Swimming Pools SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers planning, installing, filling, commissioning and maintaining swimming pools and spas. It supports work planning and risk management across site setup, excavation, construction, connections and handover.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Plan pool orientation and consider services, drainage, access and design changes
• Establish the site, access arrangements and work area controls
• Locate and isolate electrical, gas, water and telecommunications services
• Position plant and complete pre-start checks
• Excavate the pool shell and manage excavation conditions
• Prepare the base and drainage
• Install pool framework and place the concrete structure
• Lift and position fibreglass pool shells
• Connect pipes and associated equipment
• Backfill, install surrounds, fill and commission the pool
• Maintain pool and spa systems
• Clean up the site and complete handover

Who is this for?

For contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out swimming pool and spa 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, including duties to identify hazards, eliminate or minimise risks, consult, provide training and supervision, maintain plant and manage construction work.
• Model Code of Practice: Construction Work (guidance only unless adopted in the relevant jurisdiction). Installing an in-ground swimming pool or spa is identified as construction work.
• Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks (guidance only unless adopted in the relevant jurisdiction), including use of the hierarchy of controls.
• Model Code of Practice: Excavation Work (guidance only unless adopted in the relevant jurisdiction).
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace (guidance only unless adopted in the relevant jurisdiction); manage plant risks through hazard identification, elimination or minimisation, maintenance and review.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace (guidance only unless adopted in the relevant jurisdiction); electrical work requires consultation and energised work requires strict additional controls.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace (guidance only unless adopted in the relevant jurisdiction); maintain effective controls, inspection and testing for chemical systems.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Respirable Crystalline Silica Dust Exposure in Construction and Manufacturing of Construction Elements (guidance only unless adopted in the relevant jurisdiction). A SWMS is required under model WHS provisions before high-risk construction work involving respirable crystalline silica exposure.
• Model Codes of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces; Hazardous Manual Tasks; Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work; Confined Spaces; and Traffic Management for Construction or Maintenance Work, as relevant and as adopted locally.
• AS/NZS 3000 Electrical installations; AS/NZS 3012 Electrical installations—Construction and demolition sites; AS 2550 series Cranes—Safe use; AS 1418 series Cranes, hoists and winches; AS 4744.1 Steel shoring and trench lining; AS 1926.1 Swimming pool safety—Safety barriers; AS 1926.3 Swimming pool safety—Water recirculation systems; AS 4680 Steelwork structures; AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716 respiratory protective equipment; AS/NZS 1337.1 eye protection; AS/NZS 1270 hearing protectors. Apply the current editions and project specifications.

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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