Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS)

Article Contents

1. Introduction
2. Setup HS&E Plan Templates
3. Setup Permissions and Notifications
4. Adding SWMS to the Hazards and Aspects Registers
5. Selecting Aspects and Impacts When Lodging Projects
6. Generating an HS&E Plan Using SWMS

Introduction

Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS), pronounced "swims," are essential for outlining the potential hazards and risks associated with specific tasks, along with the control measures required to perform them safely. SWMS might also be referred to as Job Safety Analysis (JSA).

In Hiro, you can generate project-specific Health, Safety, and Environmental (HS&E) Plans that incorporate SWMS. However, before you can generate HS&E Plans, certain setup steps need to be completed. This includes setting up your SWMS, configuring templates, and adjusting permissions.

Before creating your SWMS, it’s important to understand the difference between hazards and aspects. For a deeper understanding, see our article on Hazards and Aspects, which explains these concepts in detail.

Setup HS&E Plan Templates

To generate project-specific HS&E Plans, you need to create and store Word document templates for these HS&E Plans in Hiro. These templates serve as the base for the HS&E Plan, including elements like the cover page and opening summary page.

This setup requires a one-time configuration. Please lodge a support request for assistance with creating and adding these templates to your Hiro system.

Setup Permissions and Notifications

Before you start generating HS&E Plans, ensure that the appropriate permissions and notifications are configured:

Receive Notifications for Project-Relevant Hazards and Aspects

To be notified about hazards and aspects when new jobs are lodged, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Settings > User Privileges & Notifications (you’ll need Hiro Global Administrator access).
   
   
2. Click the Projects tab.
   
   
3. Under the "Project lodgements and conversions" section, enter the names of those who should be notified about specific hazards and aspects when new jobs are lodged.
   
   

Grant Non-Global Administrators Permission to Generate HS&E Plans

To allow non-Global Administrators to generate Project HS&E Plans:

1. Navigate to Settings > User Privileges & Notifications.
   
   
2. Click the IMS tab.
   
   
3. Under the "Generate IMS field books" section, add the names of users who need permission to generate HS&E Plans.
   
   

Adding SWMS to the Hazards and Aspects Registers

Before you can generate project-specific HS&E Plans, individual SWMS for each relevant hazard or aspect must be added to the appropriate registers. This ensures that safety and environmental considerations are organised and readily available when setting up new jobs.

Health and Safety Hazards Register

1. Navigate to Management System > Work Health and Safety Hazards.
   
   
2. Select New work health and safety hazard.
   
   
3. Add overall details of your hazard and click Save:
   • Name of the hazard;
   • Any legislation, standards or guidance relevant to the hazard, sourced from the Legal and Compliance Register.
     
     
4. Upload the SWMS for the newly added hazard that incorporates the risk assessment for that hazard:
   
   • Locate the hazard in the list of results in the register;
   • Click the Supersede (+) button;
   • Select both a Word (docx) and PDF version of your SWMS risk assessment;
   • Add details of who was consulted in preparing the SWMS;
   • Complete the Legal and Compliance questionnaire.

Environmental Aspects Register

1. Navigate to Management System > Environmental Aspects and Impacts.
   
   
2. Select New environmental aspect.
   
   
3. Add overall details of your aspect and click Save:
   • Name of the aspect;
   • Any legislation, standards or guidance relevant to the aspect, sourced from the Legal and Compliance Register.
     
     
4. Upload the SWMS for the newly added aspect that incorporates the risk assessment for that aspect:
   
   • Locate the aspect in the list of results in the register;
   • Click the Supersede (+) button;
   • Select both a Word (docx) and PDF version of your SWMS risk assessment;
   • Add details of who was consulted in preparing the SWMS;
   • Complete the Legal and Compliance questionnaire.

Selecting Aspects and Impacts When Lodging Projects

When lodging new jobs in Hiro, an additional step will prompt the user to select which hazards and aspects are relevant to the project. This step only appears if at least one hazard or aspect has been added to the relevant register and if SWMS have been uploaded to those hazards or aspects.

If these conditions are met, the user will be prompted to select the applicable hazards and aspects, which will then be listed as bullet points in the summary email generated after the job is lodged. This email will be sent to all project team members, as well as anyone added to the "Project lodgements and conversions" notification list.

Generating an HS&E Plan Using SWMS

Follow these steps to generate an HS&E Plan in Hiro:

1. Navigate to Management System > Create a HS&E Plan.

2. Select the project particulars this HS&E Plan will relate to:

   • Project number
   • Department
   • Nearest hospital – A pre-populated list of hospitals nearest to the project site will be provided based on an automated Google lookup, with the option to add or adjust the information manually if needed.

3. Select the HS&E Contact – The person in your organisation who should handle any external HS&E queries.

4. Review and select the hazards and aspects relevant to the project. You can incorporate information from the project summary email, but you may wish to add more details beyond what was selected during project lodgement.