Cafe Safety SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers cafe safety activities, from pre-opening checks and deliveries through food and beverage preparation, customer service, cleaning and close-down. It supports planning work controls and managing hazards involving hot surfaces, hot liquids, electrical equipment, chemicals, slips and manual handling.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Complete pre-opening safety checks
• Receive deliveries and move stock
• Inspect electrical equipment and leads
• Prepare and operate espresso and automated coffee workstations
• Prepare food and beverages
• Clean plant, benches and work areas
• Wash dishes and glassware
• Serve customers and handle cash
• Respond to burns, electrical, fire, chemical and slip incidents
• Close down, secure the area and manage remaining hazards

Who is this for?

For workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out cafe operations.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template includes references relevant to the documented work, including:

• Applicable Commonwealth, state or territory WHS/OHS legislation and regulations, including duties to provide and maintain a safe workplace, safe plant, safe systems of work, information, training, instruction, supervision, consultation, workplace facilities, first aid, hazardous-chemical management and electrical-risk control.
• Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks (November 2024), as guidance only; identify physical and psychosocial hazards arising from the work environment, equipment, substances, work tasks, work design and workplace interactions.
• Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace, as guidance only; plant includes machinery, equipment, appliances and connected components, with risks including hot surfaces, hot fluids, electric shock, moving parts and musculoskeletal injury.
• Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace, as guidance only; electrical work must be appropriately authorised and energised electrical work requires additional controls.
• Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace, as guidance only; first-aid arrangements must reflect the nature of work, hazards, workplace size, location and workers present.
• Safe Work Australia model Codes of Practice for Hazardous Manual Tasks, Managing the Work Environment and Facilities, Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work, and Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace, as adopted or applied in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Guidance standards: AS/NZS 3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment; AS/NZS 2210.3 Personal protective equipment—Safety footwear; AS/NZS 1270 Acoustics—Hearing protectors; AS 3745 Planning for emergencies in facilities; and manufacturer instructions for all plant and chemicals. Confirm current editions and jurisdictional applicability before issue. Model Codes and standards are guidance unless adopted, approved or otherwise made applicable in the relevant jurisdiction.

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Standard SWMS Features (Click to Expand)

• Task-specific job steps, hazards and control measures
• Initial and residual risk ratings
• Assigned responsible persons for each job step
• Plant, equipment and PPE requirements where applicable
• Permits, qualifications and high-risk construction work details where applicable
• Worker consultation, sign-off and review sections