Can I dry-cut if I wear a P2 mask?

No. WHS regulators require uncontrolled dry cutting of silica-containing materials to be eliminated — water suppression or on-tool extraction come first, and the respirator is the layer on top. A mask alone fails a site audit and, more to the point, fails your lungs.

Do I need health monitoring for silica work?

If workers do ongoing silica-risk work, the PCBU must provide health monitoring — low-dose CT and lung function at intervals set by the regulator. Note in the SWMS that monitoring arrangements exist; the records themselves stay with the business.

What about cutting a post-tensioned slab?

Never cut a PT slab without the design documentation or an engineer's confirmation of tendon locations. A cut tendon releases explosively. This is a stop-work trigger in the SWMS: if the slab age or drawings suggest post-tensioning and you cannot confirm layout, the job stops.

All templatesConcreting

Concrete cutting SWMS template

Saw cutting, coring and drilling with dust and noise controls.

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Concrete cutting is where Australia's silica crackdown lands on construction sites. Uncontrolled dry cutting of concrete is effectively banned nationwide — engineered stone was only the start — and a concrete cutting SWMS lives or dies on how convincingly it controls dust at the blade.

This template covers saw cutting, coring and drilling: wall and floor saws, hand saws and core rigs. Alongside the dust, it deals with the hazard cutters find the hard way — what is inside the slab, from post-tension cables to the live conduit nobody drew on a plan.

What this SWMS covers

The typical scope of work the document describes, step by step. The builder lets you add, remove and reword steps so the sequence matches your actual job.

1Confirm scope and scan for embedded services
2Set up water supply and dust suppression
3Barricade work area and manage slurry
4Cut or core with continuous water feed
5Handle and remove cut sections
6Clean up slurry and dispose of waste

Hazards and example controls

The controls below are starting points ordered by the hierarchy of control — the builder helps you adapt them to the site and add your own.

Respirable crystalline silica from cutting

Wet cutting with continuous water feed at the blade — never cut dry
On-tool extraction with an H-class vacuum where water is impracticable
Fit-tested P2 respirator as the final layer, not the only control

Cutting embedded services or post-tension cables

Scan with GPR or a cable locator and mark before cutting
Confirm post-tension design before any structural slab cut
Isolate electrical circuits in the cut zone where identified

Saw kickback and blade contact

Guards fitted and operational on every saw
Two hands on hand saws; body positioned out of the cut line
Blades rated for the machine and inspected before use

Noise exposure

Class 5 hearing protection for the operator and anyone nearby
Barricade to keep other trades out of the noise zone

High risk construction work

Work near energised electrical installations

Cutting into slabs and walls routinely means work near energised electrical installations — conduits live inside the concrete. Structural cutting can also trigger the temporary-support category, and floor sawing on roads brings in the traffic corridor category. The scan-before-cut step determines which apply.

All 18 high-risk categories explained

Common questions

Can I dry-cut if I wear a P2 mask?: No. WHS regulators require uncontrolled dry cutting of silica-containing materials to be eliminated — water suppression or on-tool extraction come first, and the respirator is the layer on top. A mask alone fails a site audit and, more to the point, fails your lungs.
Do I need health monitoring for silica work?: If workers do ongoing silica-risk work, the PCBU must provide health monitoring — low-dose CT and lung function at intervals set by the regulator. Note in the SWMS that monitoring arrangements exist; the records themselves stay with the business.
What about cutting a post-tensioned slab?: Never cut a PT slab without the design documentation or an engineer's confirmation of tendon locations. A cut tendon releases explosively. This is a stop-work trigger in the SWMS: if the slab age or drawings suggest post-tensioning and you cannot confirm layout, the job stops.

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Start from this template and answer a few questions about the job — state, site, crew, method. Preview the whole document free; pay only when you download the PDF.

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Before you start

Users are responsible for reviewing and adapting the SWMS to the actual worksite, work methods and applicable regulatory requirements before work begins.