Product Overview

This Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is specifically developed for metalworking rolling and wire machinery operations, providing clear step-by-step controls to manage mechanical, electrical, and ergonomic risks. It is a comprehensive document covering multiple aspects of Metalworking Rolling and Wire Machinery tasks to support robust WHS compliance and safer production environments.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Safe set-up, operation, and shutdown of coil winding machinery for various wire and metal profiles
• Controlled coiling of tube in shuttle systems, including tension management and guarding of pinch points
• Operation of decoilers, including loading coils, restraint systems, and management of recoil hazards
• Fan blade forming processes, including forming rolls, dies, and safe handling of sharp or deformed metal edges
• Use of feed spools, including threading, tension control, and prevention of entanglement or whip hazards
• Feeding cladding through roll forming or profiling machinery, including alignment, jamming, and crush point controls
• Operation of metal 3D printers, including powder handling, fume extraction, hot surfaces, and post-processing tasks
• Use of metal chain making machines, including link forming, cutting, and guarding against nip and crush points
• Set-up and maintenance of metal dies, including safe change-out, alignment, and lockout/tagout procedures
• Running and maintaining metal rolling mills, including roll gap adjustment, guarding, and emergency stop systems
• Operation of metal spring making machines, including wire feeding, forming tools, and high-speed moving parts
• Management of metal sputtering operations, including vacuum systems, high voltage, and hazardous substance controls
• Use of metal wire drawing machines, including lubrication systems, capstans, and drawing die hazards
• Operation of metal wire mesh weaving machines, including shuttle movement, tensioning, and entanglement prevention
• General roll forming tasks for sheet, strip, and profile sections, including straightening, cutting, and stacking operations

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for metal fabrication workshops, wire product manufacturers, roll forming and cladding producers, metal 3D printing facilities, and site supervisors overseeing metalworking rolling and wire machinery operations.

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 identifying and controlling risks associated with metalworking machinery and equipment
• Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work – Controls for high-noise environments created by rolling, forming, and wire drawing operations
• Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks – Risk controls for handling metal coils, spools, dies, and finished products
• Code of Practice: Welding Processes – Applicable to hot work, repair, or modification of metalworking machinery and associated components
• Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace – Relevant to lubricants, coolants, metal powders, and cleaning agents used with machinery
• AS 4024 Safety of Machinery (series) – Principles for machine guarding, interlocks, emergency stops, and safety-related control systems
• AS/NZS 3000 Electrical Installations (Wiring Rules) – Requirements for electrical safety of fixed and portable metalworking machinery
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017