Plumbing in Schools SWMS

School plumbing covers plumbing work in operating schools and educational facilities — installing, maintaining and repairing water, sanitary, drainage and hot water systems across classrooms, amenities, kitchens and grounds in a setting occupied by students and staff. The plumbing work is conventional, but the school setting imposes heightened controls: students must be kept away from the work and its hazards, delivered water temperature is controlled to prevent scalding, services to amenities and kitchens must be maintained, and the work coordinated around the school's operation and child-safety requirements. This document is written on the basis that school plumbing is carried out by a licensed plumber with the student-safety, scalding, service and coordination controls in place.

School plumbing is carried out to the relevant parts of AS/NZS 3500, including AS/NZS 3500.4 for heated water with delivered-temperature control to prevent scalding and Legionella controlled. The work is carried out in an occupied school around students and staff, so student safety, the securing of the work area and hazards, service continuity, and coordination with the school are heightened controls, and child-safety requirements apply. This document coordinates the student-safety, scalding, service and coordination controls so the plumbing work is carried out safely in the school setting.

Hazards identified

9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

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

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