Floor covering removal SWMS, drafted for your job
Pulling up floor coverings exposes hidden adhesives, sharp gripper strips and brittle tile edges, with dust when the residue is scraped or ground. Tell us the covering and site: your SWMS is drafted around the strip-out method, and you check it on site before work starts.
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
Floor covering removal
Site Your site address
Law Your state
High-risk construction work
- Work that may disturb asbestos
Job steps, hazards and controls
| 1 | Identify coverings and services | Suspect asbestos and concealed heating | High | Assess materials and isolate affected services before disturbance |
| 2 | Set up tools and waste route | Blades and obstructed exits | Medium | Guard equipment and prepare a clear contained waste route |
| 3 | Lift and strip floor coverings | Sharp grippers and heavy rolled waste | High | Use removal tools and divide waste into manageable sections |
| 4 | Remove adhesive and tile residue | Silica dust and chemical vapours | High | Use source dust control or ventilated product-selected removal |
| 5 | Inspect and clean the substrate | Exposed tacks and remaining debris | Medium | Remove sharps and vacuum the area before handover |
Illustrative first page. Yours carries your business name only.
What you get
What your floor covering removal 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 that may disturb asbestos
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 floor covering removal 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
Asbestos fibres released from old vinyl backing and floor adhesive
High- Identify suspect coverings and adhesive before lifting scraping or grinding
- Stop disturbance and use an asbestos removalist where asbestos is suspected
- 2
Punctures from carpet gripper strips hidden beneath lifted floor edges
Medium- Remove gripper strips with tools and place them directly into contained waste
- Keep workers off exposed tacks and inspect the room as carpet is lifted
- 3
Cuts from powered floor stripper blades during adjustment or cleaning
High- Keep guards fitted and separate the stripper path from other workers
- Isolate the machine before handling blades or clearing trapped flooring
- 4
Silica dust and flying fragments breaking out ceramic floor tiles
High- Use controlled dampening or extraction suited to the removal equipment
- Contain fragments and wear assessed respiratory eye and face protection
- 5
Back strain carrying rolled carpet and bundled stripped flooring
Medium- Cut waste into manageable sections and use trolleys for removal
- Stage waste near the exit without blocking access
- 6
Damage to underfloor heating cables when coverings are cut
Extreme- Identify and isolate underfloor electrical systems before cutting or scraping
- Set the removal method to protect retained services and stop at unknown wiring
- 7
Vapours from adhesive softeners used during floor residue removal
High- Use a lower hazard removal method where it suits the substrate
- Keep ignition sources away when using flammable adhesive softeners
- Ventilate the work area and keep product containers closed
How the job usually runs
- 1Identify coverings and servicesSuspect asbestos and concealed heating → Assess materials and isolate affected services before disturbance
- 2Set up tools and waste routeBlades and obstructed exits → Guard equipment and prepare a clear contained waste route
- 3Lift and strip floor coveringsSharp grippers and heavy rolled waste → Use removal tools and divide waste into manageable sections
- 4Remove adhesive and tile residueSilica dust and chemical vapours → Use source dust control or ventilated product-selected removal
- 5Inspect and clean the substrateExposed tacks and remaining debris → Remove sharps and vacuum the area before handover
PPE for this job
- Safety boots
- Cut-resistant gloves
- Safety glasses
- Face shield for tile breakout
- Fitted particulate respirator
- Chemical-resistant gloves for adhesive products
- Hearing protection
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
Floor covering removal 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 removing old vinyl and its adhesive?
Yes. Describe both materials and any testing already done. The draft includes identifying suspect asbestos before disturbance and arranging specialist handling rather than scraping an unknown backing or adhesive.
Can it include carpet gripper strips and underlay removal?
Yes. Tell us the carpet system and waste route. The draft includes lifting with tools, containing sharp gripper strips and moving carpet rolls without blocking the exit.
How much does a floor covering removal 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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