Stone Conservation & Restoration SWMS
Heritage stone conservation and restoration covers facade repointing, stone replacement matching, scaffold access for high facades, biocidal treatment for biological growth, and heritage approvals compliance.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Stone conservation and restoration on heritage buildings combines high-risk construction work with hazardous chemical handling, working at height on scaffolded facades, and precision masonry skills under heritage approval conditions. Typical scope includes lime mortar repointing, dutchman stone insertion, matching-stone replacement, biocidal treatment of lichen and biofilm, poultice cleaning, and consolidant application — frequently above 2 metres on listed buildings where substrate failure can drop masonry onto public walkways. Under WHS Regulation 2025 Schedule 1, work above 2 metres and the use of hazardous chemicals are both prescribed High Risk Construction Work categories, each independently triggering the mandatory Safe Work Method Statement requirement before work commences. The PCBU must prepare, consult workers on, and keep the SWMS readily accessible for the duration of the work (reg 299–300). This SWMS addresses the layered risks of silica-bearing stone dust, biocide exposure, scaffold collapse near heritage fabric, and falling-object risk to the public domain.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Accelerated silicosis, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; notifiable occupational disease under state health regulations.
Fatal or catastrophic multi-trauma injuries; PCBU prosecution under WHS Act sections 32 and 33.
Chemical burns, respiratory sensitisation, dermatitis and eye injury; long-term sensitisation triggering permanent work restriction.
Public fatality or serious head injury; civil liability and Coroner's referral; loss of heritage approval.
Acute lumbar disc injury, crush injuries to hands and feet, long-term musculoskeletal disability claims.
Deep tissue burns, hypocalcaemia, cardiac arrhythmia from systemic fluoride absorption; potentially fatal within hours.
Localised facade collapse onto workers and public; breach of heritage permit and structural engineer's directions.
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Specify pre-cut and pre-dressed replacement stone delivered to size from the quarry yard to eliminate on-site dry cutting and silica generation entirely.
- 2Elimination — Schedule public-facing facade works during building closure periods or after-hours to eliminate exposure of pedestrians beneath the scaffold drop zone.
- 3Substitution — Replace hydrofluoric-acid cleaners with citric or ammonium bicarbonate poultices wherever the heritage architect's cleaning trial confirms equivalent stone-safe results.
- 4Substitution — Use low-toxicity quaternary ammonium biocides in lieu of chlorine-based products for biological growth removal where pH compatibility with the stone is confirmed.
- 5Engineering — Install on-tool water suppression and H-class HEPA extraction on all grinders, chasers and saws per the Code of Practice for Managing Respirable Crystalline Silica Dust.
- 6Engineering — Erect fully sheeted containment scaffold with double-layer debris netting, hoarding fans and signed pedestrian diversions per AS/NZS 1576 and AS 4576.
- 7Administrative — Conduct daily pre-start SWMS sign-on, atmospheric silica monitoring per AS 2985, and SDS review for every biocide and consolidant batch in use.
- 8Administrative — Restrict biocide and acid handling to operatives holding current chemical handling competency, with two-person buddy rule and eyewash within 10 metres.
- 9PPE — Issue P2/P3 powered air-purifying respirators for silica tasks and full-face acid-gas cartridge respirators (ABEK-P3) for biocide and poultice application.
- 10PPE — Provide chemical-resistant nitrile/neoprene gauntlets, acid-splash aprons, AS/NZS 1337 sealed goggles, and full-body harness with twin lanyards rated to AS/NZS 1891.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates hierarchy of fall controls, scaffold inspection regime and edge protection for all work above 2 metres on the facade.
Prescribes air monitoring, on-tool dust suppression, exposure standard of 0.05 mg/m³ and prohibits uncontrolled dry cutting of sandstone.
Governs scaffold design loading, tie-in spacing and inspection certification — critical when anchoring into friable heritage stone substrate.
Requires SDS register, exposure assessment, emergency eyewash and spill response for biocides, acids and consolidants used on stone.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Repointing, stone replacement and biocide application on facades is routinely performed from scaffold platforms 3 to 20 metres above ground level.
Biocidal treatments, acidic cleaning poultices, lime mortars and stone consolidants are all classified hazardous chemicals under the GHS.
PCBU must prepare the SWMS before work starts, consult affected workers, and retain it for at least two years after any notifiable incident; penalties are substantial and indexed, with the current maximum following the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Heritage stonemasonry contractors on listed buildings
- →Conservation architects supervising facade restoration
- →Scaffold subcontractors on heritage building projects
- →Principal contractors delivering heritage refurbishment works
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
On a heritage sandstone church restoration in a CBD precinct, the leading hand stonemason opens this SWMS at the 7:00am pre-start brief on the encapsulated scaffold deck at level 3. The crew of four reviews the day's tasks: repointing the north transept with lime mortar, dutchman insertion to two weathered string-course blocks, and biocide application to the parapet. Working through the hazards register, the leading hand flags that the parapet biocide work was not in yesterday's scope — the SWMS prompts the team to retrieve the SDS for the quaternary ammonium product, confirm ABEK-P3 cartridge respirators are in date, and verify the eyewash station is charged and within 10 metres. A second control prompt requires confirmation that pedestrian hoarding fans are sheeted and the footpath diversion signage is in place before any overhead work begins. Each worker signs the SWMS sign-on register acknowledging the controls. At 10:30am, an unplanned dry-cut is needed to trim a dutchman to fit a non-square pocket — the apprentice stops, the SWMS is re-opened, and the team confirms the on-tool water suppression and H-class extraction are connected, and that the bystander exclusion zone of 3 metres is enforced before cutting proceeds. The amendment is noted on the SWMS daily review log.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- Crystalline Silica — National Strategy + CoP; AS 4801