Plumbing in Childcare Centres SWMS

Childcare centre plumbing covers plumbing work in operating childcare and early childhood education centres — installing, maintaining and repairing water, sanitary, drainage and hot water systems in a setting where the occupants are young children. The plumbing work is conventional, but the setting imposes heightened controls: young children are highly vulnerable to scalding, so the lowest delivered-temperature limit applies, child safety and supervision around the work are paramount, hygiene and infection control matter, and the work must be coordinated around children and the centre's operation. This document is written on the basis that childcare plumbing is carried out by a licensed plumber with the scalding, child-safety, hygiene and service controls in place.

Childcare centre plumbing is carried out to the relevant parts of AS/NZS 3500, with particular attention to AS/NZS 3500.4 for heated water, under which delivered water to fixtures used for personal hygiene in an early childhood setting must be limited to the lowest scalding-prevention temperature, and Legionella controlled. The work is carried out in an occupied centre around young children, so child safety, supervision, hygiene and service continuity are heightened controls. This document coordinates the scalding, child-safety, hygiene and service controls so the plumbing work is carried out safely in the childcare setting.

Hazards identified

9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

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

1. 1Engineering: provide delivery-temperature control with a tempering or thermostatic mixing valve so delivered water to fixtures used for personal hygiene is limited to the lowest early-childhood scalding-prevention temperature, while the system controls Legionella.
2. 2Administrative: keep children away from the work area, tools and hazards at all times — physically separating and supervising — and never leave tools, materials or hazards accessible to children.
3. 3Administrative: control Legionella across the heated and warm water systems, and maintain water, sanitary and hygiene services to the centre or provide temporary services.
4. 4Administrative: coordinate the work with the operating childcare centre so occupants and operations are protected, maintaining services and access, and applying the facility's induction, permit and infection or safety controls.
5. 5Administrative: manage the biological hazard with hygiene controls, washing facilities, gloves and protective clothing, and prohibition of eating, drinking and smoking until decontaminated.
6. 6Engineering: isolate and manage hot water and stored energy before the work so it does not scald, and barricade and secure the work area so children cannot access it.
7. 7Administrative: secure and account for all tools, materials and hazards so none are left accessible to children, and control trips and access for children and staff.
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 in an operating childcare centre. Delivery-temperature control is provided with thermostatic mixing valves so delivered water to fixtures used for personal hygiene is limited to the lowest early-childhood scalding-prevention temperature, while the system controls Legionella. Children are kept away from the work area, tools and hazards at all times by physical separation and supervision, and the work area is barricaded and secured so children cannot access it. Water, sanitary and hygiene services are maintained or temporary services provided. The work is coordinated with the operating centre so children and the centre's operation are protected, applying the centre's controls. The biological hazard is managed with hygiene controls and washing facilities, and hot water and stored energy isolated so they do not scald. All tools, materials and hazards are secured and accounted for so none are left accessible to children, and trips and access controlled. 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