Manual handling SWMS

When you need this form

Cleaning work is manual handling work. Wheeling loaded bins to the kerb, shifting furniture for a floor scrub, carrying chemical drums, pushing trolleys through aged care corridors or across an airport apron: all of it loads backs and shoulders. Documenting the method, the hazards and the controls before the shift starts is what most clients now require before a cleaner sets foot on site.

Tenders are where this bites. A generic document downloaded years ago says nothing about your crew or the site they work on. A live SWMS shows the workers who were consulted, the date they signed on, the controls chosen for that task and photos of the trolley, the lifting aid or the two-person lift actually in use. Sprains claims turn on that evidence.

What good looks like

• Tasks broken down: lifting, carrying, pushing, reaching, repetitive scrubbing, each rated.
• Controls that match the load: trolleys, height adjustment, team lifts, rest breaks.
• Site specifics captured: stairs, lift access, distances, floor surfaces, storage heights.
• Every worker signed on before starting, and re-signed when the method changes.
• Supervisor authorisation with GPS and time, plus photos of aids in use.