Flood and storm clean-up SWMS, drafted for your job
Flood and storm damage can leave live wiring, weakened ceilings and contaminated sludge in the same room, before the clean-up crew touches any debris. Describe your work area and method when you start. Your SWMS is drafted for those details, then checked against the site before work begins.
A$39per job
However many high-risk activities it covers.
- However many high-risk activities it covers.
- 3 for A$99
- 10 for A$249
- Yearly A$129 for 120
- Monthly A$60 for 10
You review it on site before work starts.
Your Business
Safe Work Method Statement
Version 1
Draft
Flood and storm clean-up
Site Your site address
Law Your state
High-risk construction work
- Work on or near energised electrical installations
- Work where the air may be contaminated or flammable
Job steps, hazards and controls
| 1 | Assess damaged property | Live supplies and weak structure | High | Isolate electricity and obtain structural assessment before entry |
| 2 | Separate dirty and clean zones | Contaminated sludge transfer | High | Set barriers, waste routes and handwashing facilities |
| 3 | Remove soaked debris | Mould and sharp fragments | High | Check suspect materials and bag waste where it is removed |
| 4 | Wash affected surfaces | Contaminated spray and runoff | High | Use controlled cleaning and collect dirty water |
| 5 | Decontaminate and close out | Residue on tools and clothing | High | Clean equipment and remove protective clothing before entering clean areas |
Illustrative first page. Yours carries your business name only.
What you get
What your flood and storm clean-up SWMS will contain
An A4 document your crew can read on site, a PDF for the builder and a sign-on register.
- Job and site detailsYour business, the site, the principal contractor, the dates.
- High-risk construction workThe categories your job involves, ticked.
- Step-by-step methodEach step with its hazards, risk rating and controls.
- How controls are checkedWho puts each control in place, monitors and reviews it.
- PPE, plant and permitsEquipment and training the job needs.
- Emergency planAssembly point, first aid, nearest hospital to confirm on site.
- Consultation and reviewWho was consulted, when it is reviewed.
- Sign-on registerYour crew signs by QR or on paper.
High-risk construction work
Categories this task often involves
You tick the ones your job involves. Each ticked category gets its own steps and controls, in your state's wording.
- Work on or near energised electrical installations
- Work where the air may be contaminated or flammable
State notes
Rules depend on your state
Pick your state when you start. Your state's regulator publishes the rules and guidance for this work.
Hazards and controls
What goes wrong on a flood and storm clean-up job, and how the SWMS controls it
These rows are written for this task. Your draft adds the ones your site and method need.
- 1
Electric shock from flood-soaked wiring and appliances
High- Keep out of affected rooms until an electrician has isolated and checked supplies
- Keep generators and leads away from standing water
- 2
Ceilings and wall linings collapsing during storm clean-up
High- Keep people outside rooms with sagging ceilings or displaced walls
- Have damaged structure assessed and stabilised before removing debris
- 3
Sewage and chemical residues in flood sludge
High- Identify contamination before disturbing sludge and separate unknown chemical containers
- Use tools to handle waste and set up handwashing and clean changing areas
- 4
Mould spores released from soaked plasterboard and carpet
High- Isolate mould-affected rooms and use a planned removal method with dust capture
- Bag affected materials at the work area and wear fit-tested respiratory protection
- 5
Asbestos fragments mixed into storm-damaged building debris
High- Check building materials before breaking or sorting damaged sheets
- Stop at suspected asbestos, isolate the area and bring in an asbestos removalist
- 6
Strains lifting waterlogged carpet and sodden furniture
Medium- Drain or divide removable loads where this can be done without spreading contamination
- Use trolleys and team handling on a cleared route
How the job usually runs
- 1Assess damaged propertyLive supplies and weak structure → Isolate electricity and obtain structural assessment before entry
- 2Separate dirty and clean zonesContaminated sludge transfer → Set barriers, waste routes and handwashing facilities
- 3Remove soaked debrisMould and sharp fragments → Check suspect materials and bag waste where it is removed
- 4Wash affected surfacesContaminated spray and runoff → Use controlled cleaning and collect dirty water
- 5Decontaminate and close outResidue on tools and clothing → Clean equipment and remove protective clothing before entering clean areas
PPE for this job
- Waterproof safety boots
- Chemical-resistant gloves
- Eye protection
- Protective coveralls
- Fit-tested particulate respirator
Your draft lists the PPE your site and method need.
After you finalise
Brief your crew and send it to your builder
Crew signs by QR
Send to my builder
PDF and register
Builder sent it back?
Make their changes and re-issue the same job free. Workers re-sign the new version.
Questions
Flood and storm clean-up SWMS questions
- Last reviewed
- 21 October 2026
- How
- Hazard rows checked against the task; no legal line is stated unless it is logged from primary text.
- Next review
- Every six months, or when the method or rules change
Does it cover making storm damage safe before cleaning?
Yes. Describe the damaged rooms, services and access. The draft covers keeping people away from unstable structure and arranging electrical isolation before debris removal or washing starts.
What if flood debris contains asbestos or sewage?
The draft covers separating contaminated areas, checking suspect materials and stopping disturbance of possible asbestos. Include known sewage or chemical contamination so the handling and decontamination steps match the site.
How much does a flood and storm clean-up SWMS cost?
One job uses 1 SWMS when you finalise: A$39 for one, however many high-risk activities it covers. AI drafting needs a SWMS pack or plan. Packs and Yearly cost less per SWMS.
Is this a template?
No. You describe the job and the site, and the SWMS is drafted for them. You edit anything, then finalise it.
Who checks the SWMS?
You do, with your crew, on site before work starts. The draft gives you a strong starting point; the person running the work makes sure it matches the site.
My builder sent it back. What now?
Open it, make the changes they asked for and re-issue it. Corrections to the same job are free.
How does my crew sign it?
Show the QR code on your phone or print the A4 sign-on sheet. Workers read and sign on their own phones without an account.
Does it work in my state?
Yes. You choose the state before drafting, and the document names the law that applies there. Victoria uses its OHS Regulations.
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