Product Overview

This Wire Fencing SWMS is a site-ready Safe Work Method Statement designed to identify hazards and implement effective controls for installing, repairing, and maintaining wire fencing systems. It is a comprehensive document that covers multiple aspects of wire fencing work to support WHS compliance and consistent risk management on Australian worksites.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Planning and site assessment for wire fencing works, including identification of underground and overhead services
• Selection, inspection, and safe use of hand tools such as wire strainers, post drivers, cutters, and tensioners
• Safe manual handling of fence posts, wire coils, star pickets, strainers, and concrete bags to minimise musculoskeletal injuries
• Use of powered equipment for fencing work, including post hole diggers, augers, and small plant
• Installation of fence posts, strainers, and stays, including alignment, bracing, and securing in soil or concrete
• Stringing, tensioning, and securing of wire (plain, barbed, and mesh) to posts and strainer assemblies
• Cutting, tying, clipping, and fastening of wire and mesh while controlling risks from sharp edges and wire recoil
• Working in rural, remote, or roadside environments, including traffic interaction and exposure to environmental conditions
• Managing risks from uneven, sloping, or unstable ground while carrying materials and operating equipment
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, eye protection, safety boots, and high-visibility clothing
• Control of noise, dust, and flying particles generated during drilling, driving posts, and cutting wire
• Emergency response procedures for cuts, puncture wounds, eye injuries, heat stress, and remote work incidents

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for fencing contractors, rural property managers, civil and construction crews, landscapers, and site supervisors overseeing wire fencing installation and maintenance works.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Code of Practice: Construction Work – Guidance on managing risks associated with construction-related fencing activities
• Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks – Requirements for managing risks from lifting, carrying, and handling fencing materials
• Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work – Controls for noise generated by powered equipment and driving posts
• Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces – Applicable where fencing is undertaken on slopes, embankments, or uneven terrain
• Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace – Guidance for first aid arrangements for cuts, puncture wounds, and other fencing-related injuries
• AS/NZS 3012 Electrical installations – Construction and demolition sites – Safe use of temporary electrical tools and equipment for fencing works
• AS/NZS 2161 Occupational protective gloves – Selection of appropriate gloves for handling wire and sharp materials
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017