Tractor slashing SWMS, drafted for your job
Tractor slashing can hide rocks, wire and holes beneath long grass; the cutting deck throws debris and the power take-off keeps turning after the tractor stops moving. Describe the job and site so your SWMS is drafted around them, then check the controls 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
Tractor slashing
Site Your site address
Law Your state
High-risk construction work
- Work where powered mobile plant is moving
Job steps, hazards and controls
| 1 | Inspect the slashing route | Hidden holes, wire and services | High | Mark hazards and remove loose debris before cutting |
| 2 | Inspect tractor and deck | Exposed PTO and damaged guards | Extreme | Check guards, rollover protection and attachment connections |
| 3 | Establish the cutting zone | Debris reaching nearby people | High | Close access and set the slasher exclusion area |
| 4 | Slash planned passes | Rollover and concealed obstructions | Extreme | Follow the inspected route and stop for unexpected terrain |
| 5 | Clear and park equipment | Moving blades and unsupported deck | Extreme | Lower, isolate and block components before clearing grass |
Illustrative first page. Yours carries your business name only.
What you get
What your tractor slashing 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 where powered mobile plant is moving
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 tractor slashing 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
Slashing tractor rolling on grass-covered banks and hidden holes
Extreme- Inspect the route and avoid slopes outside the tractor and slasher operating limits
- Use rollover protection with the seat belt and keep clear of unstable edges
- 2
Clothing caught in the tractor slasher power take-off shaft
Extreme- Keep shaft guards and their restraints fitted and maintained
- Shut down, remove the key and wait for all movement to stop before approaching
- 3
Stones and wire ejected from beneath the slasher deck
High- Remove loose debris and set the equipment exclusion zone before cutting
- Keep deck guards intact and stop slashing when people enter the area
- 4
Slasher blades turning while tangled grass is pulled free
Extreme- Lower the deck and isolate the tractor before clearing grass
- Block raised parts and confirm the blades have stopped before reaching underneath
- 5
Slasher deck striking concealed irrigation heads and service markers
High- Walk the route and mark exposed assets before bringing in the tractor
- Leave protected areas uncut and use a suitable separate method around them
- 6
Dry grass accumulating against hot tractor and slasher components
High- Remove grass buildup from hot surfaces with the machine shut down
- Check for smoke and stop when conditions make ignition difficult to control
How the job usually runs
- 1Inspect the slashing routeHidden holes, wire and services → Mark hazards and remove loose debris before cutting
- 2Inspect tractor and deckExposed PTO and damaged guards → Check guards, rollover protection and attachment connections
- 3Establish the cutting zoneDebris reaching nearby people → Close access and set the slasher exclusion area
- 4Slash planned passesRollover and concealed obstructions → Follow the inspected route and stop for unexpected terrain
- 5Clear and park equipmentMoving blades and unsupported deck → Lower, isolate and block components before clearing grass
PPE for this job
- Safety boots
- Hearing protection
- Eye protection outside the cab
- Handling gloves for isolated maintenance
- Sun 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
Tractor slashing 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
What should be checked in long grass before slashing?
Walk the accessible route and look for wire, rocks, holes, irrigation fittings and service markers. Mark hazards that cannot be removed, then plan protected areas and a separate method for cutting around them.
Can we clear grass while the tractor is idling?
Shut the tractor down and isolate it before clearing the slasher or PTO area. Let the blades stop, lower the deck and block any raised part before anyone reaches into the attachment.
How much does a tractor slashing 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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