Tile Cutting Grinding and Silica Dust Control SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers tile cutting, grinding and silica dust control, from material review and work-zone setup through cutting, drilling, cleaning and sign-off. It supports work planning and risk management by addressing silica dust, rotating tools, fragments, water and slurry, electrical hazards, manual handling and dust-control performance.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Review the scope and tile materials
• Establish a controlled cutting work zone
• Verify services and substrates before cutting
• Position machines, materials, leads and hoses
• Reassemble large tile machines where required
• Inspect cutting tools and dust controls
• Set out and secure tiles
• Cut tiles using a wet saw
• Grind and shape tiles
• Drill outlet and service cuts
• Monitor silica control performance
• Clean slurry and silica waste, then demobilise

Who is this for?

For contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses cutting, grinding, shaping or drilling tiles.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template includes references relevant to the documented work, including:

• Applicable state or territory Work Health and Safety Act: primary duty of care, worker consultation, instruction, training and supervision.
• Applicable state or territory Work Health and Safety Regulations: risk management, plant, electrical safety, hazardous chemicals, PPE, construction work and SWMS requirements.
• WHS Regulations Chapter 8A, including regulations 529A-529C and 529CA: crystalline silica processing, controlled processing and documented high-risk assessment.
• WHS Regulations regulation 351: prevent worker exposure to airborne contaminants above the workplace exposure standard.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of respirable crystalline silica in the workplace, November 2025.
• Code of Practice: Working safely when cutting, drilling and grinding concrete and masonry products, including wet suppression, on-tool extraction, service identification and exclusion controls.
• AS/NZS 1715:2009 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment; AS/NZS 1716:2012 Respiratory protective devices.

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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