Pool & Spa Waterproofing SWMS
Safe Work Method Statement covering the key hazards and control measures for waterproofing concrete swimming pool and spa shells — surface prep, membrane application, waterline and penetration detailing.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
This Safe Work Method Statement covers waterproofing the shell of a concrete swimming pool or spa — preparing the shell surface, applying a flexible cementitious or liquid-applied waterproof membrane to the interior, and detailing the waterline, coving, penetrations and fittings before tiling or rendering. It identifies the health and safety hazards of working inside a below-ground pool shell and sets out the control measures, in order of the hierarchy of control, for a crew to complete the work safely.
Hazards identified
8 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Serious fall injuries, fractures and head injury from falling into or within the shell
Inhalation of RCS causing silicosis and other chronic lung disease over time
Chemical burns, dermatitis, eye injury and respiratory irritation
Electrocution or serious electric shock
Delayed escape in an emergency; where a shell is enclosed it may meet the definition of a confined space
Musculoskeletal injury to back, knees and shoulders
Heat stress, dehydration and sunburn
Chemical irritation and burns
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Waterproof the shell before pool surrounds, coping and services are installed so the work is done from an open, easily accessed shell rather than a partially enclosed one.
- 2Substitution — Select a low-hazard flexible cementitious membrane in preference to solvent-based liquid systems where the specification allows, and use pre-blended products to avoid open decanting of dry silica-bearing powders.
- 3Isolation — Barricade the pool shell perimeter and provide covers or edge protection so no person or plant can fall into the shell while it is open; lock out pool pumps and electrical services before entry.
- 4Engineering — Provide a secure ladder or stair for access and egress; where the shell is enclosed or covered, assess it as a possible confined space and apply confined-space controls (atmospheric testing, ventilation, permit, stand-by) before entry.
- 5Engineering — Use tools fitted with on-tool dust extraction or water suppression for any grinding or surface preparation to control RCS at the source, and power all electrical equipment through a residual current device (RCD).
- 6Administrative — Follow the safety data sheet for every membrane, primer and additive; brief the crew on the drill-prep-mix-apply-cure sequence, hold points before tiling, and heat-management measures before work starts.
- 7Administrative — Schedule surface preparation and application to avoid peak heat, provide shade and water for outdoor work, and rotate crew out of the shell to manage fatigue and heat.
- 8PPE — Wear fit-tested P2 respiratory protection for surface preparation, chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection for membrane work, non-slip footwear inside the shell, and sun protection for outdoor work.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Requires the PCBU to eliminate or minimise exposure to respirable crystalline silica from preparing the concrete shell, including dust control and, where required, air and health monitoring.
Applies to preventing falls into an open pool or spa shell, covering edge protection, covers, barricading and safe access and egress.
Applies to the storage, mixing, application and disposal of membranes, primers and additives, including SDS use and control selection.
Applies where a covered, indoor or deep pool or spa shell meets the definition of a confined space; entry must then be assessed, permitted and controlled accordingly.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Waterproofing an open, above-atmosphere pool or spa shell is not, by itself, one of the high-risk construction work activities that automatically requires a SWMS under the WHS Regulation. A SWMS is still commonly required by principal contractors and is best practice. Note that where the shell is enclosed, covered or deep enough to meet the definition of a confined space, or where the surrounding work is carried out at height, separate high-risk requirements apply and must be assessed on their own terms.
Who this is for
- →Waterproofing contractors servicing pool builders
- →Swimming pool construction and remedial specialists
- →Tiling and waterproofing trades finishing pool shells
- →Property maintenance contractors re-waterproofing existing pools
What you receive
- ✓Editable DOCX template — Microsoft Word compatible
- ✓Full hazard register with consequences and priority ratings
- ✓Control measures set out in hierarchy-of-control order
- ✓Applicable codes of practice and legislation references
- ✓Sign-on register for workers and site-specific detail fields
- ✓Prepared for the WHS Regulation in force in your state
Worked example
A waterproofing crew is engaged to waterproof a new concrete pool shell before the tiler starts. Before entry, the shell perimeter is barricaded and a secure ladder is set for access; because the shell is open to the sky it is assessed as not a confined space, but pumps and electrical services are locked out and all tools are run through an RCD. The shell floor is ground back where needed using a dust-extracting grinder with the crew in fit-tested P2 respirators. A flexible cementitious membrane is mixed from pre-blended bags to limit dust, then applied to the shell, coving, waterline and around penetrations in coats, with a cure hold point recorded before the tiler is allowed in. Work is scheduled for the morning to avoid peak heat, with shade and water provided, and the crew rotated out of the shell regularly.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation — falls, hazardous chemicals and airborne contaminants
- Managing the risk of falls at workplaces — Code of Practice
- Confined spaces — Code of Practice
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a SWMS for pool waterproofing?
Waterproofing an open pool or spa shell is not by itself one of the high-risk construction work activities that automatically require a SWMS under the WHS Regulation. A SWMS or safe work instruction is still commonly required by principal contractors and pool builders, and it remains best practice for documenting the hazards — particularly falls into the shell and silica dust from surface preparation — and the controls and worker consultation before work starts.
Is this the same as the general membrane SWMS?
No. It is written specifically for the pool and spa shell context — access and egress from a below-ground shell, preventing falls into an empty shell, waterline and coving detailing, heat inside an open shell, and the confined-space assessment needed for covered or indoor pools — which the general membrane document does not address.
Does it cover indoor or covered pools?
It flags the critical point that a covered, indoor or deep shell may meet the definition of a confined space, in which case confined-space controls — atmospheric testing, ventilation, permit and stand-by — must be applied before entry. You assess your specific shell against that definition.
Is the document editable and state-specific?
Yes. It is an editable Microsoft Word document prepared for the WHS Regulation in force in the state you select at checkout. You add your business, site and crew details before briefing the work.
Is this a completed site document?
It is a template until you complete it. You must review it against the actual shell, plant and conditions, add your site-specific detail, and consult your workers, as the WHS Regulation requires, before the work starts.