Plumbing Drainage SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers plumbing drainage work, including planning, service location, trench excavation, pipe installation, connections, testing, reinstatement and demobilisation. It supports work planning and risk management for underground services, trenching, plant, sewage, dust, pressure, manual-handling and public-access hazards.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Review plans and scope the work
• Establish the work area
• Locate and expose existing services
• Position plant and materials
• Excavate the drainage trench
• Prepare bedding and the trench base
• Install drainage pipework
• Connect to existing drainage
• Test the drainage system
• Backfill and compact
• Reinstate surfaces
• Clean up and demobilise

Who is this for?

For contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out plumbing drainage 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.
• Applicable plumbing, drainage, building, environmental protection, road-use and utility-owner requirements in the jurisdiction of work.
• Model Code of Practice: Construction work (guidance only; confirm jurisdictional adoption).
• Model Code of Practice: Excavation work (guidance only; confirm jurisdictional adoption). Excavation connected with a trench deeper than 1.5 m is identified as high risk construction work requiring a SWMS.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace (guidance only; confirm jurisdictional adoption).
• Model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace and Work near overhead and underground electric lines (guidance only; confirm jurisdictional adoption).
• Model Code of Practice: Confined spaces; Hazardous manual tasks; Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace; and Managing the work environment and facilities (guidance only; confirm jurisdictional adoption).
• AS/NZS 3500.2 Plumbing and drainage—Sanitary plumbing and drainage.
• AS/NZS 1260 PVC-U pipes and fittings for drain, waste and vent application.
• AS 4744.1 Steel shoring and trench lining—Design.
• AS/NZS 1576 Scaffolding and AS 1657 Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders where access systems are used.
• AS/NZS 3012 Electrical installations—Construction and demolition sites.
• AS/NZS 3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment.
• AS 2865 Confined spaces where confined-space entry is authorised.
• AS 2550 series Cranes, hoists and winches—Safe use, where lifting plant is used.

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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