Sewage Clean-Up SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers sewage clean-up from assessing and containing a spill through recovery, cleaning, decontamination, waste management, inspection and demobilisation. It supports planning work steps and managing hazards involving biological contamination, sewage, sharps, gases, chemicals, slips, equipment and public exposure.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Assess the spill and define the work scope
• Establish an exclusion zone
• Isolate the source and relevant services
• Position plant and equipment
• Put on protective equipment
• Recover free sewage
• Remove contaminated materials
• Clean affected surfaces
• Manage sharps and injuries
• Decontaminate personnel and equipment
• Contain and dispose of waste
• Inspect and release the area, then demobilise and sign off

Who is this for?

For contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out sewage clean-up activities.

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.
• Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Biological Hazards at Work, as adopted or otherwise applicable in the relevant jurisdiction; it identifies sewage, wastewater, contaminated materials, aerosols and sharps as biological-hazard considerations.
• Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice: Confined Spaces, as adopted or otherwise applicable in the relevant jurisdiction; sewers may contain biological hazards, harmful atmospheres, oxygen deficiency and engulfment risks.
• Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace, as adopted or otherwise applicable in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice: Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace, as adopted or otherwise applicable in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks, as adopted or otherwise applicable in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities, as adopted or otherwise applicable in the relevant jurisdiction.
• AS/NZS 2865 Confined spaces, where entry into a confined space is required.
• AS/NZS 1715 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment.
• AS/NZS 1716 Respiratory protective devices.
• AS/NZS 2210.3 Personal protective equipment—Safety footwear.
• AS/NZS 1337.1 Personal eye-protection for occupational applications.
• Model Codes of Practice are guidance documents and do not automatically have legal effect in every jurisdiction; confirm locally adopted requirements before work starts.

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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