Early access offer:Early access: 30% off, for as long as you stay subscribed.

Claim offer
Try the editor free

Confined Space Work

SWMS · SWMS-10069

  • 10 job steps
  • Version 8
  • Plumbing
  • Reads on any phone

This Confined Space Work Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) outlines the hazards and controls for working in confined spaces, such as vats, tanks, pits, pipes, ducts, flues, chimneys, silos, pressure vessels, underground sewers, wells and shafts.

It takes your crew through each job step, from arriving on site and the pre-entry risk assessment to the entry permit, preparing the space with a standby person and rescue equipment, working inside, completion and emergency retrieval.

It sets out a formal entry permit before anyone enters, controls for hazardous atmospheres and the environment, and the communication that keeps people inside and outside the space in contact.

It suits businesses and workers in construction, maintenance and any other work that needs entry into confined spaces.

Preview of the Confined Space Work SWMS

Confined Space Work

SWMSVersion 8
Company doing the work
[Company]
Business contact and phone
—
Responsible person (for monitoring SWMS and work)
—
Responsible person's phone
—
Responsible person's signature
—
Date signed
—
Principal contractor (PC)
[Principal contractor]
PC address
—
PC phone
[PC phone]
Date SWMS provided to PC
—
Job site address
[Site address]
Part of a construction project
—

Site management plan

If the work is part of a construction project, this SWMS must align with requirements of the Site Management Plan in place for the Construction Project.

High-risk construction work (HRCW)

This work activity involves the following “High-Risk Construction Work” (HRCW - identified in the Job Task column)

  • Confined SpacesWork in or near a confined space
  • Hazardous AtmosphereWork in an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere

Planning and preparation

Planning/Preparation

  • Liaise with Principal Contractor to identify on-site safety systems and procedures

  • Establish supervisory and communication arrangements

  • Principal contractor to confirm emergency response procedures are in place.

Hold points

  • Hold points identified and signed off before continuing work. (specify the hold points)

Training/Licence

  • All workers to have a General Construction Induction Card

  • Relevant workers have relevant certificates of competency, licenses, and training. Specify on the SWMS Sign-off for each worker.

  • Trained First Aider on site

  • All workers trained in site-specific emergency and evacuation procedures, SWMS, safe work procedures, and safety data sheets.

Worker duties and responsibilities

  • Fit condition for work, i.e., no signs of fatigue, alcohol or drugs

  • Attend all site inductions/briefings

  • Comply with all site requirements, e.g. PPE, Traffic Management Plans (TMP)

  • Only carry out work related to the contract

  • Inspect completed work and report possible safety, environmental and quality matters to the supervisor.

Monitor/Review

  • All people involved in the task must have this SWMS communicated to them before work commences

  • SWMS to be reviewed and amended if necessary, in consultation with relevant people after any near miss or incident

  • If additional site hazards identified, review this SWMS and amend control measures to suit

  • People, including workers, contractors and sub-contractors, affected by the revisions to this SWMS, must be informed ASAP

  • Give the principal contractor a copy of the revised SWMS

  • The site supervisor to monitor works against the controls stated in this SWMS

  • SWMS must be kept on-site and made available for inspection or review

  • Keep a record of this SWMS until the job is complete or for two years if involved in a notifiable incident

  • Regardless of any other factor, the person in control of the workplace must review this SWMS at least annually.

Site-specific notes

Legislation and codes of practice

Australian Government

Acts and regulations

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011

Codes of practice

  • Work Health and Safety (First Aid in the Workplace) Code of Practice 2015
  • Work Health and Safety (How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks) Code of Practice 2015
  • Work Health and Safety (Managing the Work Environment and Facilities) Code of Practice 2015
  • Work Health and Safety (Confined Spaces) Code of Practice 2015
  • Work Health and Safety (Construction Work) Code of Practice 2015

Australian Capital Territory

Acts and regulations

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011

Codes of practice

  • Work Health and Safety (First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice) Approval 2020
  • Work Health and Safety (How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice) Approval 2025
  • Work Health and Safety (Managing the Work Environment and Facilities) Code of Practice 2025
  • Work Health and Safety (Confined Spaces Code of Practice) Approval 2025
  • Work Health and Safety (Construction Work Code of Practice) Approval 2025

Queensland

Acts and regulations

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011

Codes of practice

  • First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
  • How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
  • Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021
  • Confined Spaces Code of Practice 2021

New South Wales

Acts and regulations

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025

Codes of practice

  • First Aid in the workplace code of practice 2020
  • How to manage work health and safety risks code of practice 2019
  • Managing the work environment and facilities code of practice 2019
  • Confined spaces Code of practice 2022
  • Construction work code of practice 2019

Northern Territory

Acts and regulations

  • Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Regulations 2011

Codes of practice

  • First aid in the workplace – Code of practice 2022
  • How to manage work health and safety risks - Code of practice 2026
  • Managing the work environment and facilities - Code of practice 2026
  • Confined spaces - code of practice 2026
  • Construction work - code of practice 2026

South Australia

Acts and regulations

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2012
  • Work Health and Safety Regulation 2012

Codes of practice

  • First Aid in the Workplace: Code of practice 2020
  • How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Code of practice 2020
  • Managing the Work Environment and Facilities: Code of practice 2020
  • Confined Spaces: Code of practice 2024
  • Construction work Code of Practice 2024

Tasmania

Acts and regulations

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2012
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2022

Codes of practice

  • First Aid in the Workplace - Code of practice 2020
  • How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks - Code of practice 2024
  • Managing the Work Environment and Facilities - Code of practice 2024
  • Confined spaces - code of practice 2024
  • Construction Work - Code of practice 2024

Western Australia

Acts and regulations

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2020
  • Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022

Codes of practice

  • First aid in the workplace - Code of Practice 2022
  • How to manage work health and safety risks – Code of practice 2022
  • Managing the work environment and facilities – Code of practice 2022
  • Confined spaces - Code of practice 2022
  • Construction work – Code of practice 2022

Victoria

Acts and regulations

  • Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
  • Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017

Codes of practice

  • Confined Spaces: Compliance code 2019

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

  • Foot Protection
  • Breathing Protection
  • Safety Harness

Do not wear rings, watches or jewellery that may become entangled. Long and loose hair must be tied back.

Job steps, hazards and controls

  • Work activity

    Arrival on-site & assess onsite conditions

    • Hazard

      Personal injury, property damage &/or environmental incident

      Before controls3 High
      Controls

      • The vehicle should be positioned in a safe location, clear of traffic/vehicles/pedestrians during equipment delivery and materials removal (deploy physical barriers, caution signs as necessary)

      • Do not park illegally

      • Identify and obey all safety-related signage (check site entry requirements)

      • Report to Site Supervisor

      • Ensure site-specific induction undertaken

      • Assess mobile phone reception

      • The worksite is exactly as detailed in Terms of Agreement or contract.

      After controls2 Moderate
      Responsible
      • SupervisorCheck the site and conduct JSA where necessary & check permit
    • Hazard

      Failure to maintain entry control

      Before controls4 Acute
      Controls

      • Ensure a confined space entry permit is issued for each confined space entry

      • No people should enter a confined space unless they have been issued with a confined space entry permit

      • The Permit must be completed by a “Competent Person.”

      • Permit to be signed by all relevant personnel before entry

      • The permit should be displayed in the work area at all times.

      After controls2 Moderate
      Responsible
      • SupervisorCheck the site and conduct JSA where necessary & check permit

IR before controls · RR after controls1 LLow2 MModerate3 HHigh4 AAcute

Overall risk after controls2 MModeratethe highest rating after controls

9 more job steps, from Conduct a pre-entry risk assessment to Emergency retrieval

Each with its hazards, risk ratings and controls, plus your crew's sign-on.

Try the editor freeGet this template
Preview as

How it reads in a browser

Get this template

Sign up free, then choose how you'd like it. Your company details fill in for you.

  • Included in paid plans

    Use template credits from your plan. This one costs 1.

    Compare plans and prices

  • Buy it once

    $89.95 paid once, and it's yours to keep. Works on the free plan too.

Try the editor freeSign up free

No card needed to sign up. Early access members get 30% off any plan.

What it covers

10 job steps

  1. Arrival on-site & assess onsite conditionsPark clear of traffic, obey site signage, complete the site induction and check phone reception and entry permits.
  2. Conduct a pre-entry risk assessmentUse the checklist to assess the hazards, avoid entry where possible, consider each worker’s abilities and choose the controls.
  3. EnvironmentBin and separate waste, keep a spill kit ready, triple rinse containers and keep residue out of drains and waterways.
  4. Confined Space Entry PermitHave a competent person complete an entry permit for each entry, signed by all relevant personnel before entry and displayed in the work area.
  5. Housekeeping & entry/exiting the spaceKeep the area tidy, secure the ladder by its stiles, keep 3 points of contact and lower tools in a bucket on a rope.
  6. Manual tasksPlace materials close by, know load weights, use team lifts and mechanical aids, and take regular breaks.
  7. Confined space preparationAssign a standby person, keep rescue equipment on site, sign and barricade entrances, ventilate, test the air and isolate energy.
  8. Working in the confined spaceChoose a safe work method within the permit’s conditions, keep access and exit points clear and keep the standby person in contact.
  9. On completionGet everyone out and sign the permit, remove tools, close and secure entry points, sign out and debrief.
  10. Emergency retrievalCall 000, follow site emergency procedures, apply first aid and retrieve casualties as the instructions and drills set out.

Hazards it covers

Legislation and standards it references

Every SWMS comes with our legislation and codes of practice reference list.

Reviews

No reviews yet.

See all

How templates work

Try it before you pay.

  1. Preview free

    Every template's job steps, hazards and first task are open to read. No sign-up.

  2. Try the editor

    Tailor a demo SWMS with your company, job and site, on a computer or your phone.

  3. Sign up free

    Your details and logo carry over. This template opens already filled in.

  4. Use a credit or buy once

    Paid plans include template credits every month. Or buy this one to keep.