Product Overview

Summary: This Safe Operating Procedure sets out how to correctly select, install and manage temporary barriers during glass handling and installation activities. It helps Australian businesses control fall, impact and public interface risks on live sites, supporting compliance with WHS legislation while keeping workers, clients and the public safe around fragile and unfinished glazing areas.

Glass installation work often occurs in dynamic, high-traffic environments such as construction sites, commercial fit‑outs, shopping centres and occupied buildings. During these activities, unprotected openings, partially installed glass, and movement of large panes create a high risk of falls, impact injuries and damage to fragile materials. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, practical framework for the safe use of temporary barriers wherever glass is being transported, staged or installed, ensuring that both workers and members of the public are physically separated from hazardous zones.

The document walks your team through barrier selection (including class, height and load rating), correct placement around openings and work zones, integration with exclusion zones and signage, and the inspection and maintenance of barriers throughout the job. It addresses common pain points such as subcontractors moving barriers, maintaining access routes while preserving safety, and working in shared or public spaces. By implementing this SOP, businesses can demonstrate due diligence under Australian WHS law, reduce the likelihood of glass breakage and fall‑from‑height incidents, and present a professional, well‑controlled site to clients, inspectors and principal contractors.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of falls, impact injuries and glass breakage by standardising how temporary barriers are used around glazing work areas.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation and relevant standards for edge protection, barricading and work at height.
• Improve site control on busy or public-facing projects by clearly defining exclusion zones and barrier management responsibilities.
• Streamline training and onboarding for new glaziers and subcontractors with a clear, step-by-step procedure for barrier use.
• Minimise project delays, rework and insurance claims arising from damaged glass or incidents involving members of the public.

Who is this for?

• Glaziers
• Glass Installation Technicians
• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• WHS Managers
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• Facilities and Maintenance Managers
• Shopfitting Contractors
• Residential and Commercial Builders

Hazards Addressed

• Falls from height at window, balcony or façade openings during glass installation
• Impact injuries from accidental entry into glass handling or installation zones
• Crush and pinch injuries from moving large glass panes in areas accessible to others
• Glass breakage leading to lacerations and falling glass fragments
• Unauthorised or inadvertent access to high-risk work areas by workers, visitors or the public
• Trips and falls caused by poorly placed or unstable temporary barriers
• Vehicle or plant interaction with glass installation zones in mixed-use work areas

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology (temporary barriers, exclusion zones, glass installation areas)
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, supervisors, installers, subcontractors)
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment for Glass Installation and Barrier Use
• 6.0 Selection of Temporary Barriers (type, rating, height and suitability for glazing work)
• 7.0 Pre-Start Checks and Site Preparation
• 8.0 Establishing Exclusion Zones and Access Routes
• 9.0 Step-by-Step Procedure for Installing Temporary Barriers
• 10.0 Integration with Glass Handling, Lifting and Installation Activities
• 11.0 Inspection, Maintenance and Adjustment of Barriers During Works
• 12.0 Managing Changes on Site (relocation, partial removal and reinstallation of barriers)
• 13.0 Working in Public or Shared Spaces (shopping centres, footpaths, occupied buildings)
• 14.0 Communication, Signage and Induction Requirements
• 15.0 Emergency Procedures and Incident Response Involving Barriers or Glass Failure
• 16.0 Training and Competency Requirements
• 17.0 Recordkeeping, Auditing and Continuous Improvement
• 18.0 Review and Revision History

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and corresponding state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (and state/territory equivalents), particularly provisions relating to falls and construction work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Construction Work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces
• AS/NZS 4994.1: Temporary edge protection – General requirements
• AS/NZS 4994.2: Temporary edge protection – Roof edge protection – Installation and dismantling
• AS 1170.1: Structural design actions – Permanent, imposed and other actions (for barrier load considerations)
• AS/NZS 4801: Occupational health and safety management systems (superseded but still referenced in many systems, alongside ISO 45001)