Boat or barge operations SWMS, drafted for your job
A boat or barge shifts underfoot as workers board and plant moves across the deck. Mooring lines, changing water conditions and loads near the edge can turn a shore transfer into a drowning incident. Describe the job and site so the draft reflects your work, then check the SWMS with the crew before starting.
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
Boat or barge operations
Site Your site address
Law Your state
High-risk construction work
- Work in or near water where someone could drown
- Work where powered mobile plant is moving
Job steps, hazards and controls
| 1 | Inspect vessel and plan transfer | Unready recovery gear and unsafe landing | High | Check flotation, communications and boarding arrangements |
| 2 | Board and secure deck loads | Falls between vessel and landing | High | Use secured access and maintain planned load balance |
| 3 | Navigate and moor vessel | Collision and loaded mooring lines | High | Maintain lookout and keep crew outside rope bights |
| 4 | Carry out deck work | Moving plant and unprotected edges | High | Separate plant routes and secure loose deck equipment |
| 5 | Return and unload vessel | Shifting loads during shore transfer | High | Confirm landing conditions and unload in the planned order |
Illustrative first page. Yours carries your business name only.
What you get
What your boat or barge operations 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 in or near water where someone could drown
- 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 boat or barge operations 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
Workers falling between the barge and shore landing
High- Provide a secured boarding system suited to changing water levels
- Wear suitable flotation and keep recovery equipment ready at the transfer point
- 2
Barge listing as plant moves onto the deck
High- Plan deck loads and loading order with the vessel operator
- Secure plant and cargo in the intended positions before departure
- 3
Hands caught in mooring ropes at the barge edge
High- Use suitable mooring points and keep people outside rope bights
- Coordinate line handling with the operator and keep hands off loaded lines
- 4
Boat collision during construction crew transfers
High- Plan the passage and landing points with the vessel operator
- Maintain lookout and suspend transfers when visibility or water conditions deteriorate
- 5
Workers washed from a wet barge work deck
High- Provide edge protection and clear non-slip access routes where practicable
- Secure loose gear and pause deck work when vessel movement prevents controlled footing
- 6
Unplanned entry into poorly ventilated vessel compartments
High- Keep compartment hatches secured against casual entry
- Assess atmosphere, isolation and rescue separately before any internal entry
How the job usually runs
- 1Inspect vessel and plan transferUnready recovery gear and unsafe landing → Check flotation, communications and boarding arrangements
- 2Board and secure deck loadsFalls between vessel and landing → Use secured access and maintain planned load balance
- 3Navigate and moor vesselCollision and loaded mooring lines → Maintain lookout and keep crew outside rope bights
- 4Carry out deck workMoving plant and unprotected edges → Separate plant routes and secure loose deck equipment
- 5Return and unload vesselShifting loads during shore transfer → Confirm landing conditions and unload in the planned order
PPE for this job
- Suitable lifejacket
- Non-slip safety footwear
- Weather-protective clothing
- Safety helmet for overhead work
- Line-handling gloves
- Eye 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
Boat or barge operations 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 using a barge as a work platform?
Yes. Describe the plant, deck work and mooring arrangement. The draft covers deck load balance, plant separation, edge protection and recovery arrangements while the barge is in use.
Does it include entering tanks or compartments below deck?
No. Routine deck operations keep those spaces closed to casual access. Internal entry needs its own assessment of atmosphere, isolation, access and rescue before anyone goes below.
How much does a boat or barge operations 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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