SWMS guide · updated November 2026

SWMS for excavation & civil

Excavation work stacks up high risk categories quickly: deep trenches, mobile plant, buried services and traffic.

Common excavation tasks that need a SWMS

• Trenching for services
• Bulk excavation with mobile plant
• Digging near gas, power and water services
• Road-side works

High risk construction work categories that usually apply

• Work in or near a shaft or trench deeper than 1.5 m, or a tunnel
• Work in an area at a workplace where there is any movement of powered mobile plant
• Work on or near pressurised gas distribution mains or piping
• Work on or near energised electrical installations or services
• Work on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor in use

Key hazards and example controls

Hazard	Risk	Example controls
Trench wall collapse	Burial, crush injury, death	Shoring, benching or battering per engineer/competent person. Keep spoil and plant back from the edge. Inspect trench daily and after rain. Safe access/egress ladder within reach.
Contact with underground services	Electrocution, gas release	Before You Dig Australia enquiry. Locate and mark services. Hand/vacuum excavate near services.
Mobile plant moving near workers	Struck by or crushed by plant	Traffic management / exclusion zones separating people and plant. Spotters. Reversing alarms and beacons. Licensed operators. Pre-start checks. Hi-vis clothing.
Striking or working near pressurised gas lines	Gas leak, fire, explosion	Locate and mark services before work. Isolation by the asset owner where required. No ignition sources. Gas detector on site. Emergency contact for the gas network displayed.
Contact with live electrical parts	Electric shock, arc flash, burns, death	De-energise, isolate, lock-out/tag-out and test before touching. Live work only where permitted and by licensed electricians with a safety observer. Insulated tools and arc-rated PPE. RCD protection on all portable equipment.
Overhead power lines near plant or ladders	Electrocution	Maintain approach distances set by the network operator / regulator. Spotter for plant near lines. Use non-conductive ladders.
Moving traffic near the work area	Workers struck by vehicles	Traffic management plan / traffic guidance scheme by an accredited person. Barriers, signage, speed reduction. Hi-vis clothing. Trained traffic controllers where required.

Example controls are a starting point only — tailor them to your site, your plant and the way you'll actually do the job.

Other site hazards worth including

• Noise from power tools and plant — Use quieter equipment. Limit exposure time. Hearing protection in noisy areas.
• Working in heat and sun — Schedule heavy work for cooler times. Water, shade and rest breaks. Sun protection (hat, long sleeves, sunscreen).

What your SWMS has to cover

• Which high risk construction work the job involves.
• The hazards and the risks to health and safety from them.
• The control measures, and how they'll be implemented, monitored and reviewed — e.g. who installs and who checks the edge protection.
• It should be specific to the site and available to the workers and supervisors doing the job.
• If work isn't being done in line with the SWMS, it must stop (immediately or as soon as it's safe).
• Review and revise it whenever the control measures change.

Based on Safe Work Australia, SafeWork NSW and WorkSafe Queensland guidance. Victoria applies its own OHS Regulations — check WorkSafe Victoria.

Common questions

Do excavation & civil need a SWMS?

Whenever the job involves high risk construction work — for excavation that commonly means trenching & excavation, mobile plant, pressurised gas mains, electrical work near live parts, work near traffic. Many principal contractors also require one before you start on site.

How long does it take to make one?

With SWMS Ready, around 10 minutes: tick the high risk work, tailor the pre-filled hazards and controls, add site and emergency details, then print with a sign-on sheet.

Can I reuse my SWMS on the next job?

Review it for every site. The hazards, controls, people and emergency arrangements need to match the actual job.