This Grounds and External Building Maintenance SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement) is pre-filled and covers the outdoor upkeep of properties, from mowing, trimming and spraying to gutter cleaning and pressure washing. It covers 21 activities, from work planning and approvals to green waste, end of shift and emergency response, with the hazards, control measures and risk ratings before and after controls for each. It's written by WHS specialists, aligned to Australian WHS legislation, and fully editable in Microsoft Word.
Who it's for
Gardening, mowing and grounds maintenance businesses
Property and facilities maintenance contractors
Strata, school and council grounds crews
Gutter cleaning and pressure washing operators
A SWMS isn't only for construction. Plenty of grounds and property businesses use one as the written risk assessment for a task, the same way others use a JSA or Safe Work Procedure.
Use it to
Show clients, insurers and auditors how you manage the risks
Apply for tenders, contracts and supplier panels
Get through prequalification with Avetta, Cm3 and other contractor portals
Induct new workers and train them in the task
What this SWMS covers
Planning, pre-start and an external assessment to separate the work from the public
PPE and pre-operational checks on mowers, trimmers and leads
Mowing, edging and line trimming, including projectiles and slopes
Blowers, hedge trimmers and pole pruners
Ladders, gutters, downpipes and awnings
Pressure washing and external surface cleaning
Garden beds, mulching and herbicide application
Underground and overhead services, plus droppings, sharps, snakes and stings
Car parks, driveways, verges and traffic
Manual handling, working alone, noise, vibration, dust and heat
Refuelling, green waste and end of shift
Emergency response to lacerations, injection injury, chemical exposure, snake bite or fire
What's included
Hazards and control measures for 21 work activities
Risk ratings before and after controls, with a 5x5 risk matrix and the hierarchy of controls
PPE requirements checklist and high risk construction work checklist
Plant and equipment list, with daily machine pre-start checks on guards, blades and kill switches
Relevant Australian Standards, including AS 1892.5 for portable ladders and AS/NZS 2906 for fuel containers
Herbicide licensing notes, and training in snake bite first aid and the anaphylaxis response
Site specific hazards section for anything unique to your job
Worker sign-off sheet and worker consultation record
Why use this template
Saves hours compared with writing a SWMS from a blank page
Covers the most common hazards and control measures for this work, ready to use out of the box
Fully editable, so you can add, remove or change anything to suit your site and how your team works
Helps your business stay compliant, with risk ratings, worker sign-off and consultation records already set up
How it works
Buy online and download straight away. You'll also get an email with your link.
Add your logo, ABN, project and site details.
Check it suits your site and task, edit anything you need to, and consult your workers before you finalise it.
Brief your team and collect signatures.
Common questions
Do I need a SWMS for grounds and external building maintenance?
Only if the work is high risk construction work, for example cleaning gutters where someone could fall more than 2 metres, or working on a verge next to a road in use. Routine mowing, trimming and garden work isn't, so a SWMS isn't mandatory, but you still have to manage the risks and a SWMS is a sound way to record how. Property managers, councils and prequalification portals often ask for one.
Do I need a licence to spray herbicide on a customer's property?
The SWMS notes that herbicide application for fee or reward needs the chemical user training, accreditation and applicator licence your state or territory requires. It also prompts you to confirm whether the licence is held by the business or the individual.
Can I change it?
Yes. It's a Microsoft Word file, so you can add, remove or change any hazard, control or rating, and add your own logo and details.
Does it suit my state?
Yes. It's written to the model WHS laws and suits all states and territories, including Victoria under the OHS Act and Regulations.
What if it doesn't suit my work?
You're covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee if it isn't fit for purpose.
