Ipswich City Council A CONTRACTORS GUIDE TO WORK METHOD STATEMENTS Workplace Health and Safety What !

a Work Method State"ent#

A Work Method Statement is a written statement for a high risk construction activity that states: 1. 2. WHAT the high risk construction activity is eg. working on or near a roadway. The WA$ the relevant person proposes to do the activity including how the control measures are to !e used. eg. when working on or near a road comply with the M"T#$. HOW the effectiveness of the control measures will !e monitored and reviewed. The A'( of the relevant person. *f the activity is to !e performed in a prescri!ed occupation WHAT the prescri!ed occupation is.

%. &. ).

When do I need a Work Method State"ent#

"nder the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 2008 you need a work method statement if the activity is a h %h r !k con!tr&ct on act ' ty that is part of construction work. A Work Method Statement must now !e prepared if the activity is in the following ta!le or involves any of the activities in the ta!le. This ta!les sets out the predominate risk that must !e addressed in the work method statement. H %h R !k Con!tr&ct on Act ' ty +ntering a trench that is more than 1.) m deep "sing e,plosives "sing a confined space "sing a ha-ardous su!stances Working at heights of 2 metres .or % metres if in the housing industry/ Working on a roof with a pitch of more than 21 degrees The activity is work that is a prescri!ed activity or demolition work that is not a prescri!ed activity Tilt up and precast construction work (redo" nant R !k Trench collapse +,plosion Working in a confined space 'eing e,posed to a ha-ardous su!stance 0alling 0alling 2ary depending on activity eg. !uilding collapse e,posure to as!estos 'eing struck !y precast panel or

 Structural alterations that re3uire temporary support to prevent collapse

components !eing placed into position 'eing hit or crushed !y a panel or component that is not properly restrained 'eing struck or crushed !y the structure or part of the structure that re3uires temporary support

H %h R !k Con!tr&ct on Act ' ty The movement of powered mo!ile plant at the workplace.

(redo" nant R !k 4perators !eing crushed !y powered mo!ile plant that may lose sta!ility eg. roll over 4!5ects falling onto the powered mo!ile plant 4ther pep67e !eing hit or crushed !y powered mo!ile plant Suffering !urn8heating due to currents induced in !ody .from metal implants8steel capped !oots etc/ or !ody parts coming into the main !eams of telecommunication transmissions 0alling into the water 'eing hit !y passing traffic 0racturing the main or piping from contact 0racturing the line from contact 0ire or e,plosion from an ignition source Asphy,iation or poisoning from contaminated atmosphere +,posure to e,tremes in temperature +lectrocution or electric shock Will vary depending on the activity

Work on telecommunication towers

Work in over or ad5acent to water where there is a risk of drowning Working on or ad5acent to a road or railway Work on or near a pressurised gas distri!ution main or consumer piping Work on or near a chemical fuel or refrigerant line Work in an area that may have a contaminated or flamma!le atmosphere Work in an area where there are artificial e,tremes of temperature Work near an e,posed energise electrical installation Any activity where the 9rincipal #ontractor for construction work .ie. pro5ect over :;<=/ reasona!ly !elieves the activity could result in death or !odily harm. The definition of bodily harm is as per the #riminal #ode S1 > Bodily harm means any bodily injury which interferes with health or comfort !

What ! Con!tr&ct on Work#

#onstruction Work is construction work if it is: a/ work to erect construct e,tend alter convert fit?out commission renovate repair refur!ish disassem!le or decommission a structure@ or part of a structure7 or work connected with site preparation e,cavation and landscaping for work mentioned in paragraph .a/7 or

!/

c/ d/

the assem!ly or installation of prefa!ricated components to form a structure or part of a structure for work mentioned in paragraph .a/7 or the disassem!ly of prefa!ricated components for work mentioned in paragraph .a/ that immediately !efore the disassem!ly formed a structure or part or a structure7 or an activity that is a prescri!ed activity.

e/

@ Structure means: .a/ a !uilding a steel or reinforced concrete construction wall mast tower pylon structural ca!le or telecommunications structure7 or .!/ an underground works .including shafts and tunnels/ pipe pipeline sea defence works river works earthworks or earth retaining construction or other construction designed to preserve or alter a natural feature7 or .c/ a road or highway footpath or driveway railway line or siding tramway line airfield dock or har!our water storage or supply system electricity or gas generation facility transmission or distri!ution facility gasholder park or recreation ground .including for e,ample a golf course playing field racecourse or swimming pool/7 or .d/ production storage or distri!ution facilities for heavy industries7 or .e/ fi,ed plant7 or .f/ a ship or su!marine7 or .g/ formwork falsework scaffold or other construction designed or used to provide support access or containment during construction work.

Do I need to do a ne) Work Method State"ent e'ery t "e I do the *o+#

*f the activity is to !e performed in the same way in the same or similar circumstances you can use a generic work method statement. Make sure that if any new ha-ards are introduced or the way you do the 5o! changes in any way that you update the work method statement so that it covers all the risks. *f you do have a generic work method statement you should review it every 12 months or so 5ust to make sure it is still current. A work method statement is re3uired for high?risk activities which include:

tilt?up and precast construction work structural alterations that re3uire temporary support to prevent collapse "o' n% po)ered "o+ le plant at the )orkplace working on a telecommunications tower working in over or ad5acent to water where there is a risk of drowning )ork n% on, or ad-acent to, a road or ra l)ay working on or near a pressurised gas distri!ution mains and consumer piping

working on or near a chemical fuel or refrigerant line )ork near an e.po!ed ener% !ed electr cal n!tallat on work in an area that may have a contaminated or flamma!le atmosphere work in an area where there are artificial e,tremes of temperature.

The work method statement must include the following information:

the high?risk construction activity .name the high risk activities involved for the pro5ect/ the personAs A'( .if you have an A'( it must !e included on the WMS/ the control measures to !e used .how you will control the risk to your employees/ the way the activity will !e performed how the control measures will !e monitored and reviewed any relevant prescri!ed occupations. .licenses and certificates/

Con!tr&ct on Work O'er /01K

Where a #onstruction Safety 9lan is re3uired .ie. for construction work over :;< <<</ it is important that the Work Method Statements are specific to the 5o! and are kept with the #onstruction Safety 9lan.

Co&nc l2! re!pon! + l t e!

#ouncil must ensure it o!tains a copy of contractors Work Method Statements for any high risk construction activities. #ouncil is responsi!le for ensuring the Work Method Statements have all the information re3uired !y legislation and that the control measures are appropriate and accepta!le. #ouncil will conduct periodic checks to make sure contractors are following the control methods stated in the Work Method Statement. Co&nc l ! al!o re!pon! +le for3
o

9repare construction safety plan .#S9/ and have it readily availa!le =eep copies of contractors work method statements with the #onstruction Safety 9lan +nsure all staff on site have a general safety induction card. +nsure a site?specific safety inductions is given to any person doing construction work at each site. *f the #onstruction Safety 9lan is amended ie if there are changes in how risks will !e managed. The #ouncil must inform any affected person of the change.

Su!contractors responsi!ilities

S&+ Contractor! Re!pon! + l t e! &nder Workplace Health and Safety 4e% !lat on ! to3

+nsure work method statements are compliant to Workplace Bealth and Safety Cegulations 2<<; Work Method Statements for high risk construction activities must !e supplied to *pswich #ity #ouncil as the D9rincipal #ontractorE on all #onstruction Sites. +nsure all staff have a general safety induction card. +nsure all staff are trained and understand their o!ligations as a contractor. +nsure contractors are involved in all audits and evaluations *f the Work Method Statement is amended ie if there are changes in how risks will !e managed. The contractor must inform any affected person of the change.

0urther information can !e o!tained from www.deir.3ld.gov.au.