Pipe Bursting & Slip-Lining (No-Dig) SWMS
A Safe Work Method Statement for pipe bursting & slip-lining 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.
Pipe bursting covers the trenchless replacement of underground pipes by drawing a bursting head through the existing pipe, fracturing it outward while pulling a new pipe in behind — replacing a defective water, sewer or drainage pipe without open-trench excavation along its length. It avoids the trench hazards of dig-and-replace along the line, but introduces its own: the high pulling forces and stored energy of the bursting rig, the entry and exit pits that are excavations and potential confined spaces, the displacement of ground and nearby services as the pipe is burst, and the biological hazards where the pipe is a sewer. This document is written on the basis that pipe bursting is carried out by competent operators with the rig, excavation, services-displacement and confined-space hazards controlled.
Pipe bursting is trenchless pipe replacement carried out in connection with the relevant parts of AS/NZS 3500, using a bursting rig that applies high pulling forces. The entry and exit pits are excavations controlled to the excavation Code of Practice with existing services located first, and the bursting displaces ground and can affect nearby services, which must be located and assessed. The high forces and stored energy of the rig and the winch line are significant hazards. This document coordinates the rig, excavation, services-displacement, confined-space and biological controls so the pipe is burst and replaced safely.
Hazards identified
9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Severe injury from the winch line, rig or stored energy under the high pulling forces
Burial and crush injury from collapsing pit excavation walls
Service strike or damage where services are not located and the burst displaces ground
Atmospheric and restricted-access hazards in the pits
Ground movement affecting nearby services, structures and the surface
Infection from contact with sewage where a sewer is burst
Whip or release of the line, rod or head under the high load
Musculoskeletal injury from heavy pipe, rods and equipment
Crush and entanglement hazards around the operating rig and plant
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Engineering: operate the bursting rig to its safe working requirements — keeping clear of the line of pull and the stored energy, using rated rods, lines and heads, and not exceeding the rig's capacity.
- 2Engineering: locate, prove and protect existing underground services before any ground penetration using plans, Dial Before You Dig information, a service locator and potholing, so services are not struck.
- 3Engineering: control the entry and exit pit excavations to the excavation Code of Practice with benching, battering or shoring, with a SWMS for the pits, and apply the confined space controls where a pit meets the confined space definition.
- 4Engineering: assess and manage the ground displacement and heave during bursting, locating and protecting nearby services and structures that could be affected.
- 5Administrative: where the pipe is a sewer, manage the biological hazard with hygiene controls, washing facilities and protective clothing, and prohibition of eating, drinking and smoking until decontaminated.
- 6Engineering: keep workers clear of the line of pull and the stored energy during bursting, and exclude personnel from the path of a potential line, rod or head failure.
- 7Engineering: maintain plant-and-pedestrian separation around the work with a spotter, and exclude workers from the operating plant and its hazard zone.
- 8Administrative: ensure the work is carried out and certified by an appropriately licensed plumber or drainer under the relevant state or territory plumbing 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) before entering any construction workplace, with the plumbing, excavation, confined space and any other competencies and licences required for the work.
- 10Administrative: conduct a daily 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 sanitary plumbing and drainage standard for the sewer or drainage pipe being replaced by bursting.
Trenching and excavation controls including support against collapse, ground assessment and existing services.
Atmospheric testing, ventilation, entry permit and rescue controls where the work involves entry into a confined space.
Controls for the plant and equipment used in the work, including guarding and plant-and-pedestrian separation.
The risk management process and hierarchy of controls applied to the hazards of the work.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
The entry and exit pits for pipe bursting can be excavations deeper than 1.5 metres, which is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS before the work commences.
Where entry into an entry or exit pit that meets the confined space definition is required, the work is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS before the work commences.
This is licensed plumbing, drainage 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; and in or near a confined space — 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, the excavation, confined space and pressure-equipment requirements, and the relevant utility requirements, which are called up by the relevant legislation, with the excavation, confined-space, electrical, pressurised-pipe or work-at-height controls applied as relevant. A failure in this work can cause burial, an atmospheric incident, a service strike, a loss of containment or serious injury, 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 operators carrying out trenchless pipe bursting.
- →Trenchless and civil contractors replacing underground pipes by bursting.
- →Plumbing and drainage businesses providing pipe bursting.
- →Asset owners and PCBUs commissioning trenchless pipe replacement.
- →PCBU safety managers and supervisors coordinating the rig, excavation and services-displacement 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 pipe bursting hazards — each with a documented consequence, inherent risk rating on a 5x5 likelihood-consequence matrix, hierarchy-of-control measures, and residual risk rating.
- ✓Pipe bursting prompts referencing the trenchless method and AS/NZS 3500, a rig-forces and stored-energy section, an entry/exit pit excavation and confined-space section, and a services-displacement and biological-hazard section.
- ✓Licensing, competency and permit prompts for the relevant plumbing, excavation, 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 trenchless contractor is engaged to replace a defective sewer pipe by pipe bursting. Existing underground services are located, proved and protected using plans, Dial Before You Dig information, a service locator and potholing before any ground penetration. The entry and exit pits are excavated and controlled to the excavation Code of Practice with shoring, and a SWMS prepared, with the confined space controls applied where a pit meets the confined space definition. The bursting rig is operated to its safe working requirements with rated rods, lines and head, not exceeding capacity, and workers are kept clear of the line of pull and the stored energy. The ground displacement and heave during bursting are assessed and managed, with nearby services and structures located and protected. Because the pipe is a sewer, the biological hazard is managed with hygiene controls, washing facilities and protective clothing. Plant-and-pedestrian separation is maintained with a spotter. The new pipe is drawn in as the old is burst, the connection completed, 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 excavation, confined space and pressurised-pipe provisions where applicable, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
- The relevant plumbing and drainage standards AS/NZS 3500 (Parts 0–5), the excavation and confined space Codes of Practice, the pressure equipment and pipework standards, and the silica Code of Practice where cutting concrete, are called up by the relevant legislation, together with the Before You Dig Australia information and the relevant utility requirements.
- Plumbing and drainage work is licensed under each state and territory's plumbing licensing scheme, with the relevant competencies for excavation, confined space and 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, excavation and confined space provisions applying in place of the model instruments.
Frequently asked questions
What is pipe bursting?
Pipe bursting is a trenchless method of replacing an underground pipe by drawing a bursting head through the existing pipe, fracturing it outward while pulling a new pipe in behind. It replaces a defective water, sewer or drainage pipe without open-trench excavation along its length, using entry and exit pits, and avoids the trench hazards of dig-and-replace along the line.
What are the main hazards of pipe bursting?
The main hazards are the high pulling forces and stored energy of the bursting rig and winch line, the entry and exit pit excavations and potential confined spaces, the displacement of ground and nearby services as the pipe is burst, and the biological hazards where the pipe is a sewer. Workers are kept clear of the line of pull and the stored energy, and the excavation and services hazards are controlled.
How are existing services protected during pipe bursting?
Existing underground services are located, proved and protected before any ground penetration using plans, Dial Before You Dig information, a service locator and potholing, and the ground displacement during bursting is assessed so nearby services are not affected. Because bursting displaces ground outward, nearby services and structures are located and protected.
Are the entry and exit pits confined spaces?
The entry and exit pits are excavations that can be deeper than the regulated depth, and entry into them can meet the confined space definition. The pits are controlled to the excavation Code of Practice with shoring, and the confined space entry permit, atmospheric testing, ventilation, standby and rescue controls apply where a pit meets the confined space definition, with a SWMS for the work.
What controls apply to the bursting rig?
The bursting rig is operated to its safe working requirements with rated rods, lines and head, not exceeding the rig's capacity, and workers are kept clear of the line of pull and the stored energy. Because the rig applies high pulling forces with significant stored energy, keeping clear of the line of pull and excluding personnel from the path of a potential failure are the defining controls.