This Wood Chipper Operation SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement) is pre-filled and covers setting up, feeding, clearing and maintaining towable and truck-mounted wood chippers. It sets out 25 activities, from site assessment and chipper positioning to shutdown, demobilisation 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
Arborists and tree services
Landscaping and garden maintenance businesses
Council parks and roadside vegetation contractors
Land clearing and vegetation management crews
Property and grounds maintenance crews
A SWMS isn't only for construction. Plenty of tree and grounds businesses use one as the written risk assessment for chipper work, 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
Site assessment and chipper positioning away from slopes, soft ground and powerlines
Hired or unfamiliar chippers, and checking safety devices before use
Public exclusion zones, kerbside chipping and passing traffic
Towing, reversing and plant movement in the work area
Pre-start checks of guarding, emergency stop, bump bar and feed control bar
Refuelling, PPE and loose clothing that can snag and drag a worker into the rollers
Feeding the in-feed chute, large timber and winch operation
Foreign objects, contaminated timber and discharge chute direction
Noise, vibration, wood dust, mould and Legionella longbeachae
Hot surfaces, hydraulic injection, fire risk and handling branch material
Clearing blockages and changing knives without the disc turning
Shutdown, securing and emergency response to entanglement, amputation or severe bleeding
What's included
Hazards and control measures for 25 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, materials and daily pre-start checks of guards, interlocks and the winch
Relevant standards, including EN 13525 for wood chipper safety and AS/NZS 4024.1801 for safety distances
Operator competency in FWPHAR2208, plus first aid with severe bleeding control and tourniquet use
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 wood chipper operation?
Only if the work is high risk construction work, for example chipping on a construction site next to a road in use, or where powered mobile plant is moving. Most tree and grounds work isn't construction, so a SWMS isn't mandatory there, but you still have to manage risks like being drawn into the in-feed rollers. A SWMS is a sound way to record how, and clients and prequalification portals often ask for one.
Does it cover clearing a blocked chipper?
Yes. It covers the risk of the machine restarting or the cutting disc turning while hands are inside the chute or discharge, and training in the isolation and lock-out procedure for the chipper in use.
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.
