Product Overview

This General Engineering Fabrication and Assembly Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) provides a structured, step-by-step approach to managing risks associated with metal fabrication, machining, assembly and related workshop activities, supporting strong WHS compliance on Australian worksites. It is a comprehensive document that covers multiple aspects of general engineering, fabrication and assembly processes to help you control hazards, protect workers and demonstrate due diligence for High Risk Construction Work where applicable.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Altering and modifying existing metalwork while maintaining structural integrity and controlling heat, noise and fume exposure
• Safe use of band clamps and similar utensils to secure workpieces, prevent slippage and avoid hand and finger injuries
• Operation of bearing heaters, including temperature control, burn prevention and safe handling of heated components
• Manual handling and storage of bearings to minimise crush injuries, contamination and musculoskeletal strain
• Clamping and unclamping fabrications using vices, jigs and fixtures to prevent movement, kickback and pinch points
• Cleaning rust and scale from metal surfaces using mechanical and chemical methods while controlling dust and chemical exposure
• Cutting and assembling metal constructions with saws, grinders and hand tools, including guarding, sparks control and safe layout
• Drilling metal surfaces using pedestal, magnetic base and hand drills, with controls for entanglement, swarf and noise
• Drilling through steel plate, sections and fabricated items with appropriate drill selection, clamping and coolant use
• Fabricating steel or aluminium components, including measuring, marking out, cutting, forming and trial assembly
• Fabricating custom designs and one-off prototypes with risk assessment, verification of drawings and change management controls
• Fitting bearings using heat or mechanical force, including use of presses, pullers and correct alignment techniques
• Fitting edge metals, trims and protective angles to fabricated items while managing sharp edges and flying particles
• Installing and tightening metal hardware such as bolts, rivets and fasteners with torque control and tool safety
• Foundry-related work associated with fabrication, including handling hot metal, moulds, fumes and molten splash risks
• General workshop housekeeping, traffic management and segregation of hot work, cutting, drilling and assembly zones
• Hand filing, deburring, and manual edge finishing of metal components using appropriate PPE and controlled techniques to prevent cuts and metal dust inhalation
• Safe use of metal chamfering, countersinking, reaming, and tap-and-die tools, including secure workholding, rotation direction, and swarf management
• Operation of stationary and fixed machinery (e.g., drill presses, lathes, milling machines) with guarding, emergency stops, and lockout/tagout procedures
• Managing risks from kickback-prone machines and rotating blades, including proper tool selection, secure clamping, and exclusion zones
• Prohibition and control of power tool use without safety guards or with bypassed safety features, including daily inspection protocols
• Handling broken, fractured, or distorted metal parts with cut-resistant gloves and safe disposal methods to prevent lacerations
• Safe handling and storage of gear cutters, milling cutters, and sharp tooling to prevent injury and edge damage
• Working with stainless steel and aluminium tread plate, including control of sensitization (stainless), sharp edges, and slip hazards
• Performing pickling, water quenching, and chemical surface treatments with acid/alkali handling, ventilation, and PPE controls
• Operating metal chemical etching and surface oxidising treatment systems with fume extraction and chemical spill response
• Conducting residual stress relief and heat treatment operations, including furnace safety, thermal shock prevention, and cooldown protocols
• Joining metal sections using bolting, riveting, or mechanical fastening techniques with torque verification and alignment checks
• Sequencing and fitting metal components in assembly workflows to avoid pinch points, dropped parts, and ergonomic strain
• Managing metal hole finishing operations, including deburring internal edges and verifying dimensional accuracy
• Use of hot melt glue guns and adhesives in metal assembly for temporary fixturing, with burn and fume controls
• Installation of stainless steel handrails and architectural metalwork, including lifting, alignment, and fall protection where elevated
• Workshop fabrication of structural and non-structural metal assemblies in compliance with engineering drawings and quality checks
• Safe manipulation of ferrous and non-ferrous metals during forming, bending, and handling to control springback and sharp edges

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for metal fabricators, boilermakers, fitters and turners, general engineering workshops, foundry operations, maintenance teams and site supervisors overseeing fabrication and assembly activities.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace – Guidance on safe use of drills, presses, heaters and other fabrication plant
• Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work – Controls for noisy processes such as drilling, grinding and cutting
• Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks – Requirements for safe handling of metal sections, bearings and heavy fabrications
• Code of Practice: Welding Processes – Referenced where fabrication involves welding, cutting or hot work on metals
• Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces – Applicable where fabrication or assembly work is performed at height or on platforms
• AS 4024 Safety of Machinery (series) – Guidance for guarding, emergency stops and safe operation of machinery and equipment
• AS/NZS 4801 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems – Framework for integrating this SWMS into workplace safety systems
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017