Product Overview

This Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is developed specifically for Food Preparation Machinery and Mechanical Slicers, providing a clear, step-by-step approach to identifying hazards and implementing effective control measures. It is a comprehensive document that covers multiple aspects of food preparation equipment use, helping you maintain WHS compliance and manage risks in commercial kitchens and food production environments.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Safe setup, operation, and shutdown of food slicers in commercial kitchens and food processing areas
• Guarding, interlocks, and safe use of mechanical slicers to prevent contact with moving blades
• Operation of juicers, including loading produce, managing blockages, and safe ejection of waste
• Use of blenders and mixers, including securing lids, correct speed selection, and safe ingredient loading
• General operation of kitchen machinery, including start-up checks, pre-use inspections, and emergency stop procedures
• Management of entanglement risks from loose clothing, jewellery, hair, and cleaning cloths around rotating components
• Electrical safety for plug-in food preparation machinery, including inspection of cords, plugs, and RCD protection
• Manual handling techniques for lifting, moving, and positioning heavy or awkward kitchen appliances
• Safe cleaning, maintenance, and blade changing procedures for slicers, juicers, blenders, and mixers
• Controls for noise, vibration, and repetitive tasks to reduce fatigue and musculoskeletal strain
• Housekeeping controls to manage slips, trips, and falls from spills, offcuts, and food waste around machinery
• Lock-out/tag-out procedures when servicing or de-jamming food preparation machinery

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for commercial kitchen operators, cafes, restaurants, food manufacturers, caterers, and site supervisors responsible for workers using food preparation machinery and mechanical slicers.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice: Guidance on controlling risks associated with machinery and equipment (plant).
• Safe Work Australia – Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice: Requirements for managing risks of musculoskeletal disorders from manual tasks.
• Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice: Framework for identifying hazards, assessing risks, and implementing controls.
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice: Requirements for safe workplace layout, amenities, and general conditions in kitchens and food production areas.
• AS/NZS 4024 Safety of Machinery (series): Guidance on design and guarding of machinery to prevent contact with moving parts.
• AS/NZS 3760 In-service Safety Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment: Guidance for inspection and testing of electrical kitchen appliances.
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017