Managing the hazards and risks associated with work activities is a critical part of the PEER Construction WHS strategy. The working environment and the use of plant, equipment and substances should be risk assessed with the view to implementing additional risk control measures to minimise risk injury in the workplace.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to outline PEER Construction’s requirements for managing hazards.
This policy:
- sets a standard for PEER Construction regarding WHS risks.
- aligns with the standard set by Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations 2012 and the PEER Code of conduct and ethical policy.
The policy fulfils the primary duty of care of persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) and the requirement for the person that has the capacity to influence and control the matter.
Scope
This policy applies to all workers to ensure they are aware of the policy on hazard management.
Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
A safe work method statement (SWMS) is required for the high risk construction work (HRCW) activities defined in the WHS Regulations.
The primary purpose of a SWMS is to help persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs), supervisors and workers implement and monitor the control measures established at the workplace to ensure HRCW is carried out safely.
PEER Construction will conduct a risk assessment to identify any hazards associated with the work being performed. The manager or supervisor will prepare and provide a SWMS before commencing HRCW.
The SWMS is a written document that must identify:
- the HRCW activities to be carried out at a workplace
- the hazards and risks to health and safety arising from these activities
- the measures to be implemented to control the risks
- how the control measures are to be implemented monitored and reviewed.
High risk construction work
There are 18 activities that are classed as high risk construction work due to the significant potential for serious harm that is often associated with those activities. PEER Construction will provide a SWMS when there is work that:
- involves a risk of a person falling more than 3 metres
- is carried out on a telecommunication tower
- involves demolition of an element of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure
- involves, or is likely to involve, the disturbance of asbestos
- involves structural alterations or repairs that require temporary support to prevent collapse
- is carried out in or near a confined space
- is carried out in or near a shaft or trench with an excavated depth greater than 1.5 metres; or a tunnel
- involves the use of explosives
- is carried out on or near pressurised gas distribution mains or piping
- is carried out on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines
- is carried out on or near energised electrical installations or services
- is carried out in an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere; this includes airborne contaminants for example fumes, vapours, gases, mists and dusts
- involves tilt-up or precast concrete
- is carried out on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor that is in use by traffic other than pedestrians
- is carried out in an area at a workplace in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant
- is carried out in an area in which there are artificial extremes of temperature
- is carried out in or near water or other liquid that involves a risk of drowning
- involves diving work.
Consultation on the SWMS
PEER Construction will prepare a SWMS in consultation with all relevant persons and will account for workplace-specific circumstances that may affect the way in which the HRCW is done.
The SWMS will:
- identify the hazards and risks of HRCW
- describe to workers in clear terms how following control measures will manage those risks
- use the PEER Construction template.
Structure and format
The SWMS must:
- identify the work that is HRCW
- state the hazards and risks to health and safety from that work
- clearly detail the measures selected to control those risks
- describe how the risk control measures will be implemented
- take into account the circumstances at the workplace that may affect the way in which the work is carried out
- include details of the WHS management plan at the workplace if the work is carried out in connection with a construction project. A WHS management plan is required for construction projects with a total value greater than $450,000.
- be set out and expressed in a way that is readily accessible and understandable to the workers who use it.
The SWMS should also identify the:
- date and location the HRCW is to be performed
- person/s responsible for ensuring selected risk controls are installed and maintained
- names of workers consulted in the document’s preparation.
While there are broader duties to control all workplace hazards and risks, only hazards and risks that are directly related to prescribed HRCW activities need be included in a SWMS.
Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
JSA is the process of identifying potential hazards, assessing their risk, and recording how to eliminate, or minimise, the risk to worker safety (controls). The JSA form provides a record to demonstrate compliance with work health and safety legislation.
The JSA demonstrates PEER Construction’s understanding of the risks involved in the work and typical controls used. For a tender application, a generic (not specific to any site) JSA shall be submitted. Broadly defined job steps will be used, and general hazards identified.
Prior to commencement of work on site, the generic JSA will be reviewed. Where job steps or site conditions change from those planned the JSA shall be updated to produce a site specific JSA which will reflect the way the job shall be done on the specific site and how safety shall be controlled.
The person responsible for implementing a particular action to eliminate, or minimise, the risk of the potential hazard on site is nominated on the JSA. This ensures responsibility for risk control is allocated and can be monitored.
JSAs will be introduced at a toolbox meeting and should be acknowledged by all workers prior to starting work.
Consultation on the JSA
JSA shall be evaluated on how well hazards have been identified for the work activity to be undertaken and whether the suggested controls, wherever possible, eliminate the potential hazard or minimise the risk of injury.
The JSA should include:
- the company’s name
- a description of the work activity or task to be undertaken
- the date the JSA was developed
- the name and signature of the person who developed the JSA
- the project name/number and the name of the principal contractor
- the job steps involved in doing the work
- potential hazards associated with the work and the steps which are risks
- the controls that shall be put in place to eliminate or minimise the potential hazards identified
- controls as high as practicable on the best to worst control guide
- the name of the person(s) responsible for ensuring that the control(s) is in place.
Selection and use
- JSA shall be completed and signed by an appropriately qualified PEER Construction representative who is competent in the work activity to be undertaken.
- JSA shall be reviewed and approved by the appropriate principal contractor representative on the project.
- Workers shall review the JSA and sign that they understand and are willing to implement the controls required to carry out the work safely.
- Work shall not proceed until the above criteria are met.
Hierarchy of control
PEER Construction uses the hierarchy of control system for controlling risks. The hierarchy of control is a step-by-step approach to eliminating or reducing risks. It ranks risk controls from the highest level of protection and reliability through to the lowest and least reliable protection.
The steps are:
- Eliminate the hazard: the hazard is removed.
- Substitution: the hazard is replaced by a less hazardous one.
- Isolation: the hazard is separated from people.
- Engineering controls: prevent access to the hazard.
- Administrative controls: reduces the time of exposure to the hazard.
- Personal Protective Equipment: the final line of defence and the least effective.
Roles and responsibilities
The following roles and responsibilities apply.
PCBU
The duty to prepare a SWMS before commencing HRCW rests with the PCBU of the workers (or the self-employed person) undertaking the HRCW.
There will often be multiple PCBUs to whom that duty applies (e.g. the builder and sub-contractors). In such cases, the sub-contractor is normally best positioned to understand and control the hazards and risks associated with the types of HRCW they are engaged to perform.
A builder may agree to prepare the SWMS on behalf of or in conjunction with their sub-contractor, providing this is done in consultation with affected workers and their health and safety representatives (HSRs).
The WHS Regulations apply to each one of these PCBUs, as far as they control the work. Each PCBU must, so far as is reasonably practicable, manage the risks to the health and safety of workers, including contractors who are within the PCBU’s control and anyone else affected by their work.
PCBUs must:
- prepare a SWMS before commencing HRCW.
- stop the HRCW immediately or as soon as it is safe to do so, and not allow it to resume until the SWMS is complied with or reviewed and revised as necessary.
- monitor work to ensure the SWMS is being complied with.
- ensure duty holders (builders and sub-contractor) once a SWMS has been developed and implemented, perform the HRCW to which it relates in accordance with the SWMS.
Managers and supervisors
- Identify hazards and implement any known risk control measures in consultation with workers and/or health and safety representatives.
- Complete risk assessments for any risks or hazards that are not controlled to protect health and safety of workers.
- Consult and develop JSAs and SWMS.
- Ensure workers and HSRs are consulted in the preparation of SWMS.
- Make sure SWMS can be understood by workers, including those from non-English speaking backgrounds.
- Keep SWMS available at the location of the HRCW, where it can be readily referenced by affected persons, or reviewed and revised as necessary.
- Stop work, if the work is not being carried out in accordance with the SWMS.
Workers
- Report any hazards associated with the working environment, work tasks or activities to their manager or supervisor as soon as they are aware of them.
- Report if the work is not being carried out in accordance with the SWMS.
- Participate in the conduct of risk assessments and developing appropriate risk control measures for identified hazards to eliminate or minimise risk.
- Use control measures as required and any other action taken, which is designed to protect health and safety.
- Perform work in accordance with SWMS.
Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA)
Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA)
Code of Practice: Construction work
Safe Work Australia – Safe work method statement for high risk construction work – information sheet
Environment Protection Act 1993
WHS Policy
Hazard report form
JSA template
SWMS template
Hazard
A source or situation that has the potential to harm a person, the environment or damage property. Something in, or that may be in, the work environment that has the potential to cause harm (injury, illness, or death) to a person.
Plant
Defined in the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) plant includes:
- any machinery, equipment, appliance, container, implement and tool; and
- any component of any of those things; and
- anything fitted or connected to any of those things.
Risk
The probability (likelihood) of harm or damage occurring from exposure to a hazard, and the likely consequences of that harm or damage.
Risk assessment
The process of evaluating the probability and consequences of injury or illness arising from exposure to an identified hazard.
Risk control
The elimination or minimisation of risk associated with an identified hazard.
Risk register
A complete register of all the documentation that relates to an item/substance/task/event/activity e.g. hazard identification, risk assessments, safe operating procedures, safety plans.
Version 1.0 – Last updated 22/6/2022