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General building · Australia

SWMS for kitchen renovation

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

A SWMS is required by law if kitchen renovation 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 silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles, disturbing asbestos, electric shock from live wiring and lifting and carrying heavy loads.

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SWMS example: kitchen renovation

This is a complete SWMS for kitchen renovation, 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)
Kitchen renovation · General building · 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
1Check for asbestos and isolate power, gas and water
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Gas and fuel lines
Extreme
  • Before work, check the asbestos register (workplaces built before 2004). For homes, or if there is no register, have a competent person identify asbestos or assume it is present. Eliminate
  • Seal off the work area and keep everyone else out. Isolate
  • If asbestos must be disturbed, keep it wet, use hand tools not power tools, and clean up with an H-class vacuum. Engineering
  • Friable asbestos (Class A) and more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos (Class B) must be removed by a licensed removalist. Administrative
  • Stop work straight away if you find suspect asbestos. Do not touch it and tell your supervisor. Administrative
  • Wear a fitted P2 (or better) respirator and disposable coveralls. PPE
  • Isolate the power before any work. Do not do live work except in the limited cases the WHS Regulations allow (r.157; in Qld, the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013). Eliminate
  • Lock out and tag the isolation point with your own personal lock and danger tag. Isolate
  • Test before you touch: prove dead at the point of work with a voltage tester, proving the tester on a known live source before and after (AS/NZS 4836). Engineering
  • Only licensed electricians do electrical work. Administrative
  • Check for back feeds from solar, batteries and generators that can keep a circuit live after the main switch is off. Administrative
  • Isolate and purge the line before work, with the owner's approval. Eliminate
  • Lock off and tag the isolation valve. Isolate
  • Check for leaks with a gas detector before and during work, and ventilate the area. Engineering
  • Only licensed gasfitters work on gas lines. Administrative
  • Remove ignition sources: no smoking, no hot work and no sparking tools near the line. Administrative
Medium
2Remove old cabinets and appliances with two people
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Cuts from sharp edges
High
  • Plan to avoid carrying: have materials delivered, and old items picked up, as close as possible to where they are used. Eliminate
  • Use lighter or smaller loads: order smaller bags and shorter lengths, and drain or break down old items before moving them. Substitute
  • Use trolleys, pallet jacks, hoists, vacuum lifters or plant instead of carrying by hand. Engineering
  • Use a two-person lift for anything heavy, long or awkward. Plan the route first and clear it. Administrative
  • Keep the load close, back straight and no twisting. Turn with your feet. Administrative
  • Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Administrative
  • Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE
  • Deburr or cover sharp edges, and fit edge protectors on exposed sheet metal. Engineering
  • Use knives with retractable or self-retracting blades. Engineering
  • Cut away from your body and keep your other hand clear. Administrative
  • Put used blades in a blade bin or sharps container. Administrative
  • Use two people to handle large sheets of metal or glass. Administrative
  • Wear cut-resistant gloves and long sleeves. PPE
Medium
3Patch walls and run new services
  • General dust
  • Electric shock from live wiring
Extreme
  • Use low-dust products, such as dust-reduced or pre-mixed compounds. Substitute
  • Seal off the work area with plastic sheeting in occupied buildings. Isolate
  • Use tools with dust extraction and a vacuum for clean up. Engineering
  • Lightly mist the area with water to keep dust down, away from anything electrical. Engineering
  • Never dry sweep or blow dust off with compressed air. Administrative
  • Wear a dust mask and safety glasses. PPE
  • If live work cannot be avoided, use a permit, a safety observer and insulated tools. Administrative
  • Wear insulated gloves, arc-rated clothing and a face shield when testing or working near live parts. PPE
  • Electric shock from live wiring: see step 1 for the full controls Administrative
Medium
4Install cabinets and benchtops, wet cutting stone
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Saw cuts and kickback
Extreme
  • If the job involves engineered stone: do not supply, fabricate or install engineered stone benchtops, panels or slabs (banned since 1 July 2024). Removing, repairing or making minor changes to existing engineered stone is only allowed with water suppression or on-tool extraction, a fitted respirator, and written notice to the regulator before the work starts. Eliminate
  • Order materials cut to size, or use low-dust methods such as score and snap or a block splitter. Substitute
  • Cut outdoors or in a separate area, with other people well away and upwind. Isolate
  • Use water on the blade or on-tool dust extraction connected to an H-class vacuum. Engineering
  • Clean up with a vacuum or wet methods. Never dry sweep or use compressed air. Administrative
  • If the cutting, grinding or drilling is high risk, prepare a silica risk control plan (or include the r.529CA assessment in this SWMS), train workers in silica risks and give them the plan before work starts. Administrative
  • Wear a fit-tested P2 (or better) respirator. PPE
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads: see step 2 for the full controls Administrative
  • Keep blade guards fitted and working, and use the riving knife on table saws. Engineering
  • Use push sticks and clamps, and support long pieces so they do not pinch the blade. Engineering
  • Use a sharp, undamaged blade made for the material. Administrative
  • Stand to one side of the blade line, out of the kickback path. Administrative
  • Let the blade stop fully before reaching in or putting the saw down. Administrative
Medium
5Fit off, test gas and power, and clean up
  • Gas and fuel lines
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Extreme
  • Know where the shut-off valve is and what to do if a leak happens. Administrative
  • Wear safety glasses and gloves, and keep a fire extinguisher close by. PPE
  • Gas and fuel lines: see step 1 for the full controls Administrative
  • Electric shock from live wiring: see step 1 for the full controls Administrative
  • 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
Medium

PPE

Steel cap bootsSafety glassesP2 dust maskHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Work glovesHalf-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters)OverallsCut-resistant gloves

Plant and equipment

Power drillCircular sawRotary hammer drillH-class vacuumHand tools

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 kitchen renovation

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 kitchen renovation

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Check for asbestos and isolate power, gas and water
  2. Remove old cabinets and appliances with two people
  3. Patch walls and run new services
  4. Install cabinets and benchtops, wet cutting stone
  5. Fit off, test gas and power, and clean up

Hazards to watch on kitchen renovation

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

Step 1, 5Gas and fuel linesDamaging or opening a gas or fuel line causes a leak, fire or explosion.
Step 1Disturbing asbestosBuildings built before 1990 are likely to contain asbestos, and any built before 2004 may. Drilling, cutting or breaking it releases fibres that cause cancer years later.
Step 4Saw cuts and kickbackCircular saws, drop saws and table saws cut fingers and hands or throw material back at the user.
Step 3General dustDust from plasterboard, filler, cement and clean up irritates eyes and lungs and makes it hard to see.
Step 2Cuts from sharp edgesSheet metal, glass, blades, cable tray and offcuts cut hands and arms.
Step 4Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tilesCutting, grinding or drilling concrete, brick, stone, tiles or fibre cement makes fine silica dust that causes silicosis and lung cancer.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: Insignificant to CatastrophicBA
Highest risk on kitchen renovation: Extreme before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Australia 5 by 5 risk matrix (likely and catastrophic becomes unlikely and major).

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?

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 kitchen renovation?

A SWMS is required by law if kitchen renovation 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 kitchen renovation?

Usually Steel cap boots, Safety glasses, P2 dust mask, Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs), Work gloves, Half-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters), Overalls, Cut-resistant gloves. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More general building SWMS

SWMSSite Setup6 stepsSWMSHouse Extension7 stepsSWMSBathroom Renovation10 stepsSWMSNew Home Construction6 stepsSWMSShed Construction5 stepsSWMSGranny Flat Construction5 stepsSWMSMaintenance and Repairs6 steps

Related jobs in other trades

DemolitionInternal Strip OutAlso involves disturbing asbestosElectricalSwitchboard UpgradeAlso involves disturbing asbestosPlumbingHot Water System ReplacementAlso involves electric shock from live wiringConcretingConcrete Cutting and Core DrillingAlso involves electric shock from live wiringTilingWet Area WaterproofingAlso involves silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tilesAir conditioning and refrigerationSplit System InstallationAlso involves electric shock from live wiring

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkSilica DustToolbox talkAsbestos AwarenessToolbox talkCrane and Lifting Safety

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

Sources