Product Overview

This Butchery Safety Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) sets out the step-by-step procedures and risk controls required to safely carry out butchery operations in accordance with Australian WHS compliance obligations. It is a comprehensive document covering multiple aspects of Butchery Safety SWMS, including meat cutting, handling, processing and the safe use of powered equipment in commercial and industrial environments.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Cutting, sawing and cleaving meat using manual and powered saws, cleavers and chopping equipment
• Deboning and trimming of meat, including safe knife handling techniques and cut-prevention controls
• Draining blood from slaughtered closed vessels with controls for splash, contamination and biohazard exposure
• Safe handling, storage and segregation of raw meat to minimise cross-contamination and food safety risks
• Operation of industrial mincers, including guarding, isolation procedures and emergency stop use
• Prevention and management of knife injuries through correct grip, sharpening, storage and PPE requirements
• Manual handling of heavy carcasses and meat products, including team lifts, mechanical aids and safe lifting postures
• Use of meat tenderisers (manual and powered) with guarding, pinch-point and entanglement controls
• Operating butchery equipment such as bandsaws, grinders and mixers, including lock-out/tag-out procedures
• Operating meat slicers safely, including blade guarding, pushers, cleaning and maintenance protocols
• Performing specific cuts of meat with task sequencing to reduce strain, repetitive motion and laceration risks
• Use of poultry saws and other specialised cutting tools with controls for splatter, vibration and noise exposure
• Separating internal organs and offal handling with hygiene, waste disposal and infection control measures
• Cleaning, sanitising and maintaining butchery tools and equipment, including chemical safety and isolation
• Housekeeping, spill management and floor safety to reduce slips, trips and falls in cold, wet work areas

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for butchers, meat processors, abattoir workers, supermarket and retail meat departments, food manufacturing facilities, and site supervisors responsible for managing butchery operations.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Guidance on identifying hazards, assessing and controlling risks in butchery environments.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities: Requirements for hygiene, amenities, lighting, ventilation and safe work areas.
• Model Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks: Controls for lifting, carrying and handling heavy carcasses and repetitive cutting tasks.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work: Applicable to powered saws, mincers and other noisy butchery plant.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace: Safe use, guarding and maintenance of meat slicers, mincers, saws and other butchery equipment.
• AS 4674: Design, construction and fit-out of food premises: Relevant to hygienic layout and equipment considerations in butchery areas.
• Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (FSANZ): Requirements for food safety, handling of raw meat and prevention of cross-contamination.
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017