Plumbing · Australia

SWMS for drain unblocking and jetting

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 drain unblocking and jetting 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 falling through a floor opening or void, public entering the work area, lifting and carrying heavy loads and loud noise.

Make this SWMS now Word template PDF

SWMS example: drain unblocking and jetting

This is a complete SWMS for drain unblocking and jetting, 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)

Drain unblocking and jetting · Plumbing · 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	Set up cones around open pits and keep the public and pets away	Public entering the work area Falling through a floor opening or void	Extreme	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 Cover every hole and penetration with a fixed, secured cover marked "HOLE" or "DANGER". Isolate Put guardrails with toe boards around stairwells, lift shafts, voids and open edges. Isolate Install stairs early and fit temporary handrails as soon as they go in. Engineering Never remove a cover or guardrail without approval. Put it back straight away. Administrative Inspect covers and barriers daily and after other trades have been through. Administrative Keep lighting good enough to see openings, especially on lower floors and in the evening. Administrative Use a harness clipped to a rated anchor when working right next to an open void. PPE	Medium
2	Open the inspection point, never enter pits or manholes without a confined space permit	Confined space entry Lifting and carrying heavy loads	High	Do the work from outside the space where you can, using cameras or long-reach tools. Eliminate Isolate and lock out all pipes, power and moving parts going into the space. Isolate Test the air for oxygen, flammable and toxic gases before entry, and keep testing during the work. Engineering Use forced ventilation to keep the air clean. Engineering Issue a confined space entry permit before anyone goes in. Only trained workers enter. Administrative Keep a trained standby person outside at all times, in contact with those inside. Administrative Set up written first aid and rescue procedures and rescue gear before entry, and practise them (WHS Regulations r.74). Never go in to rescue without the right gear. Administrative Wear a harness for retrieval and the respirator the air test calls for. PPE 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	Medium
3	Check the jetter hose and fittings, then jet with the nozzle well inside the pipe before starting	High pressure water jetting Stored energy Loud noise	High	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 Release or block all stored energy before work: release the pressure in pipes, tanks and hoses, bleed hydraulics, release springs, lower loads. Eliminate Lock out and tag all energy sources with personal locks. Isolate Put mechanical blocks or props under raised parts like buckets, tipper bodies and doors. Engineering Test that the system is dead and nothing can move before you start. Administrative Follow the maker's procedure, for example for garage door and roller door springs. 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 If you have to shout to be heard 1 metre away, wear hearing protection. Administrative Keep exposure below 85 dB(A) over 8 hours. Give hearing tests to workers who often need hearing protection. Administrative	Medium
4	Clear the blockage, keeping face and hands away from splashback	Sewage and wastewater Eye injuries Slips and trips	Medium	Flush and drain the line before opening it, and plan the job to avoid contact. Eliminate Use drain cameras, jetters and long-handled tools to keep hands out. Engineering Sewage and wastewater: see step 6 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 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	Low
5	Run a CCTV camera to confirm the line is clear	Sewage and wastewater	Medium	Cover cuts with waterproof dressings. Never eat, drink or smoke before washing. Administrative Wash hands well and clean tools and boots after the job. Administrative Sewage and wastewater: see step 6 for the full controls Administrative	Low
6	Close pits, wash down, and wash hands before eating	Sewage and wastewater Poor housekeeping and waste	Medium	Flush and drain the line before opening it, and plan the job to avoid contact. Eliminate Use drain cameras, jetters and long-handled tools to keep hands out. Engineering Cover cuts with waterproof dressings. Never eat, drink or smoke before washing. Administrative Wash hands well and clean tools and boots after the job. Administrative Keep vaccinations such as tetanus and hepatitis A up to date, on medical advice. Administrative Wear waterproof gloves, goggles or a face shield, and coveralls. PPE 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

Steel cap bootsChemical-resistant gloves (nitrile)Safety gogglesFace shieldOverallsHi-vis shirt or vestWork glovesHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Safety glasses

Plant and equipment

Drain jetterHand tools

Permits and plans

Electrical isolation permit

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 drain unblocking and jetting

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 drain unblocking and jetting

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
Openings, voids and penetrations covered and marked
Isolation, lockout and test for dead done before work starts
Confined space permit, atmosphere test and standby person in place
Exclusion zone below the work and public kept out
First aider, first aid kit and emergency number (000) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: steel cap boots, chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile), safety goggles, face shield

The safe sequence of work

Set up cones around open pits and keep the public and pets away
Open the inspection point, never enter pits or manholes without a confined space permit
Check the jetter hose and fittings, then jet with the nozzle well inside the pipe before starting
Clear the blockage, keeping face and hands away from splashback
Run a CCTV camera to confirm the line is clear
Close pits, wash down, and wash hands before eating

Hazards to watch on drain unblocking and jetting

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

Step 2Confined space entryBad air, toxic gas or engulfment in a tank, pit, sewer or manhole overcomes workers and the people who try to rescue them.

Step 3High pressure water jettingHigh pressure water cuts through skin and injects water and dirt into the body, or the hose whips.

Step 4, 5, 6Sewage and wastewaterContact with sewage spreads germs that cause stomach illness, hepatitis and skin infections.

Step 3Stored energyEnergy left in springs, hydraulics, compressed gas, raised loads or capacitors releases suddenly and crushes or injures workers.

Step 1Falling through a floor opening or voidA worker steps into an open hole, stairwell, lift shaft or penetration and falls to the level below.

Step 4Eye injuriesFlying chips, dust, chemicals or sparks get into the eye and cause damage or blindness.

Highest risk on drain unblocking and jetting: Extreme before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Australia 5 by 5 risk matrix (possible and catastrophic 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?

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 drain unblocking and jetting?

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 drain unblocking and jetting?

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

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Related jobs in other trades

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Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkHearing Protection and Noise Toolbox talkSlips, Trips and Falls Toolbox talkConfined Spaces Toolbox talkCrane and Lifting Safety

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