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Welding and fabrication · Australia

SWMS for steel beam installation

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

Yes. Steel beam installation 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 lifting and carrying heavy loads, falling tools and materials, falling from a ladder and structural collapse during alterations.

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SWMS example: steel beam installation

This is a complete SWMS for steel beam 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)
Steel beam installation · Welding and fabrication · 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
1Prop the structure as the engineer designed
  • Structural collapse during alterations
High
  • Get an engineer to check before removing any wall, beam, post or bracing that may be load-bearing. Eliminate
  • Keep everyone clear of the area under and next to the work. Isolate
  • Install temporary props, needles or shoring as designed before removing any support. Engineering
  • Follow the engineer's sequence. Do not change it without approval. Administrative
  • Check props daily. Do not remove them until the permanent support is in and approved. Administrative
  • Install temporary support to the engineer's or temporary works design before any load bearing element is altered. Administrative
  • Wear a hard hat and safety boots. PPE
Medium
2Lift the beam with plant, never by hand above head height
  • Crane and lifting failure
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
High
  • Barricade the lift zone and keep everyone out from under the load. Isolate
  • Use a crane rated for the load at the radius, set up on firm ground with outrigger pads. Engineering
  • Check slings, chains, shackles and hooks before use. Remove anything damaged or not tagged. Engineering
  • Plan the lift: weight, radius, ground, path and landing area. Use a written lift plan for complex lifts. Administrative
  • Crane operators and doggers or riggers hold the right High Risk Work Licence. Administrative
  • Use tag lines to control loads and agree on clear radio or hand signals. Administrative
  • Stop lifting in high wind or when the operator cannot see the signaller. Administrative
  • Never ride on a load or hook. Administrative
  • Wear a hard hat, hi-vis, gloves and safety boots. 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
3Guide with tag lines, never under the load
  • Falling tools and materials
High
  • Barricade and sign the drop zone under overhead work so nobody walks beneath. Isolate
  • Fit toe boards, kick plates and mesh screens on scaffolds and edges. Engineering
  • Use catch fans, debris netting or covered walkways where people pass below. Engineering
  • Tether hand tools when working at height. Engineering
  • Keep platforms tidy. Do not stack materials near edges or above toe board height. Administrative
  • Lower materials with a hoist, chute or rope. Never throw or drop anything down. Administrative
  • Wear a hard hat anywhere objects could fall. PPE
Medium
4Seat and fix the beam on padstones or brackets
  • Structural collapse during alterations
  • Falling from a ladder
High
  • Structural collapse during alterations: see step 1 for the full controls Administrative
  • 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
Medium
5Remove props once approved and 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

Steel cap bootsHard hatWork glovesSafety glassesHi-vis shirt or vest

Plant and equipment

Crane (Franna or mobile): HRWL for the crane class (e.g. C2, CN, C6), plus Dogging licence (DG) where slinging needs judgement or the load is out of the operator's viewTelehandler: 3 t or less: trained and assessed (VOC). Over 3 t with a jib, hook or winch: High Risk Work Licence CN (non-slewing mobile crane). Slewing telehandlers: slewing crane licence (C2, C6 and up). Victoria: any non-slewing telehandler over 3 t needs CN or the Victorian telehandler licenceHand toolsPower drill

Permits and plans

Lift plan

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 steel beam 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 steel beam installation

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Prop the structure as the engineer designed
  2. Lift the beam with plant, never by hand above head height
  3. Guide with tag lines, never under the load
  4. Seat and fix the beam on padstones or brackets
  5. Remove props once approved and clean up

Hazards to watch on steel beam installation

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

Step 2Crane and lifting failureA load falls or swings, or the crane tips, crushing workers under or near the lift.
Step 1, 4Structural collapse during alterationsRemoving a wall, beam, post or bracing makes part of the building fall on workers.
Step 4Falling from a ladderThe ladder slips or tips, or the worker overreaches, and they fall onto a hard surface.
Step 3Falling tools and materialsTools, materials or debris fall from above and hit someone working or walking below.
Step 2Lifting and carrying heavy loadsLifting, carrying, pushing or twisting with heavy or awkward loads strains the back, shoulders or knees.
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 steel beam installation: High before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Australia 5 by 5 risk matrix (likely and moderate 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:

  • Crane (Franna or mobile): HRWL for the crane class (e.g. C2, CN, C6), plus Dogging licence (DG) where slinging needs judgement or the load is out of the operator's view
  • Telehandler: 3 t or less: trained and assessed (VOC). Over 3 t with a jib, hook or winch: High Risk Work Licence CN (non-slewing mobile crane). Slewing telehandlers: slewing crane licence (C2, C6 and up). Victoria: any non-slewing telehandler over 3 t needs CN or the Victorian telehandler licence

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 4.5 High risk work and Part 5.1 Plant; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.2 Hazardous manual tasks; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 3.2 (falling objects); WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.4 Falls.

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 steel beam installation?

Yes. Steel beam installation 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 steel beam installation?

Usually Steel cap boots, Hard hat, Work gloves, Safety glasses, Hi-vis shirt or vest. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

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Related jobs in other trades

ConcretingFormworkAlso involves crane and lifting failureDemolitionInternal Strip OutAlso involves structural collapse during alterationsRoofingRoof Tile ReplacementAlso involves falling tools and materialsRoofingGutter ReplacementAlso involves falling tools and materialsConcretingConcrete Cutting and Core DrillingAlso involves falling tools and materialsScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves falling tools and materials

Toolbox talks for this job

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

Sources