Concrete Drilling Processes SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers concrete drilling processes, including planning, service location, drill set-up, dust control, drilling, fixing installation and closeout. It supports work planning and risk management by addressing concealed services, silica dust, drilling equipment, falling cores, slurry and elevated work hazards.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Review the scope, documents and drilling locations
• Establish and control the work area
• Locate services and reinforcement
• Inspect drilling plant and equipment
• Set up the drill position
• Control silica dust during the work
• Drill pilot holes
• Core drill penetrations
• Install anchors and fixings
• Manage elevated drilling tasks
• Clean the work area
• Inspect the completed work and sign off

Who is this for?

For contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out concrete drilling activities.

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, information, training, instruction, supervision, consultation and risk controls so far as is reasonably practicable.
• Model Code of Practice: Working safely when cutting, drilling and grinding concrete and masonry products — use as guidance; it identifies dust, exhaust fumes, damage to structures or services, electrocution, vibration, noise, slips, falls and manual handling as drilling hazards.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of respirable crystalline silica in the workplace — use as guidance; concrete and cement-based products may contain crystalline silica and power-tool drilling is processing that can generate respirable crystalline silica.
• Model Codes of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace; Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work; Hazardous manual tasks; Managing the risk of falls at workplaces; How to manage work health and safety risks; and How to safely remove asbestos — apply where relevant and as adopted in the applicable jurisdiction.
• Guidance standards: AS/NZS 1715 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment; AS/NZS 1716 Respiratory protective devices; AS/NZS 3012 Electrical installations—Construction and demolition sites; AS/NZS 3000 Electrical installations; AS/NZS 1337.1 Eye and face protection; AS/NZS 1269.3 Occupational noise management; AS/NZS 2210.3 Safety footwear; AS/NZS 1801 Occupational protective helmets; AS/NZS 1576 Scaffolding; AS 2550.10 Cranes, hoists and winches—Mobile elevating work platforms; and AS/NZS 1891 Industrial fall-arrest systems.
• Model WHS Regulations and any corresponding adopted jurisdictional regulations — use as applicable for plant, electrical risks, hazardous manual tasks, airborne contaminants, PPE, construction work, asbestos and crystalline silica. Model provisions describe controlled crystalline-silica processing as using isolation, wet suppression, on-tool extraction or local exhaust ventilation, with compliant RPE where residual exposure remains.

---

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