Caravan Park & MHE Plumbing SWMS

Caravan park plumbing covers plumbing work across caravan parks, holiday parks and camping grounds — installing, maintaining and repairing the water, sanitary, drainage and hot water systems serving sites, amenities blocks, and connections in a dispersed, often outdoor environment occupied by the public. The plumbing work is conventional, but the setting brings its own considerations: protecting the drinking water supply across many connections, maintaining services to occupants, working in a public environment with vehicles and the public around, and the dispersed nature of the work. This document is written on the basis that caravan park plumbing is carried out by a licensed plumber with the water-supply, service-continuity, public-safety and excavation controls in place.

Caravan park plumbing is carried out to the relevant parts of AS/NZS 3500, with backflow protection to AS/NZS 3500.1 across the connections, sanitary and drainage to AS/NZS 3500.2, and hot water and Legionella controls at amenities. The work is carried out in an occupied, dispersed public environment with vehicles, the public and outdoor conditions, and may involve excavation for the dispersed services. This document coordinates the water-supply, service-continuity, public-safety, excavation and Legionella controls so the plumbing work is carried out safely in the caravan park.

Hazards identified

9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

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

1. 1Engineering: provide and confirm backflow protection matched to the hazard across the connections to AS/NZS 3500.1, protecting the drinking water supply, and use approved materials.
2. 2Administrative: maintain water and sanitary services to occupants and amenities or provide temporary services, planning and staging the dispersed work.
3. 3Administrative: separate the public and vehicles from the work with barriers, signage and a spotter where required, in the occupied public environment.
4. 4Engineering: where excavation is involved, locate and protect existing services first and control the excavation to the excavation Code of Practice, with a SWMS where it reaches the regulated depth.
5. 5Administrative: control Legionella and hot water at amenities, and manage the biological hazard of sanitary and drainage work with hygiene controls and washing facilities.
6. 6Engineering: isolate and manage hot water and stored energy so it does not scald, and manage outdoor conditions and the dispersed work.
7. 7Administrative: control trips and access for the public around the work.
8. 8Administrative: ensure the work is carried out and certified by an appropriately licensed plumber or gasfitter under the relevant state or territory plumbing and gasfitting licensing scheme, with the relevant competencies and a compliance certificate issued where required.
9. 9Administrative: all workers must hold a valid White Card (General Construction Induction Training, CPCCWHS1001) where the work is construction work, with the plumbing, gasfitting, confined space and any other competencies required for the work.
10. 10Administrative: conduct a pre-start toolbox talk covering the day's work, identified hazards, isolations, required PPE and emergency procedures, and record attendance in the consultation section.
11. 11Administrative: consult workers and any health and safety representatives on the work and its risks, record the consultation, and keep this document available at the workplace.
12. 12PPE: eye protection to AS/NZS 1337.1, hearing protection where required, gloves appropriate to the task, high-visibility clothing, and Class I or Class II safety footwear with protective toecap to AS/NZS 2210.3.
13. 13Administrative: review and update this SWMS whenever the work scope changes, after any incident or near miss, when a worker or health and safety representative raises a concern, when new hazards are identified, or at minimum every 12 months.

Applicable Codes of Practice

Worked example

A licensed plumber is engaged to carry out plumbing work across an operating caravan park. Backflow protection matched to the hazard is provided and confirmed across the connections to AS/NZS 3500.1, protecting the drinking water supply, with approved materials. Water and sanitary services to occupants and amenities are maintained or temporary services provided, with the dispersed work planned and staged. The public and vehicles are separated from the work with barriers, signage and a spotter where required. Where excavation is involved, existing services are located and protected first and the excavation controlled to the excavation Code of Practice, with a SWMS where it reaches the regulated depth. Legionella and hot water at amenities are controlled, and the biological hazard managed with hygiene controls. Hot water and stored energy are isolated so they do not scald, and outdoor conditions and the dispersed work managed, with trips and access controlled for the public. The work is completed safely, and the records 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 the confined space, excavation and electrical provisions where applicable, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
• The relevant plumbing and drainage standards AS/NZS 3500 (Parts 0–5), AS/NZS 5601.1:2022 for gas, the AS 4032 valve standards, and the hazardous chemicals and electrical requirements, are called up by the state and territory plumbing, gas and safety legislation, together with the relevant network utility, healthcare and site requirements.
• Plumbing and gasfitting work is licensed under each state and territory's plumbing and gasfitting licensing scheme, with the relevant competencies for the specialist work, and compliance certification required for notifiable work; electrical work is carried out by a licensed electrician.
• Victoria operates under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, with the high risk construction work, confined space and electrical provisions applying in place of the model instruments.

Frequently asked questions