Pool Chemical Dosing SWMS

Pool chemical dosing covers the dosing and addition of pool water-treatment chemicals — adding chlorine, acid, alkali and other treatment chemicals to the pool water to maintain water quality, whether manually or through dosing equipment. The defining hazard is the chemicals themselves: pool chemicals are hazardous, can cause chemical burns and toxic exposure, and mixing incompatible chemicals — particularly acid and chlorine-based products — can release toxic chlorine gas. This document is written on the basis that pool chemical dosing is carried out with the chemical-handling, incompatible-chemical, exposure and dosing-equipment controls in place.

Pool chemical dosing is carried out in connection with the hazardous chemicals Code of Practice, with the chemicals managed to their safety data sheets, incompatible chemicals never mixed or stored together, exposure controlled with the appropriate protection, and the dosing equipment operated safely. The chemical-handling, the incompatible-chemical reaction, the exposure, and the dosing equipment are the considerations. This document coordinates the chemical-handling, incompatible-chemical, exposure and dosing-equipment controls so the pool chemical dosing is carried out safely.

Hazards identified

9 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

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

1. 1Administrative: manage the pool chemicals to their safety data sheets, assessing the hazards and applying the handling, exposure and emergency controls for each chemical.
2. 2Administrative: never mix or store incompatible pool chemicals together — keeping acids and chlorine-based products separated — because mixing incompatible pool chemicals can release toxic chlorine gas, and follow the safety data sheets for storage, handling and emergency response.
3. 3PPE: chemical-resistant gloves, eye and face protection, and protective clothing for the pool chemicals, with respiratory protection where vapour or gas is possible, per the safety data sheets.
4. 4Administrative: dose the chemicals correctly to the required water chemistry, avoiding overdosing, and add chemicals to water rather than water to chemicals where the safety data sheet requires.
5. 5Engineering: operate the dosing equipment and chemical feeders safely, and handle and decant the chemicals with care and the appropriate protection.
6. 6Administrative: store incompatible chemicals separately, never together, and have spill and emergency arrangements — neutralising, containment and first aid — in place.
7. 7Administrative: avoid eye and skin contact during dosing, with the protection worn, and provide ventilation where dosing in an enclosed area.
8. 8Administrative: all workers must hold a valid White Card (General Construction Induction Training, CPCCWHS1001), with the pool-construction, plumbing, electrical, gasfitting, confined space and any other competencies and licences required for the work.
9. 9Administrative: 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.
10. 10Administrative: 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.
11. 11PPE: 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.
12. 12Administrative: 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.
13. 13Administrative: ensure each part of the work is carried out by the appropriately licensed or competent person — pool builder, licensed plumber, licensed electrician and licensed gasfitter as relevant — under the applicable state or territory licensing scheme, with compliance certification where required.

Applicable Codes of Practice

Worked example

A pool technician is engaged to dose the water-treatment chemicals for a swimming pool. The pool chemicals are managed to their safety data sheets, with the hazards assessed and the handling, exposure and emergency controls applied for each chemical. Incompatible pool chemicals are never mixed or stored together — acids and chlorine-based products are kept separated — because mixing them can release toxic chlorine gas, following the safety data sheets. Chemical-resistant gloves, eye and face protection and protective clothing are worn, with respiratory protection where vapour or gas is possible. The chemicals are dosed correctly to the required water chemistry, avoiding overdosing, adding chemicals to water where the safety data sheet requires. The dosing equipment and feeders are operated safely, and the chemicals handled and decanted with care. Incompatible chemicals are stored separately, with spill and emergency arrangements in place. Eye and skin contact is avoided during dosing, with ventilation in enclosed areas. The dosing 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 excavation, confined space and electrical provisions where applicable, as enacted in each jurisdiction.
• The swimming pool safety standards AS 1926.1, AS 1926.2 and AS 1926.3, the electrical Wiring Rules AS/NZS 3000, the plumbing and drainage standards AS/NZS 3500, AS/NZS 5601.1:2022 for gas, and the hazardous chemicals and silica requirements, are called up by the relevant building, plumbing, electrical, gas and safety legislation, together with the National Construction Code and local council requirements.
• Pool construction, plumbing, electrical and gasfitting work is licensed under each state and territory's licensing schemes, with electrical work carried out by a licensed electrician and gas work by a licensed gasfitter, and compliance certification required for notifiable work; pool safety barrier requirements apply under state and territory pool-safety laws.
• 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, confined space and electrical provisions applying in place of the model instruments.

Frequently asked questions