Heavy Building Materials Handling (Glass, Brick, Board) SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers handling heavy building materials including glass, brick, board, windows, doors, fixtures, metal, cement and aggregate. It supports work planning, material movement, storage and waste management while addressing related manual handling, load, vehicle, dust and sharp-edge hazards.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Plan the work area, access routes and traffic interfaces
• Set up delivery exclusion zones
• Inspect plant, lifting aids and attachments before use
• Unload pallets and bulk materials
• Handle bricks and bagged products
• Move boards and other long products
• Handle glass and glazed units
• Lift and position windows and doors
• Position heavy fixtures and metal items
• Manage cement and aggregate dust, storage and waste materials

Who is this for?

For contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses involved in handling and moving the named building materials.

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: confirm the duties, construction-work, hazardous-manual-task, plant, PPE, traffic-management, licensing and SWMS requirements applying at the project location.
• Model Code of Practice: Construction work (current edition) — practical guidance for construction SWMS, material deliveries, traffic controls and scaffold loading; model Codes may not have legal effect in every jurisdiction.
• Model Code of Practice: Hazardous manual tasks (2020) — guidance on eliminating or minimising forceful exertion, awkward postures, repetitive handling and use of mechanical aids including glass-panel and plaster lifters.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the risks of plant in the workplace (2024) — guidance for competent operation, warning devices, traffic separation, plant inspection and lifting only with plant designed for the load.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the risk of falls at workplaces — guidance where materials handling is performed near an unprotected edge or from elevated work platforms.
• AS 2359 series Industrial trucks; AS 2550 series Cranes, hoists and winches—Safe use; AS 4991 Lifting devices; AS 1418 series Cranes, hoists and winches; AS 1288 Glass in buildings—Selection and installation; AS/NZS 1337.1 Eye and face protection; AS/NZS 2161.1 Occupational protective gloves; AS/NZS 2210.3 Safety footwear; AS/NZS 4602.1 High-visibility safety garments; AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716 Respiratory protective equipment.

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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