Concrete and masonry cutting or drilling should start only after the team has confirmed the structure and hidden services, chosen equipment suited to the material and cut, controlled dust, noise, water and moving pieces, and agreed how the area will be isolated. Hand-held saws, core drills and wall or floor saws can cause fatal injuries when planning, set-up or equipment control fails.
Information current: 6 August 2026. Local requirements vary. Check current material from the regulator for the jurisdiction where the work is performed. The primary topic source for this guide is a WorkSafe WA Code. Some of its legislative references reflect the former WA OSH framework, so read its practical controls alongside the current WA WHS Act, regulations and regulator advice. A national Model Code, where relevant, is useful general orientation and is not automatically the law in every jurisdiction.
Main hazards
Cutting and drilling can expose the operator, nearby workers and the public to several hazards at once:
- respirable crystalline silica from concrete, brick, block and mortar, especially during uncontrolled dry cutting
- kick-back, pull-in, blade fracture, contact with rotating parts and loss of control
- electric shock where leads, tools or connections meet water and slurry
- carbon monoxide and other exhaust fumes from combustion-powered equipment, particularly in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas
- excessive noise, hand-arm vibration and awkward or forceful manual tasks
- falling cores, cut panels or unstable masonry, and damage to structural reinforcement or post-tensioning
- strikes on concealed electricity, gas, water, drainage or communications services
- slips, falls, work at height, restricted access and interaction with other trades or the public.
Kick-back is a sudden, violent movement of a saw away from the cutting surface. Hand-held saw operators are particularly exposed because binding, embedded objects, unstable surfaces or cutting outside a controlled working range can rapidly overcome the operator.
What to sort before work starts
Confirm the exact cut, depth, sequence and finish. Review drawings and available as-constructed information, scan and mark services, and identify reinforcement, tendons and other structural elements. Obtain engineering input where the proposed work could affect structural integrity. Plan how cut sections and cores will be supported, lowered and removed.
Select the correct saw, drill, blade, bit, guard, stand and anchoring system for the material and task. Check manufacturer instructions, inspection and maintenance status, power or hydraulic supply, water control and emergency arrangements. Operators should be trained for the equipment and able to demonstrate competency; hired equipment needs the same disciplined approach.
The pre-start discussion should also confirm:
- dust suppression or on-tool extraction and safe slurry or dust clean-up
- ventilation and whether combustion-powered equipment is suitable for the location
- barricades, exclusion zones, signage and control of nearby people
- stable access and working platforms that keep the tool in a controllable range
- electrical separation from water and slurry, plus required supply protection
- hearing, eye, face, respiratory, foot, hand and head protection selected for the assessed risks
- supervision, communication, first aid and rescue arrangements, including for isolated work.
PPE supports the controls; it should be selected from the actual exposure and task, fitted correctly and kept serviceable.
What good controls and documents usually cover
A practical system normally links the site risk assessment with a safe work procedure, JSA or JHA, equipment instructions, inspection records, service-location evidence, permits required by the site and any engineering direction. The documents should match the particular equipment, cut and work area, and be reviewed when conditions, sequencing, people or plant change.
Controls usually cover set-up, exclusion, dust and fumes, noise, electrical risks, guarding, anchoring, kick-back prevention, water and slurry, handling of cut pieces, emergency response and clean-up. Consultation matters: the supervisor, operator, principal contractor and affected trades need a shared understanding of the sequence and interfaces.
When a SWMS commonly applies
A SWMS is commonly required when cutting or drilling forms part of high risk construction work under the requirements applying in that jurisdiction and on that site. Classification depends on the circumstances of the work, including structural alteration, the surrounding environment and interaction with other construction risks. Confirm the trigger before starting, then ensure the SWMS is site-specific, available to the people doing the work and actually followed. For other work, a task-specific risk assessment, safe work procedure, JSA or permit may still be appropriate.
Warning signs to act on
Pause the task and reassess if there is a visible dust plume, ineffective water or extraction, repeated blade binding, unexpected reinforcement, an unidentified service, movement or cracking in the structure, loss of drill-stand vacuum, pooled slurry near electrical equipment, an unstable cut section, people entering the exclusion zone, or site conditions that no longer match the agreed method.
How Blue Safe can help
Blue Safe provides compliant WHS documents tailored to the client's activities, applicable Australian WHS/OHS requirements, jurisdiction and industry. This can include SWMS, safe work procedures, risk assessments, JSA/JHA formats, plant and inspection records, and supporting WHS management documents for concrete and masonry work.
Blue Safe guarantees the document compliance of the WHS documents it provides, including eligible customer documents after Blue Safe has reviewed and upgraded them. Customers actively put the compliant documents into practice through controls, consultation, training, actions, records and evidence, creating a clear link between the written system and day-to-day site work.