Sheet Metal Fabrication (Shears / Brakes / Rollers) SWMS

Sheet metal fabrication using power guillotines, press brakes, and slip rollers is a high-energy production activity that combines stored hydraulic or mechanical force with rapidly moving tooling and material with razor-sharp shear edges. The combination of pinch points between punch and die, amputation risk at the shear blade, and uncontrolled material movement through rollers means that even a momentary lapse in guarding integrity or operator positioning can produce a life-altering injury within milliseconds. Under WHS Regulation 2011 r291 and the corresponding state WHS Regulations, fabrication work that meets the criteria of high risk construction work — including powered plant capable of causing crushing or amputation — requires a documented Safe Work Method Statement before work commences. This SWMS template is mandatory because the PCBU must demonstrate that hazards have been identified, controls applied through the hierarchy, and workers consulted and signed on prior to engaging the plant.

Hazards identified

7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

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

1. 1Elimination — Eliminate manual feeding of small off-cuts by designing nesting layouts that produce single full-sheet cuts where production allows, removing operator hand entry into the danger zone.
2. 2Elimination — Remove damaged or non-functional foot pedal guards from service immediately and tag-out plant until repaired to eliminate inadvertent activation of the shear or ram stroke.
3. 3Substitution — Substitute manual slip rollers with powered rolls fitted with anti-tiedown two-hand controls where production volume justifies, reducing draw-in exposure compared with hand-fed units.
4. 4Engineering — Fit and verify Category 4 light curtains or fixed perimeter guards to press brake and guillotine danger zones in accordance with AS 4024.1601 muting and reset requirements before each shift.
5. 5Engineering — Maintain interlocked rear guards on slip rollers and guillotine back-gauge zones, with stop-time performance verified annually so the ram stops before a hand can reach the pinch point.
6. 6Administrative — Restrict operation to workers holding a verified competency assessment on the specific machine model, with the assessment record retained on the worker's training file for the life of employment plus seven years.
7. 7Administrative — Conduct documented pre-start inspection each shift covering e-stop function, foot pedal guard, light curtain response, back-gauge zero, and tooling security; lock out plant on any failure.
8. 8Administrative — Enforce a one-operator-per-machine rule with a designated exclusion zone marked on the floor, and rotate operators every two hours to manage fatigue and noise dose.
9. 9PPE — Issue cut-resistant gloves rated to EN 388 Level D for material handling, removed before placing hands near rotating or reciprocating tooling to prevent entanglement.
10. 10PPE — Provide Class 5 SLC80-rated hearing protection, AS/NZS 1337.1 medium-impact safety eyewear, steel-capped footwear and close-fitting workwear with no loose sleeves or jewellery.

Applicable Codes of Practice

High-Risk Construction Work triggered

Worked example

At a regional HVAC ductwork fabrication shop, a leading hand runs the Monday pre-start brief in front of the 3-metre hydraulic guillotine and a 100-tonne press brake before a production run of galvanised rectangular duct sections. Using this SWMS as the brief document, he walks the three rostered operators through the hazard register, pausing on the amputation and draw-in entries because today's run involves short off-cuts that tempt manual clearing. He references the engineering controls section, then physically demonstrates the light curtain trip test and the foot pedal guard function, marking the pre-start checklist on the back page. One operator raises that yesterday the back-gauge stuck intermittently — the leading hand tags the machine out on the spot, records the defect, and reallocates that operator to the slip rollers, noting the change on the sign-on sheet. All three workers sign the consultation register acknowledging they have read the controls and understand the exclusion zone marked in yellow paint on the floor. Mid-morning, a new apprentice arrives to observe; the leading hand pauses production, walks the apprentice through the SWMS, and adds her signature before she steps inside the marked zone. At smoko, the team reviews noise dose readings from the personal dosimeter and confirms Class 5 hearing protection remains adequate, with the entry initialled on the during-task review section of the document.

Related legislation

• WHS Act 2011 (model)
• WHS Regulation 2025
• AS 4024 — Safety of machinery; Plant safety CoP

Frequently asked questions