Product Overview

This General Commercial and Office Cleaning SWMS is a site-specific safety planning document designed to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement controls for cleaning activities in workplaces. It is a comprehensive, pre-filled Safe Work Method Statement that supports WHS compliance across a wide range of commercial and office cleaning tasks.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Safe methods for routine general commercial and office cleaning, including floors, workstations, kitchens, and common areas
• Cleaning of bathroom and toilet facilities, including management of biological hazards and appropriate PPE selection
• Cleaning of public restrooms and public park amenities with controls for sharps, bodily fluids, and anti-social behaviour risks
• Cleaning of aquarium glass and tanks, including electrical safety, water hazards, and safe use of specialised cleaning agents
• Cleaning of glass surfaces, internal partitions, and windows with controls for slips, trips, falls, and manual handling
• Cleaning heavily soiled areas, including correct chemical selection, dilution, ventilation, and decontamination procedures
• Ceiling and overhead surface cleaning, including dust removal, cobwebbing, and use of extension tools to minimise working at height
• Cleaning of overhead fans, light fittings, and high fixtures using step platforms or ladders in accordance with safe work practices
• Controlled environment cleaning (e.g. data rooms, sensitive equipment areas) with controls for static, contamination, and equipment isolation
• Collection of litter and rubbish in offices, common areas, and external surrounds, including sharps and broken glass handling procedures
• Collection and disposal of used napkins, tissues, and sanitary waste, including infection control and hygiene measures
• Safe storage, use, and handling of cleaning chemicals, SDS reference, labelling, and spill response
• Use of powered and non-powered cleaning equipment (vacuums, scrubbers, polishers) including electrical safety and cord management
• Decommissioning, cleaning, and maintenance of cleaning equipment, including isolation, tagging-out, and safe disposal of waste
• Manual handling risk controls for lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling cleaning equipment, bins, and supply trolleys

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for commercial and office cleaners, strata and facilities maintenance contractors, cleaning supervisors, and PCBU/site managers overseeing professional cleaning operations in workplaces and public amenities.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice: Guidance on amenities, cleanliness, and safe workplace conditions
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice: Framework for identifying, assessing, and controlling cleaning-related risks
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice: Controls for lifting, carrying, and repetitive movements during cleaning tasks
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice: Requirements for safe use, storage, and disposal of cleaning chemicals
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice: Guidance on first aid arrangements for cleaners working on client sites
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017