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Bricklaying · Australia

SWMS for brick acid washing

By Safety PaperworkBuilt from Safe Work Australia and state regulator guidance · How we write and check theseUpdated

A SWMS is required by law if brick acid washing includes any high risk construction work, such as working where someone could fall more than 2 metres. Many principal contractors ask for one either way.

It must list the hazards, the controls and how they will be put in place, monitored and reviewed, and the workers must be consulted and sign before starting. The main hazards are public entering the work area, hazardous chemicals, eye injuries and high pressure water jetting.

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SWMS example: brick acid washing

This is a complete SWMS for brick acid washing, with 5 job steps. Open it in the builder to add your site, crew and signatures, change anything, and download a PDF. Or download the free Word template below and fill it in by hand.

Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
Brick cleaning and acid washing · Bricklaying · Example
Document SWMS-001 · Rev 1

High risk construction work covered

None for this task on its own. Tick any that apply on your site.

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Read the safety data sheet and set up an eyewash
  • Hazardous chemicals
Medium
  • Choose the least harmful product that does the job, for example water-based instead of solvent-based. Substitute
  • Use chemicals in well-ventilated areas, or use fans and extraction in closed rooms. Engineering
  • Read the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before use and keep a register of hazardous chemicals on site. Administrative
  • Keep chemicals in labelled containers. Never decant into drink bottles. Administrative
  • Store chemicals away from heat, food and drink, and keep products that react with each other apart. Administrative
  • Have eye wash and a spill kit nearby, and wash hands before eating. Administrative
  • Wear chemical-resistant gloves and safety glasses or goggles as listed on the SDS. PPE
  • Use a respirator with the right cartridge if the SDS calls for one. PPE
Medium
2Protect windows, plants and drains
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Public entering the work area
High
  • Hazardous chemicals: see step 1 for the full controls Administrative
  • Fence off the site with secure temporary fencing and lock the gates when you leave. Isolate
  • Give pedestrians a safe, marked path around the work, with ramps for prams and wheelchairs. Isolate
  • Use hoarding, covered walkways or catch fans where work is above public areas. Engineering
  • Put signs at each entry: site name, contact number and "No unauthorised entry". Administrative
  • Make the site safe at the end of each day: cover holes, lower plant, remove ladders and lock tools away. Administrative
  • Use a spotter when moving plant or materials across public paths. Administrative
Medium
3Always add acid to water, never water to acid
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Eye injuries
Medium
  • Hazardous chemicals: see step 1 for the full controls Administrative
  • Use tool guards and screens to stop flying particles. Engineering
  • Use dust extraction and water to keep dust out of the air. Engineering
  • Keep others out of the area when cutting, grinding or chipping. Administrative
  • Keep an eye wash station or eye wash bottles on site. Administrative
  • Wear safety glasses at all times, goggles for dust and chemicals, and a face shield for grinding. PPE
Medium
4Apply and wash off from the bottom up
  • High pressure water jetting
  • Slips and trips
Medium
  • Set an exclusion zone around the jetting area. Isolate
  • Use a dead man's trigger that stops the jet when released, and check hoses and fittings before use. Engineering
  • Only trained operators use high pressure jetting gear. Administrative
  • Never point the lance at anyone or put a hand in front of it. Administrative
  • Treat any jetting injury as serious and go to hospital, even if it looks small. Administrative
  • Wear a face shield, waterproof clothing, gloves, hearing protection and safety boots. PPE
  • Plan walkways and keep them clear of materials, hoses and leads. Eliminate
  • Run leads and hoses overhead on hooks or stands, or along walls, not across walkways. Engineering
  • Fill or cover holes, and lay boards or mats on muddy access paths. Engineering
  • Clean up offcuts, packaging and spills as you go, not at the end of the day. Administrative
  • Keep work areas, stairs and access paths well lit. Administrative
  • Wear safety boots with good grip, laced up. PPE
Low
5Neutralise and dispose of runoff, then clean up
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Medium
  • Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Eliminate
  • Put skip bins and waste chutes close to the work. Engineering
  • Clean as you go, and do a full clean up at the end of each day. Administrative
  • Keep exits, stairs and walkways clear at all times. Administrative
  • Stack materials neatly on level ground, away from edges. Administrative
  • Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE
Low

PPE

Safety gogglesFace shieldChemical-resistant gloves (nitrile)OverallsSteel cap bootsHalf-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters)Hi-vis shirt or vestSafety glassesWork glovesHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)

Plant and equipment

Pressure cleanerKnapsack or tank sprayer: ChemCert or state chemical user accreditation for herbicidesMobile scaffold: Scaffolding HRWL (SB or higher) to erect, alter or dismantle where a person or object could fall more than 4 m

Emergency

Call 000. Add the nearest hospital, the assembly point and the first aider for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this SWMS.

Free SWMS template for brick acid washing

Word (.docx) and PDF, A4 landscape, no email needed. Fill in your site details, then print or send it.

Word template (.docx)PDF template

Make yours in 2 minutes

Same document, filled in for your job. Answer a few yes or no questions, the crew signs on the phone, and you send the PDF.

Start this SWMS

Pre-start checklist for brick acid washing

Tick these off before work starts. They come from the hazards, permits and equipment in this job.

The safe sequence of work

  1. Read the safety data sheet and set up an eyewash
  2. Protect windows, plants and drains
  3. Always add acid to water, never water to acid
  4. Apply and wash off from the bottom up
  5. Neutralise and dispose of runoff, then clean up

Hazards to watch on brick acid washing

The hazards most specific to this job, and the step where each one comes up.

Step 4High pressure water jettingHigh pressure water cuts through skin and injects water and dirt into the body, or the hose whips.
Step 3Eye injuriesFlying chips, dust, chemicals or sparks get into the eye and cause damage or blindness.
Step 1, 2, 3Hazardous chemicalsGlues, sealants, solvents, acids, cleaners and cement burn skin and eyes or cause breathing problems and poisoning.
Step 4Slips and tripsWorkers slip on wet or muddy ground or trip on leads, offcuts and uneven ground, causing sprains, broken bones or head injuries.
Step 2Public entering the work areaMembers of the public, including children, walk into the site and are hit by plant or falling objects, or fall into holes.
Step 5Poor housekeeping and wasteRubbish, offcuts and materials left lying around cause trips, cuts and fires, and block exits.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: Insignificant to CatastrophicBA
Highest risk on brick acid washing: High before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Australia 5 by 5 risk matrix (possible and major becomes unlikely and moderate).

What changes on your site

This example covers the job itself. Your site may add more. Add controls for any of these that apply (the builder asks you these as yes or no questions):

  • Will anyone work more than 2 metres off the ground?
  • Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
  • Will anyone work on a roof?
  • Is there a skylight, clear sheet, fibro or other fragile roofing?
  • Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?

Licences and legal requirements in Australia

Equipment on this job that needs a licence, ticket or training:

  • Knapsack or tank sprayer: ChemCert or state chemical user accreditation for herbicides
  • Mobile scaffold: Scaffolding HRWL (SB or higher) to erect, alter or dismantle where a person or object could fall more than 4 m

A SWMS must be prepared before any high risk construction work starts. It must list the high risk work, the hazards and risks, the control measures, and how those controls will be put in place, monitored and reviewed. It must be easy for the workers to read and understand.

Rules that apply: WHS Regulation 2011, Chapter 7 Hazardous chemicals.

Each state has its own regulator and some extra rules: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Australian Capital Territory.

Why SWMS get rejected

Principal contractors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

  • It is generic: another site address, tasks that are not on this job, or no sign it was reviewed for this site. WorkSafe WA says a generic SWMS may not meet the regulations unless it is reviewed and amended for the workplace.
  • The HRCW boxes are not ticked, or the ticks do not match the tasks (for example a roof job with no falls box ticked).
  • Falls are controlled only by "be careful", training or a harness, with no edge protection or scaffold and no reason why higher controls are not reasonably practicable.
  • Workers will clip on to a harness but there is no rescue plan for someone left hanging.
  • The "how controls are implemented, monitored and reviewed" part is missing, or it says the same thing on every row.
  • No worker sign-on, no person responsible for compliance, or a date given to the principal contractor that is before they actually received it.
  • Licence or White Card details are missing for workers operating plant or doing licensed high risk work.

Questions

Do I need a SWMS for brick acid washing?

A SWMS is required by law if brick acid washing includes any high risk construction work, such as working where someone could fall more than 2 metres. Many principal contractors ask for one either way.

Who signs the SWMS?

The person conducting the business (PCBU) or their supervisor prepares it with the workers, and every worker doing the high risk work signs to show they were consulted and understand it. Give a copy to the principal contractor before work starts.

How long do I keep it?

Keep this SWMS, and every revised version, until the high risk construction work is finished, where workers and inspectors can see it on site. If a notifiable incident happens during the work, keep it for at least 2 years after the incident.

What PPE is needed for brick acid washing?

Usually Safety goggles, Face shield, Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile), Overalls, Steel cap boots, Half-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters), Hi-vis shirt or vest, Safety glasses, Work gloves, Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs). The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

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Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkSlips, Trips and FallsToolbox talkHazardous Chemicals and SDS

Blank SWMS template: free SWMS templates. Also for other countries: United Kingdom (RAMS) · United States (JHA) · Canada (FLHA)

Sources