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Landscaping · Australia

SWMS for garden maintenance

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

Yes. Garden maintenance usually includes high risk construction work (work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant), so a SWMS is required by law before work starts.

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 being hit by mobile plant, public entering the work area, falling from a ladder and strong wind and storms.

Make this SWMS nowWord templatePDF

SWMS example: garden maintenance

This is a complete SWMS for garden maintenance, with 6 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)
Garden maintenance: mowing and hedges · Landscaping · Example
Document SWMS-001 · Rev 1

High risk construction work covered

Work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Walk the area first, removing rocks and looking for hazards
  • Slips and trips
  • Bites and stings
Medium
  • 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
  • Slips and trips: see step 3 for the full controls Administrative
  • Check work areas before starting, and get pest control to remove nests. Eliminate
  • Look before you reach into dark spaces. Administrative
  • Ask owners to keep pets away from the work area. Administrative
  • Know who has allergies and keep their medication, such as an adrenaline auto-injector, close by. Administrative
  • Know snake bite first aid: pressure immobilisation bandage, keep still and call 000. Administrative
  • Wear gloves, long sleeves and boots. Use insect repellent outdoors. PPE
Medium
2Keep people and pets away when mowing and trimming
  • Public entering the work area
  • Eye injuries
High
  • 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
  • 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
Low
3Mow slopes across, not up and down
  • Being hit by mobile plant
  • Slips and trips
Extreme
  • Separate people and plant with barriers, exclusion zones and marked walkways. Isolate
  • Use plant with working reversing alarms, cameras and lights. Engineering
  • Have a traffic management plan showing plant routes, loading areas and pedestrian paths. Administrative
  • Use a spotter when reversing or working near people. Administrative
  • Make eye contact with the operator before going near. Stay out of the swing radius. Administrative
  • Operators hold a High Risk Work Licence where needed (for example forklift) and are trained and assessed on other plant. Administrative
  • Do a pre-start check on each machine every day and record it. Administrative
  • Wear hi-vis clothing and a hard hat. 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
Medium
4Trim hedges from a platform, not a ladder
  • Falling from a ladder
  • Injury from power tools
High
  • Use a platform ladder, mobile scaffold or EWP for longer jobs instead of a straight ladder. Substitute
  • Use industrial-rated ladders (AS/NZS 1892, 120 kg or more) in good condition. Remove any damaged ladder from site. Engineering
  • Set extension ladders at a 4 to 1 angle on firm, level ground, tied or footed, and reaching 1 metre above the landing. Engineering
  • Use ladders only for short, light work. Do not carry heavy or awkward loads up a ladder. Administrative
  • Keep three points of contact and your belt buckle between the stiles. Do not overreach. Administrative
  • Do not stand on the top three rungs of an extension ladder or the top step of a stepladder. Administrative
  • Check the ladder before each use: feet, rungs, stiles and locks. Administrative
  • Wear non-slip safety boots with clean soles. PPE
  • 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
Medium
5Spray weeds as the label says, in calm weather
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Strong wind and storms
High
  • 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
  • Check the forecast each morning and plan work at height and lifting around the weather. Eliminate
  • Tie down or weigh down loose sheets, panels, boards and rubbish at the end of each shift. Engineering
  • Set wind limits for roof work, platforms and cranes, using the manufacturer's limits, and stop when they are reached. Administrative
  • Stop work and get down in lightning. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back up. Administrative
  • Check scaffold, fencing and edge protection after strong wind before anyone uses them. Administrative
  • Do not carry large sheets on roofs in wind. Administrative
  • Wear a hard hat with a chin strap at height in windy conditions. PPE
Medium
6Clean up green waste
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Hand-arm and whole-body vibration
  • Loud noise
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
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
  • Use low-vibration tools and methods, such as a breaker on an excavator instead of a hand jackhammer. Substitute
  • Keep tools sharp and well maintained, and use anti-vibration handles and seats. Engineering
  • Limit trigger time on high-vibration tools and rotate workers. Administrative
  • Keep hands warm and dry, and take regular breaks. Administrative
  • Use quieter tools and methods, such as cut-to-size materials, low-noise machines and battery tools. Substitute
  • Keep noisy plant away from work areas, and use screens or distance between the noise and people. Isolate
  • Keep tools maintained and use mufflers on compressors and generators. Engineering
  • Limit time on noisy tools and rotate workers. Administrative
  • Keep exposure below 85 dB(A) over 8 hours. Give hearing tests to workers who often need hearing protection. 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
Medium

PPE

Steel cap bootsSafety glassesHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Work glovesSun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+)OverallsHi-vis shirt or vestSafety gogglesFace shieldHard hatChemical-resistant gloves (nitrile)Half-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters)

Plant and equipment

Lawn mower or ride-onWhipper snipper (brush cutter)Hedge trimmerKnapsack or tank sprayer: ChemCert or state chemical user accreditation for herbicidesTrailer

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 garden maintenance

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 garden maintenance

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Walk the area first, removing rocks and looking for hazards
  2. Keep people and pets away when mowing and trimming
  3. Mow slopes across, not up and down
  4. Trim hedges from a platform, not a ladder
  5. Spray weeds as the label says, in calm weather
  6. Clean up green waste

Hazards to watch on garden maintenance

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

Step 1Bites and stingsSnakes, spiders, wasps and bees in roof spaces, under floors and in long grass bite or sting workers.
Step 5Strong wind and stormsWind blows sheets, panels and people off roofs and scaffolds, and storms and lightning make work at height and lifting unsafe.
Step 6Hand-arm and whole-body vibrationLong periods on jackhammers, grinders, compactors or riding plant cause white finger, numbness and back damage.
Step 2Eye injuriesFlying chips, dust, chemicals or sparks get into the eye and cause damage or blindness.
Step 3Being hit by mobile plantExcavators, loaders, telehandlers and trucks run over or crush workers, especially when reversing or slewing.
Step 4Injury from power toolsDrills, saws, routers and sanders kick back, catch clothing or throw debris, causing cuts, broken bones and eye injuries.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: Insignificant to CatastrophicBA
Highest risk on garden maintenance: 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 work on a roof?
  • Is there a skylight, clear sheet, fibro or other fragile roofing?
  • Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?
  • Will you use an EWP (scissor lift or boom lift)?

Licences and legal requirements in Australia

This task can involve these high risk construction work categories under the WHS Regulations:

  • Work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant

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

  • Knapsack or tank sprayer: ChemCert or state chemical user accreditation for herbicides

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, Part 5.1 Plant; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.4 Falls; WHS Regulation 2011, Chapter 7 Hazardous chemicals; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.2 Hazardous manual tasks; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.1 Noise.

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 garden maintenance?

Yes. Garden maintenance usually includes high risk construction work (work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant), so a SWMS is required by law before work starts.

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 garden maintenance?

Usually Steel cap boots, Safety glasses, Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs), Work gloves, Sun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+), Overalls, Hi-vis shirt or vest, Safety goggles, Face shield, Hard hat, Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile), Half-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters). The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More landscaping SWMS

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Related jobs in other trades

RoofingRoof Tile ReplacementAlso involves strong wind and stormsRoofingGutter ReplacementAlso involves public entering the work areaExcavation and earthworksTrenchingAlso involves being hit by mobile plantConcretingConcrete Slab PourAlso involves being hit by mobile plantConcretingConcrete Cutting and Core DrillingAlso involves public entering the work areaDemolitionInternal Strip OutAlso involves hazardous chemicals

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkLadder SafetyToolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkHearing Protection and Noise

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

Sources