Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) Template
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This Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement, or Bricklaying SWMS, is an easy-to-use form that your workers can use to plan and manage bricklaying risks before masonry work begins. Easily select the scope of work, possible hazards, and required PPE from a list of choices, then work through a ready-to-use list of job steps, risk assessments, and method statements for common bricklaying activities.
Looking for a bricklaying SWMS sample to help guide your own work method statement? This helps teams document material delivery, work area set-up, manual handling, mortar mixing, cutting bricks, working at height, housekeeping, and clean-up. It also includes a risk matrix guide and a scan-to-sign portion, so workers can review and sign onto the SWMS before starting work.
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What is Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)?
A Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement, or Bricklaying SWMS, is a document used by site teams, supervisors, and bricklayers to plan how bricklaying work will be carried out safely. This SWMS usually includes details on the work area, materials, tools, mortar mixing, brick cutting, scaffolds, manual handling, PPE, job steps, hazards, risk ratings, and control measures.
Due to the risks that come with bricklaying work, hazards such as silica dust, heavy lifting, falling objects, working at height, cuts, noise, slips, and poor access have to be planned around to lessen potential accidents. This makes Bricklaying SWMS documents highly relevant in Australian construction, residential building, commercial projects, civil works, and maintenance work where bricks, blocks, or other masonry materials are being installed.
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Applicable Standards and Policies for Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
There are generally no explicit formatting requirements for a Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement. However, Australian WHS laws require PCBUs to prepare a SWMS for high-risk construction work and to document the hazards, risks, and control measures involved in bricklaying and masonry work. A Bricklaying SWMS is a good document to support compliance to this.
- Model WHS Regulations require a SWMS for high-risk construction work in Australia
- Safe Work Australia’s Construction Work Code of Practice covers SWMS requirements for high-risk construction work
- Safe Work Australia guidance covers hazardous manual tasks and musculoskeletal risks
- State and territory WHS laws commonly require SWMS documents before high-risk construction work begins
- Local site and principal contractor requirements commonly require SWMS documents for bricklaying activities
Staff Members and Parties that use Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
A Bricklaying SWMS is primarily used by project teams that manage bricklaying, blockwork, masonry construction, manual handling, scaffold use, or work near other trades. Here are examples of other common parties that use a Bricklaying SWMS:
- Site supervisors and project managers
- Bricklayers and masonry workers
- Scaffolders
- Health and safety teams
- Contractors and subcontractors carrying out bricklaying work
Business Risks Reduced by Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
Using a Bricklaying SWMS helps reduce the risk of hazards such as manual handling injuries, falls from height, silica dust exposure, falling objects, cuts, cement burns, scaffold interaction, and poor material storage. Ultimately, this can help businesses to:
- Reduce risk of injury, illness, or bricklaying-related incidents
- Avoid non-compliance with Australian SWMS and high-risk construction work requirements
- Prevent unsafe work caused by poor manual handling, unstable access, or missing controls
- Lower exposure to legal claims, enforcement action, and incident-related costs
- Reduce project delays caused by injuries, inspections, rework, or shutdowns
Business Opportunities Created by Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
A well-prepared Bricklaying SWMS helps businesses improve control over bricklaying, masonry work, access, and material handling. Here are some ways a well-designed Bricklaying SWMS can help businesses:
- Improve worker confidence before bricklaying work begins
- Strengthen contractor prequalification and tender-offer competitiveness
- Improve coordination between supervisors, bricklayers, scaffolders, and site teams
- Build trust with clients, regulators, insurers, and project stakeholders
What Should be Included in a Bricklaying SWMS?
A Bricklaying SWMS should be prepared before bricklaying work is carried out as part of high risk construction work. While exact requirements can vary across Australian states, territories, projects, and principal contractor requirements, there are some core elements that are typically included that you should know about:
- Scope of work, work area, bricklaying tasks, and responsible persons
- Job steps for setting up, mixing mortar, laying bricks, cutting materials, working at height, and cleaning up
- Hazards such as falls, silica dust, manual handling, falling objects, wet mortar, plant movement, and nearby services
- Required controls such as scaffolds, edge protection, dust suppression, exclusion zones, PPE, and safe material handling
- Risk ratings, emergency procedures, worker consultation, sign-off, and review requirements
Why are Bricklaying SWMS Important?
Bricklaying SWMS are important because bricklaying can expose workers to falls, silica dust, manual handling injuries, skin irritation from mortar, and struck-by risks from materials or nearby plant. This is critically important on residential, commercial, and civil construction sites where bricklaying may involve scaffolds, trestles, cutting tools, mortar mixers, and repeated lifting.
Essentially, a Bricklaying SWMS helps confirm that the work steps, hazards, and safety controls have been reviewed before the task begins. Additionally, it gives project management teams clear documentation of the due diligence performed, supporting consultation, site coordination, and compliance with Australian WHS requirements for high risk construction work.
How to Create a Safe Work Method Statement for Bricklaying (SWMS)
Building effective Bricklaying SWMS forms requires the right structure and information. In this section, we explain how to create your own SWMS forms from scratch.
Before starting your Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) form, the following pre-requisites should be ready.
- Project or site details are required.
- Bricklaying scope and work area must be listed.
- High-risk construction work details must be covered.
- Hazards, risks, and control measures must be stated.
- Access, scaffold, and manual handling needs must be included.
- Required PPE, tools, plant, and materials must be noted.
- Worker sign-off and SWMS review requirements must be recorded.
Start with Project and SWMS Information
First, you need to place high-level general information at the beginning of your Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement to help establish context for the work to be done. Here are some examples of core elements that you can use:
- Project name and site location
- SWMS title and document reference number
- Description of bricklaying works to be completed
- Name of the PCBU, contractor, or subcontractor
- Names and roles of workers, supervisors, and bricklayers
Define the Scope of Bricklaying Works
Next, you will want to define the scope of work so it is clear what bricklaying activities are covered by the SWMS. For example, you will want to list the following information in your Bricklaying SWMS:
- Type of brick or block work being completed
- Work area, wall location, or structure being built
- Materials being used, such as bricks, blocks, mortar, or reinforcement
- Tools and equipment required for the task
- Access equipment, scaffold, or work platform requirements
Assess Bricklaying Hazards
It is important that potential hazards are identified before bricklaying work starts so the appropriate safety control measures can be implemented. Common hazards that you should look out for include:
- Manual handling of bricks, blocks, mortar, and tools
- Falls from scaffolds, ladders, or elevated work areas
- Falling bricks, tools, or materials
- Silica dust from cutting, drilling, or grinding masonry products
- Wet cement, mortar, noise, vibration, or moving plant nearby
Record Safety Control Measures
After the hazards are identified, you will want to determine the appropriate safety control measures to reduce risks for your workers and nearby site personnel. Be sure to document the following information in your SWMS:
- Mechanical aids, team lifting, or material placement controls
- Scaffold, edge protection, and safe access requirements
- Exclusion zones and controls for falling objects
- Dust suppression, cutting controls, and respiratory protection
- PPE requirements such as gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, and safety footwear
Set Out the Work Method and Monitoring Requirements
Next, you will want to outline the work method so workers understand the safe sequence for completing bricklaying activities. This section should also explain how the work will be checked while it is underway.
- Site inspection before bricklaying begins
- Material delivery, set-up, bricklaying, clean-up, and waste removal steps
- Communication method between bricklayers, labourers, and supervisors
- Inspection points for scaffold, access, and work area conditions
- Stop work triggers for unsafe access, damaged scaffold, uncontrolled dust, or changing site conditions
Complete Review, Approval, and Worker Sign-Off
Complete your Bricklaying SWMS with review, approval, and worker sign-off to confirm that the work method and safety control measures have been communicated before work starts. Here are some examples of fields you can include:
- Names and roles of reviewers and approvers
- Date of review and approval
- Worker acknowledgement that the SWMS has been read and understood
- Supervisor or person in charge sign-off
- Revision number and next review trigger
Frequently asked questions
How to create SWMS process in an App or Software System
A well-designed SWMS process ensures workers clearly understand the hazards, risks, and required control measures to perform high-risk work, while enabling your team to easily document, review, and share safe work procedures before work begins.
40 minutes
Medium difficulty
Start your Bricklaying SWMS with General Information
It is important to begin your Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) with key project, site, date, reference, and location details so the document can be traced to the correct masonry works. This section should use simple text and date fields for fields such as:
- Text field or Automatic Form Counter for SWMS Reference Number
- Date selector field for Date
- Text fields for Project Name and Address
- Text field for Single Day Weather
- Multi-line text field for Description of Works
Create a Section for Scope of Work, Hazards, and PPE
Next, create a section where users can select the project scope, possible hazards, and required PPE for the bricklaying works. For simplicity, we recommend using multiple-choice selector fields for this section, with fields such as:
- Multiple-choice selector field for Project Scope, including Civil & Structural
- Multiple-choice selector field for Possible Hazards, including Falling Objects, Hazardous Substances, Heights, Manual Handling, Noise / Vibration, Other, and Slips / Trips / Falls
- Conditional text field for If other, please specify, so users can list extra hazards such as falling debris, electrical hazards, cement burns, cuts, and scrapes
- Multiple-choice selector field for PPE Required, including Ear Protection, Eye Protection, Hand Protection, Hard Hat, Illuminating Safety Vest, Respiration Equipment, and Safety Footwear
Create a Table for Material and Equipment Information
Users will next need to list down the masonry materials, mixers, saws, and other equipment required for the task. We highly recommend using a table for this section so each item can be recorded with its make, asset details, and required training information.
- First column for Material or Equipment Name
- Second column for Make or Model
- Third column for Registration or Asset ID, if any
- Fourth column for Required License or Training, if any
- Rows for clay bricks and concrete masonry blocks, mortar mixers, masonry saws with water suppression, and other task-specific equipment
Create a Table for the Method Statement and Risk Assessment
Next, create the main SWMS table where users can record each bricklaying job step, hazards, risk scores, controls, and responsible persons. We highly recommend using a table for this section, with the following formatting for the columns:
- First column for Job Step
- Second column for Potential Hazards
- Third column for Initial Risk Score
- Fourth column for Controls
- Fifth column for Residual Risk Score
- Sixth column for Person Responsible
Add Pre-filled Method Statement Rows for Bricklaying Work
After the main table is created, add pre-filled rows that reflect the most common bricklaying job steps in the attached SWMS. These rows help users complete the form faster while still allowing the SWMS to be adjusted for the actual site task.
- Row for Pre-start planning and work area setup
- Row for Handling and positioning bricks, blocks, and materials
- Row for Mixing and preparing mortar
- Row for Cutting bricks and blocks
- Row for Laying bricks and blocks
- Row for Bricklaying from scaffolds, trestles, or elevated work areas
- Row for Cleaning masonry and completing work area
Create a Section for Additional High-Risk or Site-Specific Steps
Some bricklaying tasks may require extra job steps depending on the wall design, scaffold layout, materials being installed, or site conditions. We highly recommend creating an additional method statement table so users can add extra risk assessment rows when needed.
- Additional row for Installing masonry lintels and wall ties
- Columns for Job Step, Potential Hazards, Likelihood, Consequence, Initial Risk Score, Controls, Residual Risk Score, and Person Responsible
- Text fields for controls covering team lifting, approved drawing checks, pinch point control, component support, scaffold edge protection, and exclusion zones below the work area
- Dropdown fields for Likelihood and Consequence scores
Create a Section for Risk Matrix Guidance
Next, add a risk matrix section as a guide for users to assess initial and residual risk scores for any additional job steps they may add. We highly recommend using the following fields and features to help guide users:
- Pre-filled or photo of the Risk Matrix table showing Likelihood, Consequence, and Risk Score levels
- Pre-filled text field for Consequence ratings from 1 to 5
- Pre-filled text field for Likelihood ratings from 1 to 5
- Pre-filled guide for residual risk actions, including Low, Moderate, High, and Catastrophic risk outcomes
End your Bricklaying SWMS with Worker and Supervisor Sign-offs
Finally, complete the Bricklaying Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) with worker confirmation and sign-off fields for the responsible parties. If your app or software allows, use scan-to-sign and automatic e-signature fields to keep the sign-off process digital.
- A scan to sign-on table for workers sign-off
- E-signature field for Supervisor Sign-off
- E-signature field for Project Manager Sign-off
- Automatic date and time stamp fields for each sign-off
About the author
Ron Gadugdug
Engineering Content Writer
Education:
Cebu Institute of Technology - University - Civil Engineering
Bio:
Ron is a Civil Engineer with 6 years of experience in the construction industry, primarily focused on quantity surveying, cost estimation, project management, quality control, contract administration, and property & engineering insurance. At Sitemate, he writes about practical applications of evolving technologies and digital solutions that support construction professionals in improving efficiency, compliance, and project delivery across the built world.
Project Details:
Quantity Surveying & Cost Engineering
Performed quantity take-offs of several high-rise and horizontal structures using sheets and applications like Revit and Bluebeam Revu, and spearheaded trials with Building Information Modeling (BIM) software.
Project Management & Consultancy
Coordinated with project management teams during the construction of local projects such as a 4-tower hotel & resort, a 22 storey condominium project, and a school dormitory project.
Contract Administration
Assisted during contract biddings and negotiations with general contractors and sub-contractors, and oversaw progress reporting, billings, and payment.
Property & Engineering Insurance
Dedicated non-life claims handler, overseeing property and contractor all-risk insurance claims, risk management, and bonds.
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