Pipelines & Pressurised Systems Work SWMS

Pipelines covers the construction, maintenance and operation of gas and liquid petroleum transmission pipelines — the high-pressure lines that carry hydrocarbons and other hazardous fluids over long distances. Pipeline work brings together a distinctive set of high-consequence hazards: high-pressure systems with enormous stored energy, flammable and sometimes toxic product, hot work and welding on lines that may carry that product, deep excavation along the route, heavy lifting of pipe, and entry into confined spaces such as the inside of large-diameter pipe and pig traps. A loss of containment or ignition on a high-pressure pipeline can be catastrophic, which is why the sector is governed by a comprehensive standard and a rigorous safety-management discipline. This document is the overarching pipeline SWMS that sets out the framework and the high risk construction work categories that apply across pipeline activities, and it works alongside the task-specific pipeline method statements for welding, tie-in and hot tap, pigging, hydrostatic testing, pre-commissioning, trenching and laying, and coating.

Pipeline work engages several high risk construction work categories under the model Work Health and Safety Regulations depending on the activity — work on or near pressurised gas mains or piping, on or near chemical or fuel lines, in a potentially flammable atmosphere, in or near a confined space, on or near pressure equipment above 50 kilopascals, and in or near a trench deeper than 1.5 metres — so a safe work method statement is required before the relevant work commences, kept readily accessible, and given to the principal contractor if one is appointed. High-pressure pipelines carrying gas and liquid petroleum are designed, constructed, welded, tested, operated and maintained to the AS 2885 suite, which is treated as the single and sufficient standard for the sector, with a Safety Management Study assessing the threats and consequences. This document coordinates the pipeline-integrity, pressure, flammable-atmosphere, excavation and lifting controls that run across pipeline work.

Hazards identified

9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.

1. 1Engineering: design, construct, weld, test, operate and maintain the pipeline to the AS 2885 suite, with a Safety Management Study assessing the threats to and consequences for the pipeline and the controls required.
2. 2Engineering: control the stored energy and pressure of the system through engineered isolation, depressurisation, exclusion zones and pressure relief appropriate to the activity.
3. 3Engineering: continuous atmospheric monitoring for flammable gas, oxygen and toxic components where hydrocarbon product is present or may be released, with defined evacuation criteria.
4. 4Engineering: control excavation to the excavation Code of Practice and lifting to the crane standards, and locate and protect existing services before excavation.
5. 5Administrative: a permit-to-work system across pipeline activities — hot-work, confined space and pressure-system permits — exclusion zones, and competency verification for the specialised roles.
6. 6Administrative: prepare a SWMS before the relevant work for the applicable high risk construction work categories, and apply the task-specific pipeline method statements for welding, tie-in and hot tap, pigging, hydrostatic testing, pre-commissioning, trenching and laying, and coating.
7. 7PPE: flame-resistant clothing for hot-work and flammable-atmosphere activities, supplied-air respiratory protection for confined and oxygen-deficient atmospheres, gas detection carried by workers, and the general site PPE, per AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716.
8. 8Administrative: all workers must hold a valid White Card (General Construction Induction Training, CPCCWHS1001) before entering any construction workplace, with pipeline and any confined space competencies verified as applicable.
9. 9Administrative: conduct a daily pre-start toolbox talk covering the day's work scope, identified hazards, required PPE, emergency procedures, and any changes since the previous shift, and record attendance in the SWMS consultation section.
10. 10PPE: eye protection to AS/NZS 1337.1, hearing protection where required, gloves, and Class I or Class II safety footwear with protective toecap to AS/NZS 2210.3.
11. 11Administrative: review and update this SWMS whenever the work scope, pipeline conditions or method changes, 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

High-Risk Construction Work triggered

Worked example

A pipeline operator is delivering a project that spans the full pipeline lifecycle — trenching and laying a new section, welding the joints, hydrostatically testing the line, pre-commissioning it, tying it in to the existing network, and later pigging it for inspection. Rather than treat these in isolation, the operator uses this overarching pipeline SWMS to set the framework and the applicable high risk construction work categories, then applies the task-specific pipeline method statements for each activity. The whole of the work is designed, constructed, welded, tested, operated and maintained to the AS 2885 suite, with a Safety Management Study assessing the threats and consequences for the pipeline at each stage. A permit-to-work system runs across the activities — hot-work permits for welding and the tie-in, confined space permits for in-pipe and pig-trap work, and pressure-system controls for testing and pigging — and continuous atmospheric monitoring is used wherever hydrocarbon product is present or may be released. Excavation is controlled to the excavation Code of Practice with existing services located and protected, and lifting to the crane standards. Each specialised crew is competent and briefed, and the SWMS, Safety Management Study, permits and monitoring records are retained across the project.

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, including work on or near pressurised gas mains or piping, on or near chemical or fuel lines, in a potentially flammable atmosphere, in or near a confined space, on or near pressure equipment above 50 kilopascals, and in or near a trench deeper than 1.5 metres; and the SWMS preparation and review duties, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
• AS 2885 suite — Pipelines: Gas and liquid petroleum, treated as the single and sufficient standard for high-pressure pipelines, including the Safety Management Study; and AS 1674.1 hot-work fire precautions.
• Pipeline safety and licensing legislation administered by the relevant state pipeline or energy safety regulator applies to licensed transmission pipelines.
• Victoria operates under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, with the high risk construction work and pipeline provisions applying in place of the model instruments.

Frequently asked questions