Modular Building Installation — Safe Work Method Statement

Installing a transportable, modular or demountable building is mostly a lifting job with a short, intense period of work at height. Each module is delivered on a truck, lifted by crane onto prepared footings, levelled and packed, tied down, and joined to the next. The crane and delivery truck make it work in an area with powered mobile plant, and unhooking slings from the module roof, fitting roof flashings and joining multi-storey modules all involve a fall of more than 2 metres. It is High Risk Construction Work and needs a SWMS. If the crane or truck sets up on a public road or footpath, it is also work adjacent to a road in use by traffic and you will need the road authority's approval and a traffic management plan.

The hazards are specific to modules. A module is a large, light-for-its-size box with a big sail area, so wind affects it far more than a compact load of the same weight: agree a wind-speed limit with the crane operator that suits the module, not just the crane's general limit. The lifting points, lifting frame or spreader bar arrangement must be the ones the manufacturer designed; slinging a module any other way can crush walls or drop it. Once it is down, the module may be sitting on jacks or temporary packers, and nobody goes under it until it is on its permanent supports. Delivery access is a real issue on residential blocks: soft ground, slopes, overhead powerlines, trees and neighbours' structures all limit where the truck and crane can go.

Crane operators need the high risk work licence for the class of crane, and slinging and directing the load needs a licensed dogger (or rigger where rigging work is involved). Footings, tie-downs and the connection between modules must follow the engineer's or manufacturer's design for the site's wind classification, which matters most in cyclonic regions. Relocating older demountables, such as school or site buildings, can disturb asbestos in linings, floor coverings and eaves, so check before cutting or removing anything.

The SWMS must cover the lift plan, wind limits, exclusion zones, the method for getting on and off the module roof safely, the support of modules until they are permanently fixed, and the services connections by licensed trades.

Customise this template with: the site address and access route; the module sizes, weights and lifting point details from the manufacturer; the crane, its set-up position and the lift plan; operator, dogger and rigger licence numbers; the wind limit agreed for the lifts; footing and tie-down design and wind classification; overhead powerline locations; road occupancy and traffic management where needed; asbestos information for any relocated building; and the plumber and electrician for services connections.