Glass Installation and On-Site Glazing SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers glass installation and on-site glazing, including planning, unloading, handling, positioning, securing and finishing glass. It supports planning access and lifting activities while managing glass breakage, cuts, falls, moving loads and work-area hazards.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Review the work scope and plan the installation
• Set up and control the work area
• Unload, store and inspect glass panels
• Prepare access arrangements for elevated work
• Inspect the opening and supporting surface
• Set up lifting equipment for glass handling
• Manually handle glass panels
• Install frames and packers
• Place, secure and finish the glazing
• Inspect the work, clean up and demobilise

Who is this for?

For contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out glass installation and on-site glazing work.

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 safe systems of work, consult workers, manage plant, hazardous manual tasks, falls, hazardous chemicals and construction work.
• Model Code of Practice: Construction Work (November 2024) — guidance for planning construction work, SWMS and managing high-risk construction activities.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces — guidance on safe access, edge protection and fall-prevention systems; refer to AS/NZS 4994 temporary edge protection where used.
• Model Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks — guidance for assessing and controlling lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling and repetitive handling risks.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace — guidance for plant selection, inspection, guarding, isolation and mobile-plant interaction controls.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Respirable Crystalline Silica in the Workplace — where drilling, cutting or grinding concrete, masonry, tiles or other silica-containing material is required; uncontrolled dry processing must not be used.
• AS 1288 Glass in buildings — Selection and installation; AS/NZS 2208 Safety glazing materials in buildings; AS 2047 Windows and external glazed doors in buildings.
• AS/NZS 1576 Scaffolding series and AS 4576 Guidelines for scaffolding; scaffolds over 4 m require applicable licensed scaffolding work and handover arrangements.
• AS/NZS 1891 Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices; AS/NZS 5532 Manufacturing requirements for single-point anchor device used for harness-based work at heights.
• AS 2550 Cranes, hoists and winches—Safe use series; AS 1418 Cranes, hoists and winches series; AS 4991 Lifting devices.
• AS/NZS 1715 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment; AS/NZS 1716 Respiratory protective devices; AS 2985 Workplace atmospheres—Respirable dust sampling.
• Model laws and model Codes of Practice are guidance only and do not automatically have legal effect in every jurisdiction; verify the requirements adopted in the jurisdiction where the work is undertaken.

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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