Glazing · Australia

SWMS for shower screen installation

By Safety PaperworkBuilt from Safe Work Australia and state regulator guidance · How we write and check theseUpdated 9 November 2026

A SWMS is required by law if shower screen installation 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 electric shock from live wiring, lifting and carrying heavy loads, glass handling and breakage and injury from power tools.

Make this SWMS now Word template PDF

SWMS example: shower screen installation

This is a complete SWMS for shower screen installation, 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)

Shower screen installation · Glazing · 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 step	Hazards	Risk before	Controls	Risk after
1	Check walls for pipes and cables before drilling	Electric shock from live wiring	Extreme	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 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	Medium
2	Carry glass panels with two people	Lifting and carrying heavy loads Glass handling and breakage	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 Use suction lifters, glass trolleys or a glazing robot for large panes. Engineering Store glass upright on racks and secure it. Never lay it flat or lean it loosely. Engineering Use two or more people for large panes, and clear the carry route first. Administrative Mark new glass with tape or stickers so nobody walks into it. Administrative Clean up broken glass straight away into a marked container. Administrative Wear cut-resistant gloves, arm guards, safety glasses and safety boots. PPE	Medium
3	Drill tiles with the right bit and glasses on	Injury from power tools Eye injuries	Medium	Keep all guards fitted and working. Never tie back or remove a guard. Engineering Clamp or secure the work piece. Do not hold it by hand. Engineering Only trained, competent people use power tools, following the maker's instructions. Administrative Check tools before use. Unplug or remove the battery before changing blades or bits. Administrative No loose clothing, jewellery or long hair near spinning parts. Administrative Wear safety glasses and hearing protection. Do not wear loose gloves on drills or other rotating tools. PPE 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
4	Fit and silicone the screen with ventilation	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
5	Clean up	Poor housekeeping and waste Slips and trips	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 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

PPE

Cut-resistant glovesSafety glassesSteel cap bootsWork glovesHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Safety gogglesFace shieldChemical-resistant gloves (nitrile)Half-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters)Overalls

Plant and equipment

Power drillHand 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 shower screen installation

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 shower screen installation

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

SWMS read, explained and signed by everyone on the job
First aider, first aid kit and emergency number (000) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: cut-resistant gloves, safety glasses, steel cap boots, work gloves

The safe sequence of work

Check walls for pipes and cables before drilling
Carry glass panels with two people
Drill tiles with the right bit and glasses on
Fit and silicone the screen with ventilation
Clean up

Hazards to watch on shower screen installation

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

Step 2Glass handling and breakageGlass panes break while being moved or fitted, causing deep cuts, or heavy panels fall and crush.

Step 3Eye injuriesFlying chips, dust, chemicals or sparks get into the eye and cause damage or blindness.

Step 3Injury from power toolsDrills, saws, routers and sanders kick back, catch clothing or throw debris, causing cuts, broken bones and eye injuries.

Step 4Hazardous chemicalsGlues, sealants, solvents, acids, cleaners and cement burn skin and eyes or cause breathing problems and poisoning.

Step 5Slips and tripsWorkers slip on wet or muddy ground or trip on leads, offcuts and uneven ground, causing sprains, broken bones or head injuries.

Step 1Electric shock from live wiringContact with live wires, switchboards or equipment gives an electric shock or arc flash burn that can kill.

Highest risk on shower screen installation: Extreme before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Australia 5 by 5 risk matrix (possible 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 shower screen installation?

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 shower screen installation?

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

More glazing SWMS

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Related jobs in other trades

RoofingGutter ReplacementAlso involves injury from power tools ElectricalSwitchboard UpgradeAlso involves electric shock from live wiring ConcretingConcrete Cutting and Core DrillingAlso involves electric shock from live wiring DemolitionInternal Strip OutAlso involves hazardous chemicals Air conditioning and refrigerationSplit System InstallationAlso involves electric shock from live wiring RoofingRoof Tile ReplacementAlso involves eye injuries

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkOverhead Power Lines Toolbox talkExtension Leads and Power Tools Toolbox talkManual Handling and Back Safety Toolbox talkSlips, Trips and Falls

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