Safety Documents: SWMS, SMP and SDS
Three registers hold the safety paperwork a project runs on. They work the same way — each company submits, and the project reviews for compliance — but they cover different things.
Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS)
A SWMS sets out how a high-risk activity will be carried out safely. The register records the "SWMS" name, who "Submitted" it, a "Description", whether it covers "High Risk" work, its "Compliance" state and an overall "Status".
1 The "SWMS" tile · 2 "Search SWMS"
The "High Risk" column is the one to scan. High-risk construction work carries specific legal requirements, and a non-compliant SWMS against it should stop the activity.
Safety Management Plans (SMP)
An SMP is a company's overarching safety plan for the project. The register shows the "Organization Name", plan "Type", "Title", "Compliance", when it was "Submitted" and its "Status".
Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
An SDS describes a hazardous substance and how to handle it. The register records the "Hazard", the "Organization" that brought it on site, the "Hazard Type", an "Expiry Date" and a "Status".
Safety Data Sheets expire. The "Expiry Date" column is worth a periodic sweep — an out-of-date sheet is treated as no sheet at all.
Notes & Recommendations
- Each register has its own search box, and SWMS has an "Archived SWMS" view for superseded versions
- Compliance is assessed by the project team, not by the submitting company. A submitted document is not automatically a compliant one
- A revised SWMS should be submitted as a new version rather than edited in place, so the history of what was approved remains intact
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