Rodent control SWMS, drafted for your job
Rodent work brings workers into contact with droppings, carcasses and hidden nests. Baits and traps also need to stay out of reach of children, pets and other animals while the treatment is monitored. 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
Rodent control
Site Your site address
Law Your state
High-risk construction work
Job steps, hazards and controls
| 1 | Inspect activity and site users | Hidden nests and gnawed wiring | High | Check harbourage without reaching into concealed spaces |
| 2 | Remove food sources and choose treatment | Bait exposure to people and animals | High | Improve waste storage and select suitable traps or bait stations |
| 3 | Place secured stations and traps | Accessible poison and trap strike | High | Secure housings and record each treatment location |
| 4 | Monitor treatment and collect carcasses | Contaminated remains and secondary poisoning | High | Use handling tools and seal carcasses for disposal |
| 5 | Clean equipment and contaminated areas | Airborne droppings and dirty gloves | High | Dampen waste, contain it and wash after removing gloves |
Illustrative first page. Yours carries your business name only.
What you get
What your rodent control 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
High-risk work on this job
This task is not usually high-risk construction work. If your job involves any category, tick it when you start and the SWMS covers it.
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 rodent control 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
Rodent droppings becoming airborne during nest cleanup
High- Keep people away and avoid dry sweeping or compressed air
- Dampen contaminated material using the selected cleaning method before collecting it
- 2
Children or pets reaching rodent bait stations
High- Use secured tamper-resistant stations in suitable inaccessible positions
- Record station locations and check for damage or missing bait during visits
- 3
Rodenticide poisoning animals that eat exposed carcasses
High- Choose a control method suited to nearby animals and site use
- Search for carcasses during follow-up visits and remove them in sealed waste
- 4
Fingers caught while setting rodent snap traps
High- Set traps inside protective housings away from walkways
- Use the trap setting tool and disarm traps before servicing
- 5
Rodent bites while checking occupied harbourage
High- Avoid reaching by hand into nests or hidden spaces
- Use inspection tools and handling equipment for trapped rodents and carcasses
- 6
Damaged electrical cables exposed behind rodent nests
High- Inspect for gnawed wiring before moving contaminated materials
- Stop and arrange electrical isolation before cleaning near damaged cables
How the job usually runs
- 1Inspect activity and site usersHidden nests and gnawed wiring → Check harbourage without reaching into concealed spaces
- 2Remove food sources and choose treatmentBait exposure to people and animals → Improve waste storage and select suitable traps or bait stations
- 3Place secured stations and trapsAccessible poison and trap strike → Secure housings and record each treatment location
- 4Monitor treatment and collect carcassesContaminated remains and secondary poisoning → Use handling tools and seal carcasses for disposal
- 5Clean equipment and contaminated areasAirborne droppings and dirty gloves → Dampen waste, contain it and wash after removing gloves
PPE for this job
- Disposable gloves
- Protective coveralls
- Safety glasses
- Fit-tested particulate respirator for contaminated dust
- Safety boots
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
Rodent control 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
Can the draft cover baiting where pets are present?
Yes. Describe the animals and who uses the site. The draft covers selecting the treatment, securing stations away from access, monitoring disturbed bait and collecting carcasses during follow-up visits.
Does it include cleaning rodent droppings and nests?
Yes, when cleanup is part of the job. The draft covers isolating the area, avoiding dry sweeping, damp collection, sealed waste and cleaning equipment before leaving the treatment area.
How much does a rodent control 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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