Been sent a SWMS to sign? Here's what to do
A builder sent you a SWMS through SafetyDocs. What the link is, what to check before you sign, and why it's free, with no app to install.
SafetyDocs blog
Safety guides for real worksites.
Plain-English guides to SWMS, JSAs, risk assessments, WHS duties and the hazards your crew faces on Australian sites.
More guides
RSS feed
Safety management
PPE: how to choose, fit and look after safety equipment
Where PPE fits in the hierarchy of controls, what a business must provide under the WHS laws, and how to choose, fit, check and record PPE for each job.
Safety culture
How to conduct a toolbox talk that actually works
Learn how to conduct a toolbox talk that sticks. Use these practical steps, tips and templates to engage your team and improve safety outcomes on site.
Risk management
Hierarchy of controls: how to apply it in the workplace
Learn how to apply the Hierarchy of Controls to manage workplace risks, meet WHS duties, and protect your team effectively.
Risk management
Reviewing risk controls: why it matters and how to do it
Discover why reviewing risk controls is vital for safety, compliance, and productivity and how to do it right in your workplace.
Risk management
Risk assessment 101: what it is and how to get it right
How risk assessment works: the difference between a hazard and a risk, how to use a risk matrix, and the five steps to assess and control workplace risks.
Construction
Permit to work: key requirements and when to use one
Discover what a Permit to Work is, why it’s essential for high-risk work, and when it's legally required. Includes examples and documentation tips.
Construction
Safety in high-risk construction work in Australia
The 18 high-risk construction work (HRCW) activities in Australia, why each one needs a SWMS, and how PCBUs should manage the risks before work starts.
SWMS and JSAs
SWMS vs JSA: what's the difference?
Understand the key differences between a SWMS and JSA. Learn when to use each to improve safety and ensure compliance at work.
Safety management
What is a safety management system (SMS) and why use one?
Understand what a Safety Management System (SMS) is and discover why your business needs one to enhance workplace safety and ensure compliance.
Hazards
Heat stress management: protecting workers in high heat
Learn how to develop an effective heat stress management plan to protect workers, reduce risks, and comply with Australian WHS laws.
Construction
Air conditioning installation: safe work practices
Air conditioning installation safety: the key refrigerant, electrical, heat and fall hazards, plus the training, licences and standards installers need.
Hazards
Plant safety: managing plant risks in Australian workplaces
A practical guide to plant safety in Australia: buying, registering, guarding, maintaining and disposing of plant under WHS laws and the code of practice.
SWMS and JSAs
Drafting a JSA: best practices and common mistakes
How to draft a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) that works: involve workers, break the job into steps, assess risks and avoid the mistakes that leave gaps.
Safety culture
Safety culture: its benefits and importance at work
What a strong safety culture looks like, why it matters, the benefits it brings, and practical ways to measure and build safety culture in your workplace.
WHS law
PCBU: safeguarding workplaces through responsible leadership
What a PCBU is under Australian WHS law, its primary duty of care, the penalties for non-compliance, and how leaders can manage WHS risks at work.
Construction
Crane lift plans in Australia: the essentials
Crane lift plans in Australia: site analysis, crane selection, load details, lift sequence, training, documentation and the standards that apply to each lift.
Safety management
SOP templates: a guide to safe operating procedures
What a safe operating procedure (SOP) is, when to use one, what an SOP template should include, and examples for common high-risk tasks and equipment.
Safety management
Workplace health and safety in the cleaning industry
Common hazards in the cleaning industry, from chemicals and biological risks to slips, ergonomics and confined spaces, and how to manage them safely.
Hazards
Electrical safety: managing electrical risks at work
Electrical safety at work in Australia: common electrical hazards, the laws and standards that apply, and practical steps to manage electrical risks.
Hazards
Working in a confined space: keeping safety in check
What counts as a confined space in Australia, the hazards of confined space work, duty holder roles, entry permits and the controls that keep workers safe.
SWMS and JSAs
SWMS template: a guide to safe work method statements
What a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) template is, what it must include, and how using one saves time and keeps your high-risk work compliant.
Hazards
Crystalline silica dust: how to manage it safely
Respirable crystalline silica dust causes silicosis and lung cancer. Learn which tasks create it, the WHS rules that apply and how to control exposure.
Construction
Earthmoving safety: working around heavy equipment
Earthmoving safety for excavation and construction sites: the main hazards of working around heavy plant, and the controls, licences and documents you need.
WHS law
Notifiable incidents in Australia: what businesses must know
What counts as a notifiable incident in Australia, when you must notify your WHS regulator, and the steps business owners should take after a serious incident.
Hazards
Asbestos removal: how to manage it safely
Asbestos removal in Australia: where asbestos is found, its health risks, licence classes, WHS duties and the steps to manage removal safely at work.
Construction
Safety management plan for construction: getting started
What a construction safety management plan (SMP) is, who is responsible for it, what it must include, and how principal contractors keep it current.
WHS law
What are codes of practice? A guide to WHS codes
What WHS codes of practice are, how they differ from Acts and regulations, whether they're legally enforceable, and how to find the codes that apply to you.
Hazards
Preventing falls from heights: keep your workers safe
Falls from heights are a leading cause of workplace deaths in Australia. Learn the main working-at-height hazards and the controls that prevent falls.
SWMS and JSAs
SWMS examples: 10 templates for high-risk work
See 10 SWMS examples for high-risk construction work, from earthmoving to asbestos, and learn what every Safe Work Method Statement must include.
Template library
Put it into practice with a ready-made SWMS.
Browse SWMS templates written for Australian trades. Preview any of them free, then tailor one to your job in minutes.