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Floor Stripping Removal and Surface Preparation Risk Assessment

Floor Stripping Removal and Surface Preparation Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
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Floor Stripping Removal and Surface Preparation Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Floor Stripping, Removal and Surface Preparation at a management level, with a structured focus on planning, governance, and systems of work. This Risk Assessment supports WHS Act compliance, demonstrates Due Diligence, and helps protect your business from operational and legal liability across multiple projects and sites.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • WHS Governance, Roles and Legal Compliance: Assessment of PCBU duties, officer due diligence, role clarity, consultation arrangements and organisational WHS governance for floor stripping and surface preparation activities.
  • Project and Task Planning: Management of project scope, sequencing of stripping and preparation works, interface risks with other trades, and scheduling to minimise disruption and exposure.
  • Contractor and Subcontractor Management: Systems for prequalification, competency verification, WHS expectations, and coordination of multiple contractors working on the same floor areas.
  • Competency, Training and Supervision: Assessment of training requirements, licences (where applicable), toolbox talks and supervision levels for operators using stripping machinery, chemicals and surface preparation tools.
  • Site Access, Traffic and Pedestrian Management: Protocols for isolating work zones, managing public and worker access, controlling vehicle movements, and preventing slips, trips and falls around stripped or uneven surfaces.
  • Structural Integrity and Substrate Condition Management: Evaluation of slab condition, load limits, penetration risks, vibration impacts and the suitability of substrates for mechanical and chemical preparation methods.
  • Hazardous Materials, Asbestos and Silica Management: Identification and control of legacy materials, asbestos-containing flooring products, crystalline silica from grinding and scabbling, and alignment with removal and exposure standards.
  • Hazardous Chemicals and Product Safety: Management of chemical strippers, adhesives, primers and self-levelling compounds, including SDS review, decanting, storage, labelling, PPE and exposure minimisation.
  • Plant, Equipment and Maintenance Systems: Assessment of floor strippers, grinders, scabblers, vacuums and ancillary equipment, including guarding, noise, vibration, electrical safety, test and tag, and preventative maintenance programs.
  • Work Environment, Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality: Control of fumes, dust, odours and vapours in enclosed spaces, ventilation requirements, negative air systems and monitoring of indoor air quality for workers and building occupants.
  • Manual Handling, Ergonomics and Occupational Health: Evaluation of handling of bags, drums, tools and machines, push–pull forces, kneeling and bending postures, and strategies to minimise musculoskeletal disorders.
  • Housekeeping, Waste Management and Surface Condition Control: Systems for managing slurry, debris, offcuts, adhesives, chemical waste and dust, and maintaining clean, non-slip and even surfaces during and after works.
  • Emergency Preparedness and Incident Management: Planning for chemical splashes, fire, exposure incidents, structural damage, equipment failure and medical emergencies, including spill response and first aid arrangements.
  • Documentation, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement: Implementation of checklists, inspection records, incident reporting, corrective actions, and periodic review of floor preparation risk controls across projects.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Project Managers, Facility Managers and Safety Officers responsible for planning, approving and overseeing Floor Stripping, Removal and Surface Preparation operations across commercial, industrial and construction sites.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. WHS Governance, Roles and Legal Compliance
  • • Lack of clear WHS responsibilities for floor stripping and surface preparation activities
  • • Failure to identify and comply with WHS Act 2011, WHS Regulations and relevant Codes of Practice for construction, hazardous chemicals and noise
  • • Inadequate consultation with workers and Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) about floor removal methods and products used
  • • Absence of a documented WHS Management System specific to refurbishment and warehouse floor rectification work
  • • Poor change management when introducing new floor strippers, self-levelling compounds, or removal methods
2. Project and Task Planning (Scope, Sequencing and Interfaces)
  • • Inadequate scoping of floor stripping, base layer fixing and self-levelling works leading to uncontrolled work fronts
  • • Conflicting trades in the same area causing congestion and increased slip, trip and impact risks
  • • Poor sequencing of removal of existing carpets, tiles, vinyl and linoleum resulting in rushed or overlapping tasks
  • • No formal planning for out-of-hours work or deadline-driven programs leading to time pressure and shortcuts
  • • Failure to consider interaction with ongoing warehouse operations such as forklift movements and pedestrian traffic
3. Contractor and Subcontractor Management
  • • Engagement of contractors without verifying competency in floor stripping, glue scraping and self-levelling systems
  • • Inadequate review of contractor WHS management plans, insurances and licences
  • • Poor coordination between multiple subcontractors working on adjacent floor areas
  • • Lack of clarity regarding who controls the worksite and supervises contractors
  • • No systematic monitoring or auditing of contractor WHS performance
4. Competency, Training and Supervision
  • • Workers operating floor strippers, grinders or scrapers without formal competency-based training
  • • Lack of understanding of hazards associated with self-levelling compounds, adhesives and mechanical removal methods
  • • Inadequate supervision of new or young workers on warehouse floor remediation tasks
  • • Poor awareness of manual handling, ergonomics and vibration risks during prolonged scraping or grinding
  • • Failure to provide task-specific inductions for unique site conditions such as uneven slabs and damaged base layers
5. Site Access, Traffic and Pedestrian Management
  • • Uncontrolled interaction between floor preparation crews and warehouse mobile plant such as forklifts and pallet jacks
  • • Inadequate separation of pedestrian routes from zones where tiles, carpet or vinyl are being removed and debris is being transported
  • • Poor control of delivery vehicles bringing self-levelling materials, floor strippers and waste skips
  • • Insufficient signage and barricading around wet self-levelling areas or exposed uneven subfloors
  • • Emergency egress routes obstructed by stacked floor waste, adhesive buckets or equipment
6. Structural Integrity and Substrate Condition Management
  • • Unidentified slab defects, voids or damaged base layers creating collapse or trip risks once coverings are removed
  • • Removal of tiles, vinyl or carpet revealing unexpected penetrations, service conduits or weak substrates
  • • Failure to assess load-bearing capacity of warehouse floors after removal and prior to use of heavy equipment or storage
  • • Inappropriate selection of base layer repair methods leading to delamination, cracking or further unevenness
  • • Lack of engineering review for substantial floor rectification or grinding works that alter slab profile
7. Hazardous Materials, Asbestos and Silica Management
  • • Undetected asbestos-containing materials in old vinyl, linoleum, tiles, adhesive mastics or backing
  • • Inadequate identification and control of respirable crystalline silica from concrete grinding and scabbling
  • • Exposure to residual chemicals, lead or other contaminants in old floor coatings or adhesives
  • • Failure to engage licensed asbestos or hazardous materials contractors where required
  • • Poor documentation of hazardous materials surveys and clearance certificates
8. Hazardous Chemicals and Product Safety (Strippers, Adhesives, Self-Levelling Compounds)
  • • Use of floor strippers, primers and self-levelling compounds without Safety Data Sheets (SDS) or risk assessments
  • • Inadequate control of vapours from solvent-based products in enclosed warehouse areas
  • • Incompatible storage of flammable or corrosive products with other site chemicals
  • • Incorrect mixing and handling of self-levelling compounds causing chemical burns or heat generation
  • • Lack of spill response systems for liquid strippers, primers and compound slurries
9. Plant, Equipment and Maintenance Systems
  • • Use of untested or poorly maintained floor stripping machines, grinders and scraping tools
  • • Lack of guarding and isolation systems on rotating or cutting components
  • • Electrical risks from portable equipment, extension leads and wet working environments
  • • Noise and vibration from mechanical floor removal and grinding exceeding exposure standards
  • • Inadequate systems for inspection, tagging and repair of plant used on uneven or damaged warehouse floors
10. Work Environment, Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality
  • • Poor ventilation in enclosed warehouses or rooms during use of floor strippers and self-levelling products
  • • Accumulation of dust from scraping residual glues, grinding concrete or removing old underlays
  • • Inadequate temperature and humidity control affecting curing and off-gassing of compounds
  • • Insufficient monitoring of air quality where multiple chemicals and dust-generating activities occur
  • • Odour complaints and health impacts on other building occupants or adjacent tenants
11. Manual Handling, Ergonomics and Occupational Health
  • • Repetitive bending, kneeling and forceful scraping when pulling up carpets, vinyl and residual glues
  • • Handling of heavy waste bundles, tile stacks and bags of self-levelling compound without mechanical aids
  • • Poorly designed tools and work methods increasing risk of musculoskeletal disorders
  • • Prolonged work on uneven or partially stripped slabs causing slips, trips and joint strain
  • • Inadequate systems to manage fatigue during extended shifts or tight project deadlines
12. Housekeeping, Waste Management and Surface Condition Control
  • • Accumulation of removed tiles, carpet, vinyl and adhesive residues creating trip hazards and obstructing escape paths
  • • Uncontrolled stockpiling of rubble and offcuts in operational warehouse areas
  • • Inadequate segregation and disposal of hazardous waste such as contaminated adhesive or asbestos-containing materials (if identified)
  • • Slips on wet self-levelling compounds, primers or stripper residues left on walkways
  • • Failure to clearly identify and manage transitions between stripped, uneven and finished floor surfaces
13. Emergency Preparedness and Incident Management
  • • Lack of planning for chemical splashes, inhalation incidents or acute reactions to floor strippers and compounds
  • • Inadequate arrangements for medical treatment or rescue in large or congested warehouse environments
  • • Poor incident reporting and investigation processes leading to repeat events
  • • Insufficient fire safety planning for storage and use of flammable or combustible products
  • • Unclear communication protocols for emergencies involving contractors and building occupants
14. Documentation, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
  • • Incomplete or outdated risk assessments for floor stripping, glue scraping and self-levelling operations
  • • Lack of evidence that control measures are implemented and effective over time
  • • Failure to review incidents, near misses and worker feedback relating to floor preparation tasks
  • • Poor retention and accessibility of critical WHS documents such as training records, inspection reports and test certificates
  • • No systematic approach to updating procedures when new equipment or materials are introduced

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

Don't worry if a specific hazard isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom hazards at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the risk ratings and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

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 – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Guidance on systematic risk management processes.
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing the Risk of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace: Requirements for storage, handling and use of chemical strippers, adhesives and compounds.
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace – Labelling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals: Labelling and identification of chemical products used in floor preparation.
  • Model Code of Practice – How to Safely Remove Asbestos: Controls for asbestos-containing floor coverings, adhesives and underlays.
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing the Risks of Respirable Crystalline Silica from Engineered Stone in the Workplace: Referenced for silica dust control principles relevant to grinding and surface preparation.
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work: Guidance on noise control from mechanical stripping and grinding equipment.
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines.
  • AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001 (OHS Management Systems): Principles for integrating this Risk Assessment into organisational safety management systems.
  • AS/NZS 1715 & 1716: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment for dusts, fumes and vapours.
  • AS 1319: Safety signs for the occupational environment, including floor condition and exclusion zone signage.
  • AS/NZS 2161: Occupational protective gloves standards relevant to chemical and mechanical hand protection.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

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