Product Overview

This Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) sets out the high-level hazards, risk controls, and safe work procedures for Reinforcement Pre-Fabrication and Bar Bending Machinery activities on Australian construction sites. It is a comprehensive document that consolidates multiple reinforcement fabrication and bar bending operations into one easy-to-use resource to support strong WHS compliance and risk management.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Preparation, sorting, and inspection of reinforcement bars prior to cutting, bending, or fabrication
• Safe use and guarding requirements for reinforcement bar bending machinery and bar formers
• Reinforcement bending operations, including manual and mechanical bending of bars to specified shapes
• Operation of reinforcing bar formers for repetitive bending and forming tasks
• Fabrication of steel concrete reinforcement cages for footings, piers, and columns
• Pre-fabrication of cages in a controlled work area, including layout, assembly, and quality checks
• Use of coil former steel reinforcing equipment, including decoiling, straightening, and cutting
• Binding and bundling bars and meshes using wire ties, mechanical tying tools, and lifting aids
• Cagemaker activities, including assembly, tying, and handling of large reinforcement cages
• Manual handling and mechanical lifting of reinforcement bars, coils, and pre-fabricated cages
• Storage, stacking, and housekeeping controls for reinforcement steel and completed cages
• Noise, dust, and vibration risk controls associated with cutting, bending, and forming operations
• Lock-out/tag-out and isolation procedures for bar bending and reinforcement fabrication machinery
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) including eye, hand, and foot protection around reinforcement steel
• Traffic management and exclusion zones for forklifts, cranes, and other plant moving reinforcement products

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for steel fixers, reinforcement fabrication workshops, precast and concrete contractors, cagemakers, and site supervisors overseeing reinforcement pre-fabrication and bar bending machinery operations.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace – guidance on the safe use, guarding, and maintenance of bar bending and reinforcement machinery
• Model Code of Practice: Construction Work – requirements for managing risks associated with reinforcement and concrete construction activities
• Model Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks – controls for lifting, carrying, and handling reinforcement bars, coils, and cages
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work – controls for noisy cutting, bending, and fabrication processes
• AS/NZS 4024 Safety of Machinery (series) – principles for machinery safety, guarding, emergency stops, and control systems
• AS 3600 Concrete Structures – reference to reinforcement detailing and placement requirements for structural concrete