Sswms.policysystemSign up →

• SWMS template · wall and floor tiling

Tiling SWMS template Australia

Most ground-floor bathroom and kitchen tiling only needs a JSA. The job changes when the tiles go onto a first-floor balcony, a stairwell, a pool surround over a drop, or a commercial site where forklifts are moving. This page shows when a tiling SWMS is required and what it should say.

Generate a tiling SWMS →See live demo

When tiling needs a SWMS instead of a JSA

Ground-floor tiling in a bathroom, laundry or kitchen is usually covered by a tiling JSA. A SWMS is required when the tiling job involves high-risk construction work. If you're unsure, read SWMS vs JSA.

  • Balconies, stairwells, pool surrounds or facades where a person could fall more than 2 m.
  • Commercial or multi-storey sites with moving powered mobile plant such as forklifts and telehandlers.
  • Removing old floor or wall linings that may contain asbestos.
  • Work near energised electrical services.

Filled example: first-floor balcony re-tile, apartment block

Illustrative example of a balcony strip and re-tile on the first floor of a small apartment block, with a balustrade removed for waterproofing. The business and site are made up.

Document
SWMS — tiling
Site
First-floor balcony, apartment block (illustrative)
HRCW
Risk of a fall more than 2 m

Example layout only — not a copy-paste legal document. A ground-floor ensuite with no plant and no fall risk could be a JSA.

StepHazardsControls5×5 risk
1. Set up edge protection while the balustrade is removed
Responsible: Supervisor
  • Fall more than 2 m from the open balcony edge
  • Tools and tile offcuts falling onto the path below
  • Temporary edge protection installed and inspected before the balustrade comes off
  • Exclusion zone and signs on the path below; toe boards on the edge protection
InitialL4×C5 = 20 Critical
ResidualL1×C5 = 5 Medium
2. Strip old tiles and screed
Responsible: Tiler
  • Respirable silica dust from breaking and grinding
  • Noise and vibration
  • Unknown backing material in an older building
  • Wet methods or on-tool extraction; P2 respirator; hearing protection
  • Stop and get any suspect fibre-cement or vinyl identified before disturbing it
InitialL4×C4 = 16 Critical
ResidualL2×C3 = 6 Medium
3. Waterproof, then lay large-format tiles
Responsible: Tiler
  • Manual handling of large-format tiles
  • Skin and eye contact with adhesives and epoxies
  • Knee strain
  • Two-person lift or tile carrier for large formats; tiles staged close to the work
  • Read the SDS; nitrile gloves, eye protection and ventilation for epoxy
  • Knee pads and task rotation
InitialL3×C3 = 9 Medium
ResidualL2×C2 = 4 Low
4. Cut tiles and grout
Responsible: Tiler
  • Silica dust from cutting
  • Electric shock from tools used in wet conditions
  • Slips on wet surfaces
  • Wet saw or extraction; no dry cutting of stone
  • RCD-protected leads and tagged tools; leads kept out of water
  • Clean up slurry as you go; keep the walkway clear
InitialL3×C4 = 12 High
ResidualL2×C3 = 6 Medium

What the generator changes for tiling

Tell it the area, the access, the substrate and the state. It drafts the steps, hazards and controls for that job, which you then review and edit. Check the content rules in what a SWMS must include, or start from the SWMS template.

Frequently asked questions

Do tilers need a SWMS?

Only when the tiling involves high-risk construction work under model WHS regulation 291. Common triggers are a risk of falling more than 2 metres (balconies, stairwells, pool surrounds over a drop, facades), working where powered mobile plant moves, disturbing linings that may contain asbestos, or work near energised services. Ground-floor wet-area tiling with none of these is usually a JSA.

Is a tiling SWMS free to download?

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 page is an example layout, not a Word file you print and sign.

What silica controls should a tiling SWMS include?

Cutting, grinding and drilling tiles, stone and some grouts can generate respirable crystalline silica. Use wet cutting or on-tool dust extraction, never dry-cut engineered stone, and wear suitable respiratory protective equipment. Say in the SWMS which tools and controls apply on this job.

What if I find old vinyl or fibre-cement sheet under the tiles?

Old floor and wall linings in older buildings may contain asbestos. Stop, don't break or sand it, and have it identified before work continues. Removal needs the right licence or process, and work likely to disturb asbestos is high-risk construction work that must be in a SWMS.

Does the SWMS work in NSW, VIC, QLD and WA?

The generator cites the WHS Act and Regulations for NSW, QLD, WA and the other model-WHS jurisdictions. Victoria uses the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and Regulations 2017. Pick the state when you generate and the references follow.

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.

Write the tiling SWMS for this job

Describe the area, the access, the substrate and the state. Free account, no card to sign up. $20/month for unlimited PDF downloads.

Create a free account →