The direct answer is that Queensland duty holders must comply with the Foundry Code of Practice 2004 for the subject matter it covers, or use another method that demonstrably provides an equivalent or higher standard of work health and safety. For builders, subcontractors, supervisors and tradies working in or around a foundry, that means the job must be planned around the real hazards of melting, pouring, moulding, core-making, fettling, maintenance and material handling.
Local requirements vary across Australia. Check current regulator material for the jurisdiction and the requirements of the site where the work will occur. Information in this guide is current as at 8 August 2026.
What are the main foundry hazards?
Foundry work combines intense heat, hazardous substances, heavy plant and physically demanding tasks. Main hazards can include:
- molten metal, radiant heat, hot surfaces and heat stress
- metal fumes, carbon monoxide, silica, wood dust and binder fumes
- resins, solvents, isocyanates, formaldehyde and other hazardous chemicals
- furnace charging, especially wet, contaminated or enclosed charge material
- noise and vibration from furnaces, shakeout, grinding and fettling
- cranes, forklifts, conveyors, mixers, grinders and other moving plant
- manual handling of mould boxes, cores, castings and awkward materials
- fire, explosion, electrical, work-at-height and housekeeping risks.
Moist charge material is a serious warning sign. When introduced to molten metal, it may cause violent splattering or eruption. Enclosed scrap may trap air, oil or moisture and contribute to an explosion.
What should be sorted before work starts?
Start with the complete job, not one isolated task. Confirm the metal, charge material, binder, coating, chemical and plant involved. Walk through where workers, contractors, mobile plant, hot materials and contaminants may interact.
Practical preparation usually includes:
- consulting operators, maintenance workers, contractors and health and safety representatives
- inspecting furnaces, ladles, lifting equipment, guards, interlocks and emergency controls
- checking charge material is suitable, dry and free from sealed sections or contamination
- reviewing current safety data sheets and chemical storage arrangements
- confirming ventilation and dust or fume extraction are effective
- establishing exclusion zones, traffic routes and safe pouring paths
- checking isolation, lockout and tag-out arrangements for maintenance
- planning hydration, rest, supervision and emergency response for hot work
- confirming workers have task-specific instruction, training and suitable PPE.
Coordinate these matters with the foundry operator, principal contractor or site controller where responsibilities overlap. Record who will provide, check and maintain each control.
What do good controls and documents cover?
Eliminate hazards where reasonably practicable. Where elimination is not available, consider safer materials or methods, isolation and engineering controls before relying mainly on procedures or PPE.
Examples include enclosing dusty processes, capturing fumes at source, using mechanical lifting aids, guarding dangerous plant, separating people from mobile equipment and isolating every relevant energy source before maintenance. Noise controls may include quieter equipment, enclosures, barriers, separation and preventive maintenance.
Useful documents commonly include a foundry risk assessment, safe operating procedures, hazardous chemical register, safety data sheets, plant inspection and maintenance records, isolation procedures, emergency plans, training records and permits for particular higher-risk tasks. They should set out responsibilities, controls, inspections, stop-work points and the records that show the work was completed as planned.
When should a SWMS or site-specific document be used?
Do not assume that every foundry task needs the same document. When foundry-related work will occur on a construction site or as part of an installation, shutdown, repair or alteration, check the current local rules and site requirements to determine whether a SWMS is required before work starts.
For production and maintenance activities, the site-specific document may instead be a risk assessment, safe operating procedure, permit, isolation plan, lift plan or emergency arrangement. Match the document to the actual task and conditions. A generic procedure should be reviewed whenever the plant, material, location, people or sequence changes.
Practical warning signs
Stop and review the work if there is wet or unidentified scrap, damaged refractory, uncontrolled fume, failed extraction, missing guards, bypassed interlocks, unclear isolations or people entering a pouring route.
Other warning signs include dust accumulating on surfaces, reliance on smell to detect gases, repeated heat symptoms, noise affecting communication, missing chemical information, improvised lifting, or controls that are written down but not followed and recorded.
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. Blue Safe guarantees the document compliance of the WHS documents it provides, including eligible customer documents after Blue Safe has reviewed and upgraded them.
Blue Safe can prepare or upgrade foundry procedures, risk assessments, plant safety documents, hazardous chemical documents, emergency arrangements and eligible SWMS documents. Customers actively put the compliant documents into practice through controls, consultation, training, actions, records and evidence.
Official sources
- Foundry Code of Practice 2004 - Workplace Health and Safety Queensland
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 - Queensland legislation
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 - Queensland legislation
A national Model Code can provide general orientation, but it is not automatically applicable law in every jurisdiction. Check current local regulator material and site requirements before relying on any Code or work document.