Concrete Core Drilling  Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)  SWMS Overview 

The Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) for Concrete Core Drilling provides a structured approach to identifying and managing risks associated with drilling through concrete, masonry, and similar materials on residential, commercial, and industrial sites in Australia. It ensures compliance with Australian Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation, relevant Codes of Practice, and manufacturer’s operating procedures.

Key focus areas include conducting a site-specific risk assessment to identify embedded services (e.g. electrical, plumbing, or structural reinforcements) before drilling, securing the work area with appropriate signage and barriers, and ensuring only trained and competent workers operate core drilling equipment. It highlights the need for pre-use inspections of drills, ensuring correct anchoring or vacuum mounting, and selecting the appropriate drill bit for the material.

This SWMS also addresses managing dust and slurry through wet-drilling methods, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) including hearing, eye, respiratory, and hand protection, and safe manual handling techniques to reduce strain when positioning heavy equipment. Emergency procedures for equipment failure, slurry containment, and exposure to silica dust are also included.

By following this SWMS, workers can minimise the risks of electric shock, dust inhalation, manual handling injuries, and uncontrolled drilling, ensuring tasks are completed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with WHS standards.

Suitable for electrotechnology trades including: Compliant in all Australian States and New Zealand What’s Included  This ready-to-use SWMS package features: 

• Understanding NECA SWMS 
• JSA SWMS Cover Sheet 
• Concrete Core Drilling SWMS – Style A
• Concrete Core Drilling SWMS – Style B 
• SWMS Sign off Sheet 

Flexible SWMS Styles  To meet unique project and contractor needs, we’ve developed two consistent SWMS styles: 

• Style A (Blue): A simple, streamlined version inspired by the Safe Work Australia template, perfect for workers who prefer clear, straightforward safety documents. 

• Style B (Tan): A detailed format designed to meet strict compliance checklists, ideal for principal contractors requiring enhanced documentation. 

Both styles maintain the same core safety content, ensuring consistency across projects. Workers inducted and trained in one style can seamlessly adapt to the other, streamlining document control and significantly reducing admin time and stress during the SWMS submission process.  Why Choose NECA SWMS?   NECA SWMS solutions are industry-specific, written by professionals with real-world experience, and based on Standards, Codes of Practice, and Legislation. These templates:  

• Simplify compliance with principal contractor requirements.  

• Save admin time with editable MS Word templates ready for instant download.  

• Provide clear, user-friendly documents to reduce frustration in the workplace.  

Completed SWMS templates. Simply insert your company logo, business details, and site details, and they’re ready to send off to your client. Templates can be amended to suit specific needs, saving valuable time and resources while maintaining compliance.   With a NECA SWMS, you can ensure robust safety practices, better version control, and a stress-free submission process.