Fencing Installation — Safe Work Method Statement
Safe Work Method Statement for installing residential and commercial fences, including removal of old fences, locating services, digging post holes by hand or auger, concreting posts, and fitting panels, sheets, gates and pool fencing.
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Fencing is often not High Risk Construction Work, but three HRCW triggers come up regularly. Digging post holes can strike buried electrical cables, which counts as work on or near energised services. Using a mini loader or excavator auger brings powered mobile plant into the area. And removing old fibro fences (the corrugated asbestos cement fences common in older suburbs) is disturbing asbestos. If none of these apply, a SWMS is not legally required, though councils, builders and commercial clients often still ask for one.
Underground services are the biggest serious risk. Boundaries are where cables, gas, water, telecommunications and sewer often run. Lodge a Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) enquiry before digging, check the plans on site, and look for pits, meters and service markers. BYDA plans are indicative only, so pothole by hand or vacuum excavation near any marked service before using an auger. Overhead power lines are also a risk when a truck-mounted auger or crane truck is used near the street.
Old fibro fences must be treated as asbestos until tested. They should not be broken, cut or water-blasted. Removal of more than 10 m2 of non-friable asbestos needs a licensed removalist; smaller amounts still have to be removed using the controls in the code of practice, and the waste must go to a facility licensed to accept it. Do not just pull the sheets and throw them in a skip.
The daily hazards are manual handling and power tools. Concrete bags, steel posts and Colorbond sheets are heavy and awkward, sheets catch the wind, and hand-held post-hole augers can kick back and twist when they hit a root or rock. Cutting steel sheets and posts creates hot sharp burrs and noise, and wet concrete burns skin. Pool fences must meet AS 1926.1 and pass council inspection, so confirm the specification before you start.
Customise this template with the BYDA reference and services found, the fence type and length, any old fence material and its asbestos test result, the auger or plant used and who operates it, overhead power line distances, how neighbours and the public are kept clear, and wind limits for sheet handling.
Personal Protective Equipment
High Risk Construction Work Types
- •Work that involves, or is likely to involve, disturbing asbestos
- •Work on or near energised electrical installations or services
- •Work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant
Risk Assessment
1.Site check, BYDA and set-out
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Striking underground power, gas or water lines | Catastrophic | Lodge a BYDA enquiry and review plans before digging. Look for meters, pits and markers along the boundary. Locate services with a qualified locator where plans show services nearby. Hand dig or vacuum excavate to expose services before using an auger within the clearance zone in the asset owner's conditions. | Low | Fencing Contractor |
| Contact with overhead power lines by truck auger or crane truck | Catastrophic | Identify overhead lines before setting up. Keep plant outside the approach distances set by your state regulator and network operator. Use a spotter when working near lines. | Low | Plant Operator |
2.Removal of the old fence
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos exposure from old fibro fence sheets | Catastrophic | Treat fibro fences as asbestos until tested. Do not cut, break or water-blast. Over 10 m2 removed by a licensed removalist. Smaller amounts: wet down, remove whole sheets, wrap in heavy plastic, label and dispose of at a licensed facility. P2 respirator and disposable coveralls. | Low | Asbestos Removalist / Fencing Contractor |
| Injury from old posts, nails and rotten timber | Moderate | Wear gloves and boots. Pull or bend over exposed nails. Support panels as they come free so they do not fall on workers. | Low | Fencer |
3.Digging post holes by hand or auger
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kickback and twisting injury from hand-held auger | High | Use a two-person or frame-mounted auger with torque reaction bar where available. Start slowly and stop when the bit binds. Do not wrap hands around handles in a way that traps them. | Moderate | Fencer |
| People struck by mini loader or excavator auger | High | Competent operator only. Exclusion zone around the plant while operating. Spotter when people are nearby. Check the attachment is locked on. | Low | Plant Operator |
| Open holes causing trips or falls | Moderate | Cover or barricade open holes at the end of each day and when unattended. Concrete posts the same day where possible. | Low | Fencer |
4.Concreting posts
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cement burns and dust from concrete bags | Moderate | Waterproof gloves and eye protection. Pour bags low to limit dust. Wash skin promptly after contact. | Low | Fencer |
| Back strain carrying concrete bags and posts | Moderate | Use a barrow or trolley along the fence line. Deliver materials close to the work. Two people to carry long steel posts. | Low | Fencer |
5.Cutting and fitting panels, sheets and rails
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lacerations from steel sheet edges and burrs | High | Cut-resistant gloves and long sleeves handling sheets. Use nibblers or shears where possible. Deburr cut edges. | Low | Fencer |
| Eye injury and noise from cutting steel | High | Safety glasses and face shield when using a grinder or metal saw. Hearing protection. Keep others out of the spark path. | Low | Fencer |
| Sheets caught by wind | Moderate | Do not handle sheets in strong winds. Two people per sheet in breezy conditions. Secure stacks with straps or weights. | Low | Fencer |
6.Gates, pool fencing and clean-up
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crushing from heavy gates or glass pool panels | High | Support gates on blocks until hinges are fixed. Glass pool panels carried with suction lifters by two people and placed into spigots with packing. | Low | Fencer |
| Members of the public or children entering the work area | Moderate | Keep a temporary barrier where a boundary is open, particularly around pools and road frontages. Tools and offcuts cleared at the end of each day. | Low | Fencing Contractor |
Relevant Codes of Practice
Worker Acknowledgement
By signing below, I confirm that I have read, understood and agree to comply with this Safe Work Method Statement.