Product Overview

This Hospitality Safety SWMS is a comprehensive Safe Work Method Statement designed to identify hazards and implement controls for hospitality and food service operations, helping your business maintain WHS compliance. Covering front-of-house, back-of-house, and mobile service tasks, it provides end-to-end guidance to manage risks across all key aspects of hospitality safety.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Alcohol serving responsibilities, including RSA obligations, patron monitoring, and preventing service to intoxicated persons
• Bussing tables duties, including safe collection of plates, glassware, and cutlery while minimising slips, trips, and manual handling risks
• Carrying heavy food trays using correct lifting techniques and load limits to prevent musculoskeletal injuries
• Safe use and maintenance of commercial dishwasher detergent dispensers, including chemical handling, decanting, and spill response
• Cordial cooler operation, including electrical safety, cleaning, and hygiene controls to prevent contamination
• Cutlery polishing duties, including safe use of polishing equipment, handling of hot items, and prevention of cross-contamination
• Operation of dishwashers and dishwashing stations, including loading/unloading racks, hot water exposure, and preventing slips from wet floors
• Dispensing soft drinks and other beverages safely, including CO₂ cylinder handling, line cleaning, and electrical safety for dispensers
• Fielding and managing complaints about food quality in a professional and safe manner, including de-escalation and managing aggressive behaviour
• Food and beverage mobile service, including safe pushing and manoeuvring of carts, navigating crowded areas, and managing hot and cold items
• Handling room service trolleys, including manual handling techniques, use of lifts, and controls for uneven or sloped surfaces
• Hot beverage spill prevention, including safe pouring, cup and lid selection, and controls for transporting hot liquids
• Hot food service, including burn and scald prevention, safe use of heat lamps and bain-maries, and allergen and contamination controls
• Kitchen service coordination between front-of-house and back-of-house, including communication protocols and safe movement in congested areas
• General housekeeping in hospitality areas, including floor cleaning, storage of equipment, and waste management to reduce slip, trip, and fall hazards

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for restaurants, cafés, hotels, clubs, caterers, function centres, and hospitality supervisors responsible for managing safe food and beverage service operations.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice: Guidance on safe and healthy workplaces, including amenities, layout, and environmental conditions
• Safe Work Australia – Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice: Requirements and controls for manual handling such as lifting trays, moving trolleys, and handling stock
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice: Controls for slips, trips, and falls in wet or cluttered hospitality environments
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice: Safe use, storage, and dispensing of dishwashing chemicals and cleaning agents
• Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code: Food safety, hygiene, and allergen management requirements for food and beverage service
• AS/NZS 4024 Safety of Machinery (where applicable): General principles for the safe use of machinery such as commercial dishwashers and related equipment
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017