• SWMS template · tanks, pits, vessels

Confined space SWMS template Australia

A tank, pit or vessel you enter is not “awkward maintenance”. Confined space is high-risk construction work: permit, atmosphere, a standby person who actually stays, and a rescue plan that is not “we’ll call someone”. A ground-floor grease-and-guards JSA is the wrong document.

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Permit, atmosphere, standby

HRCW: work in or near a confined space. Isolation of inlets, gas testing, a standby person, and a way to get the worker out without a second body going in on a hope. If the task never enters — filters from the plant-room floor — use the maintenance JSA.

Filled example: grease arrestor pit, Northbridge WA

Underground grease arrestor behind a restaurant laneway. Empty, inspect baffles, put the lid back. Night works so the kitchen is off. Not a grain silo, not a sewer tunnel.

Job / task: Empty and inspect an underground grease arrestor pit
Site: Restaurant laneway, Northbridge WA 6003
Document: SWMS · HRCW: confined space · example only
PPE: Hard hat, hi-vis, steel-caps, gloves, glasses, gas detector, harness / retrieval as the permit says

Example layout. Standby stays at the lid — they do not enter to “help”. Floor-level maintenance that never enters: maintenance JSA.

Step	Hazards	Controls	5×5 risk
1. Isolate kitchen inlets, open the lid, gas-test, issue the permit Responsible: Permit issuer / supervisor	H2S / LEL / oxygen-deficient atmosphere Inlet flow from a late clean-down Laneway traffic over an open pit	Test at multiple depths; don’t enter on a “it smells fine”; continuous monitoring Written isolation with the kitchen; lock the inlet if you can Barricade the pit; spotter for cars	InitialL4×C5 = 20 Critical ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
2. Enter with retrieval, ventilate, standby person at the lid Responsible: Entrant / standby	Collapse / medical event with no retrieval Standby leaving “for a minute” Slip on grease in the pit	Harness and retrieval as the permit; standby does not enter Forced ventilation; abort at alarm Boots with grip; limit time in the pit	InitialL3×C5 = 15 High ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
3. Pump residual, inspect baffles, don’t dry-scrape unknown linings Responsible: Entrant	Splash of contaminated liquor to eyes and skin Disturbing ACM or old coatings in an older pit Tools dropped onto the worker from the lid	Face protection; gloves; wash-up after If the lining looks like cement sheet or lagging — get out and treat as asbestos until cleared Tools on a lanyard; nothing loose at the lid	InitialL3×C4 = 12 High ResidualL2×C4 = 8 Medium
4. Exit, close the permit, decontaminate, refit the lid Responsible: Supervisor	Permit left open, someone re-enters later Contaminated boots into the restaurant Lid not seated — next vehicle drops a wheel	Close and file the permit; lid on before anyone leaves Wash boots and gear in the laneway, not the kitchen Confirm the cover is seated and the barricade comes down last	InitialL3×C4 = 12 High ResidualL1×C4 = 4 Low

Frequently asked questions

When do I need a confined space SWMS template?

When the work is in or near a confined space — tanks, pits, silos, ducts, arrestors. That is HRCW. A permit and a gas tester are controls inside the SWMS, not a replacement for it.

Is a confined space SWMS free to generate?

Creating an account is free and needs no card; creating and editing your own site-specific draft is free too. The $20/month subscription is only needed to download the PDF. This grease-arrestor example is a layout. A grain silo is a different atmosphere and a different rescue.

Can a maintenance JSA cover tank entry?

No. Low-risk plant greasing on the floor can be a JSA. Entry into the arrestor, tank or pit is confined space — use this SWMS, not the maintenance JSA.

NSW, VIC, QLD, WA — same rules?

HRCW confined space is recognised across those states. Citations: WHS Act/Regulation, or Victoria’s OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017. Training and permit systems still sit with the PCBU.

Check the official guidance

A SWMS sets out the high-risk construction activities, their hazards and the controls to use. Prepare it before the work starts, adapt it to the site and review it when the work or controls change. Consult the people doing the work. An AI draft or example needs review before use.

Model WHS guidance and Victorian requirements differ. Check the rules that apply to your workplace.

Generate a confined space SWMS for this pit

Permit, gas testing, standby. Free account, no card to sign up. $20/month for unlimited documents.

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