Pressure Vessel Inspection (AS 3788) SWMS
SWMS template for pressure vessel inspection (as 3788). Covers Visual + NDT inspection of pressure vessels.. 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.
Pressure vessel inspection under AS 3788 involves systematic visual examination and non-destructive testing (NDT) of boilers, air receivers, heat exchangers and process vessels to verify ongoing fitness-for-service. The work routinely requires confined-space entry, working at height on insulated jackets, handling residual stored energy, and exposure to ultrasonic couplant, magnetic particle inks and radiographic sources. Under WHS Regulation 2025 (mirroring r291 of the 2011 model), inspection of plant capable of releasing stored pressure energy constitutes High Risk Construction Work, triggering a mandatory Safe Work Method Statement before work commences. The SWMS must be prepared in consultation with inspectors, NDT technicians and the asset owner, signed by every worker, and held on-site for the duration of the task. This template aligns AS 3788:2021 inspection competency requirements with WHS hierarchy-of-control duties, providing PCBUs and competent persons with a defensible, audit-ready document covering isolation, atmospheric testing, radiation control and inspection reporting obligations.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Catastrophic blow-out of inspection covers causing fatal blunt-force trauma or projectile fragmentation injuries to inspector
Rapid loss of consciousness, asphyxiation or chemical pneumonitis within minutes of unprotected entry
Acute radiation burns, increased lifetime cancer risk and regulatory breach of Radiation Safety Act licensing
Full-thickness burns to hands and forearms on contact with insulation-shielded hot surfaces above 60°C
Entrapment during emergency egress, musculoskeletal injury, delayed rescue response exceeding survivable timeframes
Dermatitis, respiratory sensitisation and eye irritation from solvent-based aerosols in poorly ventilated vessel interiors
Fatal or serious injury from falls exceeding 2m onto plant, pipework or concrete bunding below
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Where feasible, replace internal entry inspection with external advanced NDT techniques (phased array ultrasonics, guided wave) to remove confined space exposure entirely.
- 2Elimination — Defer inspection until vessel has fully cooled below 40°C ambient and atmospheric purging is complete, eliminating thermal and toxic exposure pathways.
- 3Substitution — Substitute radiographic NDT with ultrasonic time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) where wall thickness and geometry permit, removing ionising radiation hazard from the work zone.
- 4Substitution — Use water-based, low-VOC penetrant and developer systems instead of solvent-based consumables to reduce respiratory and dermal exposure inside the vessel.
- 5Engineering — Implement full lockout/tagout isolation per AS 4024.1603 with double-block-and-bleed on all process lines, verified zero-energy state and locked isolation register before manway removal.
- 6Engineering — Install continuous forced-air ventilation (minimum 20 air changes/hour) and four-gas atmospheric monitoring (O2, LEL, H2S, CO) with audible alarms inside the vessel throughout occupancy.
- 7Administrative — Issue confined space entry permit and hot work permit countersigned by asset owner, with dedicated standby person at manway maintaining continuous voice/visual contact per AS 2865:2009.
- 8Administrative — Establish radiation controlled area with barrier tape at calculated dose-rate boundary, deploy area dosimeters, and ensure radiographer holds current state Radiation Use Licence.
- 9PPE — Provide flame-resistant coveralls, leather gloves, safety helmet with chinstrap, impact-rated eyewear and steel-capped boots compliant with AS/NZS 2210.3 for all internal inspection personnel.
- 10PPE — Supply supplied-air respirators (AS/NZS 1716) with escape bottles for IDLH atmospheres, personal radiation dosimeters for NDT crew, and full-body harness with retrieval line per AS/NZS 1891.1.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates inspection intervals, competent person qualifications, hazard level classification (HL-A to HL-E) and minimum inspection scope for every vessel category.
Triggered for all internal vessel entry — requires entry permit, atmospheric testing, standby person, rescue plan and consultation duties under WHS Reg 2025.
Defines technical entry procedures, gas testing frequency, ventilation standards and competency requirements applied throughout internal inspection works.
Imposes PCBU duty to identify stored energy hazards, isolate pressure systems before inspection and maintain documented risk controls under WHS Reg 2025 Part 5.1.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Internal vessel inspection requires entry through restricted manway into an enclosed space with potential for hazardous atmosphere and restricted egress.
Inspection occurs on plant connected to pressurised process piping where residual energy or inadvertent re-pressurisation presents catastrophic release risk.
NDT equipment, internal lighting and instrumentation tie-ins involve energised circuits adjacent to conductive vessel walls during occupied inspection.
PCBU must prepare the SWMS in consultation with workers, retain it for the duration of the work plus two years after a notifiable incident; penalties for Category 1 breaches are substantial and indexed, with current maximum following the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →AS 3788 competent persons performing in-service vessel inspection
- →NDT technicians certified to AINDT Level 2 or higher
- →Asset integrity engineers on refinery and process plant shutdowns
- →Mechanical maintenance supervisors managing pressure equipment turnarounds
What you receive
- ✓Editable DOCX template — Microsoft Word compatible
- ✓State-specific WHS legislation schedule (NSW/VIC/QLD/SA/WA/TAS/NT/ACT)
- ✓Hazard register with risk ratings + hierarchy-of-control mapping
- ✓Worker sign-on register, pre-start checklist, and incident escalation flow
Worked example
At a regional food-processing facility, a competent person is scheduled to internally inspect a 6m³ horizontal air receiver during a planned 48-hour shutdown. At the 06:00 pre-start brief in the maintenance workshop, the inspection supervisor opens this SWMS on the toolbox tablet and walks the four-person crew — inspector, NDT technician, standby person and isolation officer — through each hazard line. The isolation officer confirms double-block-and-bleed has been applied since 22:00 the previous night, with locks verified against the isolation register. The standby person reviews the confined space rescue plan and tests the tripod retrieval system. Atmospheric testing logged at 06:45 shows O2 at 20.9%, LEL 0%, CO and H2S nil — the entry permit is signed. The crew sign onto the SWMS, with the NDT technician adding a hand-written control noting the magnetic particle ink batch number and SDS reference. At 09:20, the inspector reports condensate pooling impeding ultrasonic couplant adhesion. Work stops; the supervisor amends the SWMS in the field to add a wet-vacuum extraction step before NDT resumes, re-briefs the crew, and re-signs the amendment line. The document then accompanies the AS 3788 inspection report into the asset integrity file for the next inspection cycle.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- Construction Work CoP