arrives at a suburban restaurant reporting rodent activity in the rear food storage area and roof void above the kitchen. Before commencing, the technician opens the Rodent Control SWMS on the tablet at the pre-start brief with the restaurant duty manager. Walking through the hazard register, the technician identifies that roof void access triggers the confined space and falls-from-height controls, and that brodifacoum bait placement near food preparation requires tamper-resistant stations secured per APVMA label. The SWMS confined space checklist prompts atmospheric testing with the four-gas monitor, which records 20.4% O2 and zero CO — entry is authorised and logged, with the restaurant manager nominated as standby person on radio contact. The technician dons P2 respirator, nitrile gloves and Type 5/6 coveralls per the PPE control, places snap traps along identified runways in the roof void, and installs three external lockable stations at the rear loading dock. During the task, the technician discovers a deceased rodent showing fly activity — the SWMS biological hazard control directs sealed double-bagging, clinical waste consignment and immediate glove change. All technicians and the duty manager sign on, the SWMS is left on site, and a 7-day monitoring visit is scheduled with the same document reviewed at each return.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- AS 2865 — Confined spaces