Product Overview

This Rail Safety SWMS is a fully editable Safe Work Method Statement designed to identify hazards, assess risks and implement controls for rail-related activities to support WHS compliance on Australian worksites. It is a comprehensive document covering multiple aspects of rail corridor operations, rail plant use, and work near active rail lines and tramways.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Safe coupling and decoupling of train carriages, including exclusion zones and communication protocols
• Planning and control of work within a designated rail corridor, including access permits and protection officer requirements
• Management of risks associated with rail grinding operations, sparks, noise, dust and fire prevention
• Rail transport and shunting of rolling stock inside the job site, including speed limits and traffic management
• Operation of road-rail excavators, including transition on and off track and interface with live rail traffic
• Unloading raw materials from freight trains, including load stability, pinch points and material handling controls
• Vegetation removal near railways, including chainsaw use, falling branches and protection of rail infrastructure
• Working in a rail corridor under protection, including lookouts, safe approach distances and emergency procedures
• Working near rail lines and tramways, including managing the risk of struck-by incidents from passing rail vehicles
• Establishing and maintaining rail safety exclusion zones and pedestrian management around plant and equipment
• Electrical hazards from overhead and underground rail traction systems, including safe approach distances
• Noise, vibration and dust control measures associated with rail construction, maintenance and grinding activities
• Communication protocols between workers, plant operators, rail traffic controllers and protection officers
• Fatigue management and shift work considerations for extended rail possession and night works

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for rail construction and maintenance contractors, rail grinding crews, road-rail plant operators, vegetation management teams, freight unloading crews, and site supervisors working in or near rail corridors, rail lines or tramways.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Rail Safety National Law (RSNL): Overarching framework for rail transport operator safety management systems in Australia
• Rail Safety National Law National Regulations: Supporting regulations for managing rail safety risks and accreditation
• Code of Practice – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Guidance on risk management processes for rail activities
• Code of Practice – Construction Work: Requirements for managing risks associated with rail construction and maintenance work
• Code of Practice – Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work: Controls for high-noise rail activities such as grinding and heavy plant
• Code of Practice – Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces: Applicable to work at heights on rail structures, bridges and rolling stock
• Code of Practice – Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace: Controls for road-rail excavators, rail grinders and other mobile plant
• Code of Practice – Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace: Guidance for work near overhead lines, traction power and electrical infrastructure
• Code of Practice – Confined Spaces: Where rail work involves pits, culverts, tunnels or other confined space environments
• AS 4292 Railway Safety Management (series): Guidance on safety management systems and operational risk controls for rail operations
• AS 7502 Railway Rolling Stock – Access and Egress: Requirements for safe access to and from rolling stock during operations and maintenance
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017