Cathodic Protection — Buried Plumbing Mains SWMS
A Safe Work Method Statement for cathodic protection — buried plumbing mains covering all key hazards, controls and regulatory requirements. This is classified as high-risk construction work under WHS Regulation 2025.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Cathodic protection for pipework covers the installation and maintenance of cathodic protection systems on metallic pipework and tanks — the sacrificial-anode and impressed-current systems that protect buried and immersed metal pipework from corrosion. It combines the plumbing and pipework with the cathodic-protection system, and the hazards include the excavation to access buried pipework, the electrical hazards of impressed-current systems, the potential for confined space entry, and the work on or near the pipework. This document is written on the basis that cathodic protection work is carried out by competent personnel with the excavation, electrical, confined-space and pipework controls in place.
Cathodic protection for pipework is carried out in connection with the relevant cathodic protection and pipeline standards, with the buried pipework accessed by excavation controlled to the excavation Code of Practice with services located first, and impressed-current systems involving electrical work and direct-current hazards. The excavation, the electrical hazards of impressed-current systems, the potential for confined space entry, and the pipework are the considerations. This document coordinates the excavation, electrical, confined-space and pipework controls so the cathodic protection work is carried out safely.
Hazards identified
9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Burial and crush injury from collapsing excavation walls
Electrocution, gas release or service damage where services are not located
Electric shock from the impressed-current cathodic protection system
Atmospheric and restricted-access hazards where entry is required
Electrical and stray-current hazards from the cathodic protection
Pipework and connection hazards during the work
Infection where the pipework is drainage or sewer
Musculoskeletal injury from the anodes, equipment and pipework
Crush and run-over injury where plant and workers are not separated
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Engineering: where buried pipework is accessed, locate and protect existing services first and control the excavation to the excavation Code of Practice with benching, battering or shoring, with a SWMS where it reaches the regulated depth.
- 2Administrative: have the impressed-current and electrical work carried out by competent electrical personnel with the system isolated, and manage the direct-current and stray-current hazards.
- 3Administrative: where access to pipework or a tank requires confined space entry, apply the confined space entry permit, atmospheric testing, ventilation, standby and rescue controls.
- 4Engineering: install and maintain the cathodic protection system to the relevant cathodic protection and pipeline standards, with the anodes, connections and monitoring correct.
- 5Administrative: where the pipework is drainage or sewer, manage the biological hazard with hygiene controls and washing facilities.
- 6Engineering: use mechanical aids for the anodes, equipment and pipework, and maintain plant-and-pedestrian separation with a spotter.
- 7Administrative: confirm the cathodic protection system functions and the pipework is protected on completion.
- 8Administrative: ensure the work is carried out and certified by an appropriately licensed plumber, drainer or gasfitter under the relevant state or territory plumbing and gasfitting licensing scheme, with the relevant competencies and a compliance certificate issued where required.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
The cathodic protection standards for the protection of metallic pipework and tanks from corrosion.
Trenching and excavation controls including support against collapse, ground assessment and existing services.
Electrical safety and isolation for any electrical work, carried out by a licensed electrician.
Atmospheric testing, ventilation, entry permit and rescue controls where the work involves entry into a confined space.
The risk management process and hierarchy of controls applied to the hazards of the work.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Accessing buried pipework for cathodic protection can require excavation deeper than 1.5 metres, which is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS before the work commences.
This is licensed plumbing, drainage, gasfitting or specialist work that, in the circumstances described, is high risk construction work — in or near a shaft or trench with an excavated depth greater than 1.5 metres — so a SWMS must be prepared before the work commences, kept readily accessible, reviewed as necessary, and given to the principal contractor if one is appointed. The work is carried out to the relevant AS/NZS 3500 plumbing and drainage standards and the relevant gas, pressure, excavation, confined space or demolition requirements, which are called up by the relevant legislation, with the controls for the specific hazards applied. A failure in this work can cause serious injury, burial, an atmospheric incident, a loss of containment or harm to the water supply, and breaches of the relevant legislation and the primary duty of care under the model WHS Act are actively enforced, with offence categories running from failure-to-comply through to reckless conduct, and the most serious breaches carrying imprisonment for individuals. Body-corporate maxima are substantial and indexed; the current maximum follows the prevailing schedule of the responsible regulator.
Who this is for
- →Competent personnel installing and maintaining cathodic protection.
- →Corrosion-protection and pipeline contractors.
- →Plumbing and pipeline businesses working on cathodic protection.
- →Asset owners and PCBUs protecting metallic pipework from corrosion.
- →PCBU safety managers and supervisors coordinating the excavation, electrical and pipework controls.
What you receive
- ✓Editable Microsoft Word document (.docx) fully compatible with Microsoft Word 2016 and newer, Google Docs, and LibreOffice Writer.
- ✓Title page with editable fields for PCBU name, ABN, site address, project name, principal contractor details, and document revision date.
- ✓Hazard register with the cathodic protection for pipework hazards — each with a documented consequence, inherent risk rating on a 5x5 likelihood-consequence matrix, hierarchy-of-control measures, and residual risk rating.
- ✓Cathodic protection prompts referencing the cathodic protection standards, an excavation and services section, an impressed-current and electrical section, and an anode-installation and system-function record.
- ✓Licensing, competency and permit prompts for the relevant plumbing, gasfitting, confined space and specialist work, and a respiratory protection selection and fit-test record per AS/NZS 1715 where relevant.
- ✓Worker consultation record per the model WHS Act consultation duty and a worker sign-on register (blank, expandable).
- ✓Applicable legislation and Codes of Practice schedule pre-populated for the model WHS jurisdiction with a state-variance reference table covering the harmonised states, plus Victoria.
- ✓Emergency procedure template and a revision log.
Worked example
A competent corrosion-protection technician is engaged to install a cathodic protection system on buried metallic pipework. Existing services are located and protected, and the excavation to access the pipework controlled to the excavation Code of Practice with shoring, with a SWMS where it reaches the regulated depth, and plant-and-pedestrian separation maintained. The impressed-current and electrical work is carried out by competent electrical personnel with the system isolated, and the direct-current and stray-current hazards managed. Where access to the pipework requires confined space entry, the confined space controls apply. The cathodic protection system is installed and maintained to the relevant cathodic protection and pipeline standards, with the anodes, connections and monitoring correct. Where the pipework is drainage, the biological hazard is managed. Mechanical aids are used for the anodes and equipment. The cathodic protection system is confirmed to function and the pipework protected on completion, 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, demolition 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 pressure piping and pressure equipment standards, the AS 4032 valve standards, and the hazardous chemicals, demolition and asbestos requirements, are called up by the relevant legislation, together with the relevant network utility, insurer and site requirements.
- Plumbing, drainage 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, excavation and demolition provisions applying in place of the model instruments.
Frequently asked questions
What is cathodic protection?
Cathodic protection is a method of protecting buried and immersed metallic pipework and tanks from corrosion, using sacrificial-anode or impressed-current systems. Installing and maintaining cathodic protection combines the pipework work with the cathodic-protection system, and involves excavation, electrical and pipework hazards.
What excavation hazards apply?
Accessing buried pipework requires excavation, which can collapse and strike services, so existing services are located and protected first and the excavation controlled to the excavation Code of Practice with shoring, with a SWMS where it reaches the regulated depth. The excavation controls prevent collapse and service strikes.
What is the electrical hazard of impressed-current systems?
Impressed-current cathodic protection systems use a direct-current supply, which presents electric shock and stray-current hazards. The impressed-current and electrical work is carried out by competent electrical personnel with the system isolated, and the direct-current and stray-current hazards managed.
Does cathodic protection work involve confined spaces?
It can, where access to the pipework or a tank requires confined space entry. In those cases the confined space entry permit, atmospheric testing, ventilation, standby and rescue controls apply, in addition to the excavation and electrical controls.
Who carries out cathodic protection work?
Cathodic protection work is carried out by competent personnel in connection with the relevant cathodic protection and pipeline standards, with the excavation, electrical, confined-space and pipework controls. The system is confirmed to function and the pipework protected on completion.