Trade Waste / Grease Trap Install & Service SWMS
SWMS template for trade waste / grease trap install & service. Covers Trade waste arrestor, grease trap pump-out.. 8-state AU coverage, CIH-reviewed editable DOCX, available as an instant download.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Trade waste and grease trap installation covers the installation of grease traps, arrestors and trade waste pre-treatment apparatus at food premises and commercial sites — installing the apparatus that intercepts and treats trade waste before it discharges to the sewer, and connecting it in accordance with the network utility's trade waste requirements. It combines the installation of the apparatus, the excavation for below-ground arrestors, the biological hazards, the potential for confined space entry, and the manual handling of heavy apparatus. This document is written on the basis that trade waste apparatus is installed by a licensed plumber to the plumbing standard and the network utility's trade waste requirements, with the excavation, biological and confined-space hazards controlled.
Trade waste pre-treatment apparatus is installed to AS/NZS 3500.2 together with the trade waste requirements and approval of the relevant network utility, which govern the apparatus required, its sizing, and the conditions of the trade waste discharge. Below-ground arrestors involve excavation controlled to the excavation Code of Practice with services located first, and servicing or entry can involve confined space entry. This document coordinates the plumbing-standard, trade-waste-approval, excavation, biological and confined-space controls so the apparatus is installed and the discharge compliant.
Hazards identified
9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Infection and chemical exposure from the trade waste and grease
Oxygen deficiency, contaminated atmosphere and restricted egress in the arrestor
Burial and crush injury from collapsing trench walls
Electrocution, gas release or service damage where services are not located
Network breach where the discharge does not meet trade waste conditions
Crush and musculoskeletal injury from heavy apparatus
Exposure to foul and potentially toxic gases at the apparatus
Crush and run-over injury where plant and workers are not separated
Fall and impact injury around open apparatus and trenches
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Engineering: install the trade waste pre-treatment apparatus to AS/NZS 3500.2 and the network utility's trade waste requirements — the apparatus required, correctly sized for the discharge, with the approved connection and discharge point.
- 2Administrative: obtain the trade waste approval and discharge conditions from the network utility before the work, and install the apparatus so the discharge meets those conditions.
- 3Administrative: where installing or servicing a below-ground arrestor requires confined space entry, apply the confined space entry permit, atmospheric testing, ventilation, standby and rescue controls to the confined spaces Code of Practice.
- 4Engineering: locate and protect existing services before excavation and control the trench to the excavation Code of Practice with benching, battering or shoring, with a SWMS for the deeper excavation.
- 5Administrative: manage the biological and chemical hazards with hygiene controls, washing facilities and protective clothing, and prohibition of eating, drinking and smoking until decontaminated.
- 6Engineering: use mechanical lifting for heavy arrestors, lids and apparatus, maintain plant-and-pedestrian separation with a spotter, and control odour and gases with ventilation.
- 7Engineering: protect open apparatus and excavations against falls, and confirm the discharge meets the trade waste conditions on completion.
- 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) where the work is construction work, with the plumbing, 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 sanitary plumbing and drainage standard for the installation of trade waste pre-treatment apparatus and its connection.
The trade waste requirements and approval for the apparatus and the discharge conditions.
Trenching and excavation controls for installing below-ground trade waste apparatus.
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
Where installing or servicing a below-ground grease arrestor requires confined space entry, the work is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS before the work commences.
This is licensed plumbing, drainage or service work that, in the circumstances described, is high risk construction work — 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, AS/NZS 1547 for on-site wastewater, and the confined space and hazardous chemicals requirements, which are called up by the relevant legislation, with the confined-space, biological, chemical and environmental controls applied as relevant. A failure in this work can cause an atmospheric incident, chemical or biological exposure, or harm to the water supply or waterways, 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
- →Licensed plumbers installing grease traps and trade waste apparatus.
- →Plumbing businesses carrying out trade waste pre-treatment installation.
- →Drainage contractors installing below-ground arrestors.
- →Food-premises and industrial PCBUs requiring trade waste apparatus.
- →PCBU safety managers and supervisors coordinating the trade-waste, excavation and confined-space 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 trade waste and grease trap installation hazards — each with a documented consequence, inherent risk rating on a 5x5 likelihood-consequence matrix, hierarchy-of-control measures, and residual risk rating.
- ✓Trade waste apparatus installation prompts referencing AS/NZS 3500.2 and network utility trade waste requirements, a sizing and discharge-approval section, an excavation and confined-space section, and a biological-hazard record.
- ✓Licensing, competency and permit prompts for the relevant plumbing, confined space and hazardous chemicals 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 licensed plumber is engaged to install a grease arrestor for a new commercial kitchen. The trade waste approval and discharge conditions are obtained from the network utility before the work, and the arrestor sized for the expected discharge. The apparatus is installed to AS/NZS 3500.2 and the network utility's trade waste requirements, with the approved connection and discharge point. Because the arrestor is below ground, existing services are located and protected before excavation and the trench supported to the excavation Code of Practice, with a SWMS prepared for the deeper excavation, and the heavy arrestor and lid placed using mechanical lifting with plant-and-pedestrian separation maintained. Where installing or servicing requires entry, the confined space controls apply. The biological and chemical hazards are managed with hygiene controls, washing facilities and protective clothing, and odour and gases controlled with ventilation. Open apparatus and excavations are protected against falls. The discharge is confirmed to meet the trade waste conditions, 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 and hazardous chemicals provisions where applicable, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
- The relevant plumbing and drainage standards AS/NZS 3500 (Parts 0–5), AS/NZS 1547 for on-site wastewater, AS/NZS 4233 for high-pressure water jetting, and the hazardous chemicals and environmental requirements, are called up by the relevant legislation, together with the relevant network utility and asset owner requirements.
- Plumbing and drainage work is licensed under each state and territory's plumbing licensing scheme, with the relevant competencies for confined space and chemical 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 hazardous chemicals provisions applying in place of the model instruments.
Frequently asked questions
What is trade waste pre-treatment apparatus?
Trade waste pre-treatment apparatus, such as a grease trap or arrestor, intercepts and treats trade waste before it discharges to the sewer, so grease, oils, solids and other trade waste do not enter and damage the sewer network. It is installed to the plumbing standard and the network utility's trade waste approval and conditions.
Do I need approval before installing a grease trap?
Yes. The trade waste approval and discharge conditions are obtained from the relevant network utility before the work, and the apparatus installed and sized so the discharge meets those conditions. The network utility sets the apparatus required, its sizing and the discharge conditions, so the approval drives the installation.
What confined space hazards apply?
Installing or servicing a below-ground arrestor can require entry into a confined space that may be oxygen-deficient or have a contaminated atmosphere. In those cases the confined space entry permit, atmospheric testing, ventilation, standby and rescue controls apply, and the work is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS, in addition to the biological-hazard controls.
What excavation controls apply to in-ground apparatus?
Existing underground services are located and protected before excavation, and the trench supported to the excavation Code of Practice with benching, battering or shoring, with a SWMS for the deeper excavation. The heavy arrestor and lid are placed using mechanical lifting, with plant-and-pedestrian separation maintained.
What biological hazards apply to trade waste work?
The trade waste and grease carry biological and chemical hazards, so contact with them carries infection and exposure risk. Hygiene controls, washing facilities, protective clothing, and prohibition of eating, drinking and smoking until decontaminated manage that hazard, with ventilation to control odour and gases at the apparatus.