SAFE SYSTEM OF

WORK PLAN
(SSWP)

CIVIL ENGINEERING FORM

 Safe System of Work Plan (SSWP)
Guidelines
The Safe System of Work Plan (SSWP) complements the Safety • Describe the specific activity, e.g. pipelaying
Statement required under the Safety, Health and Welfare at • When the work is to start, the date, e.g. Tuesday, 1st June
Work Act, although it does not replace the requirement for such • What skills are required, e.g. 360 excavator driver,
a Safety Statement. Specific Guidelines on Safety Statements banksman, pipelayer, flag man
are available from the Health and Safety Authority. • Plant and Equipment required, e.g. Fiat Hitachi EX200,
Sling, Shackle
This guidance, which is particularly relevant to contractors, • Hazardous Materials, if used, e.g. Acme Bondex XXX, R45
self-employed persons and employees, deals with the • Contact Names & Tel No. in the event of an emergency, e.g.
completion of SSWP for Construction. Site Foreman, Safety Officer
• Name of the First Aider, and the location of the nearest First
The SSWP will help users to complete construction work Aid Box
activity in a safe manner. • Are Permits to Work required? Tick type
• The final section of this part: list requirements that are
Completing and using the SSWP will also help you to meet some
identified in the Construction Regulations and other
of the legal obligations placed on you by health and safety
Legislation as mandatory.
legislation.
Note: For sites where more than 20 persons are normally
The Safe System of Work Plan (SSWP) employed at any one time, a site safety representative should
The primary objective of the SSWP is to identify the major be appointed.
hazards associated with your work activities and to ensure that
PART 2
appropriate controls are in place before work commences.
This part of the SSWP form deals with hazard identification,
The SSWP achieves many other objectives, including: risk assessment, and risk control. Normally this will be carried
• Links the implementation of the Safety Statement directly out by the supervisor/foreman and/or self-employed person
to the work activity. prior to work starting. Where a site safety officer is employed
• Focusing on safety for a particular task. The SSWP is they should be involved in the process.
completed at the start of each activity, and can be reviewed ✔ The Hazards should first be identified by ticking the
at any time during the work.
square boxes in the “Select Hazard or Activity” column.
• Increasing awareness. It encourages the users to consider a
range of options to deal with the risks. The users will The appropriate Controls to eliminate the hazard or
become familiar with the various controls available. reduce the risk should be identified by ticking the
• Communicating through the use of pictograms so that the square boxes in the “Select Control” column.
meaning can be understood by persons who possess little or
✔ When controls are in place tick the round box. This
no English.
• Being user friendly: just tick the hazards and controls. must be done in conjunction with the workers at the
✔ specific work location prior to the work taking place.
The Safe System of Work Plan (SSWP) should be used as a
final check to ensure that the identified controls for a ✔ Similarly, the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
specific construction work activity are available and in place. and Fire Equipment required, should be selected by
However safety starts long before any specific construction ticking the square boxes in the PPE/ Fire sections, and
✔ when acquired by ticking the round box.
activity takes place. Hazard identification, risk assessment,
the elimination and control of identified hazards must take NOTE: The list of Hazards and Controls depicted in each form
place through all stages of construction from the planning is not exhaustive.
stage, through the design process, the tendering process
and on to the construction stage so that each specific Part 2 of the form may also contain several blank hazard
construction activity will have had safety built in. triangles, each labelled with the word “identify”, and several
The SSWP: A 3-part process: blank control boxes, each labelled with the word “other”. As
• Part 1: Planning the activity the list of hazards depicted is not exhaustive, where other
• Part 2: Hazard Identification, and Control Identifier hazards are identified, these can be written into the blank
• Part 3: Sign off hazard triangles. Similarly, as the list of controls depicted is not
exhaustive, where other controls are identified, these can be
PART 1 written into the blank control boxes.
This part will be completed by the person planning the
activity. Normally this will be carried out by the PART 3
supervisor/foreman and/or self-employed person prior to work This part deals with the signing off of the SSWP. The purpose
starting. Where a site safety officer is employed they should of signing off is to identify the person who has prepared the
be involved in the process. SSWP, and also to confirm that the completed SSWP has been
brought to the attention of all those to whom the SSWP applies.
• Identify who the employer/self-employed person is, e.g. Note 1: The completed SSWP must remain at the specific location
Acme Pipe Laying Ltd of the work with the persons carrying out the work activity.
• Name of the Supervisor for the activity, e.g. A. McSample Note 2: A new SSWP must be completed when (1) a new hazard is
• Identify the number of workers in the team, e.g. 3 identified, (2) the task changes, or (3) the environment changes.
• Identify the specific location of the activity, e.g. gridline x to
gridline y Optional: A record sheet is available inside the back cover.

REMEMBER “IF IT’S NOT SAFE DON’T DO IT, AND INFORM SITE MANAGEMENT”
© Copyright The Health and Safety Authority January 2006. All Rights Reserved. “The Health and Safety Authority”, the “HSA” and associated logos are trade marks of
The Health and Safety Authority.
FORM 5
 SAFE SYSTEM OF WORK PLAN (SSWP)
CONSTRUCTION FORM 5 (CIVIL ENGINEERING) Plan No.
Job Details Resources Required Emergency Details
Employer Name: Worker Skills: Contact Names & Tel No.
Supervisor/Lead Person: 1.
Number of Workers: 2.
Specific Location: 3.
Description of Works: Plant/Equipment: First Aider:
PART 1

Location of First Aid Box:

Start Date: Hazardous Materials: WORK PERMITS REQUIRED

NOTE: A new SSWP must be completed when Hot Electricity Excavation
the task or the environment changes. Confined Space Other

Before Works Starts the following MUST be in place

Supervision Safe Pass Plant/Eq. Cert. CSCS Communication/Induction WC & Washing Canteen Drying/Changing Drinking Water First Aid Smoking Control

SELECT
SELECT All controls identified below must be in place before work starts
✔ ✔
HAZARD
OR ACTIVITY CONTROL Tick the box to identify controls required; Tick the circle when control is in place.

General Fire
Drawings Risk Assess Method Statement Housekeeping Access Route Ground Conditions Lighting Warning Signs Control/Assembly Weather

Gas Over
Services Service Supplier Divert / Off Detector & Mark Permit to Work Hand Dig Isolate/Lock Out Barriers No Flames Bottle Storage Head Lines

Vehicle Roll Over

Plant Selection/Suitability Pile Driving 180 Excavator Recovery 360 Excavator Rock Breaker Bulldozer Dumper Protection/No Passengers Road Planer
PART 2

Forks Locking Pump PTO Guard

Teleporter Clamp/Extension Attachments Concrete Pump Connections Grab Lorry Road Sweeper Vehicle Movement Water Bowser & Access Steps

Lifting
Operations

Reverse Traffic Dead Crane

Delivery/Transport Warning Devices Speed Control Man Handle Seat Belts Safe Driving Private Parking Compound/Plant Security Select Crane Type Coordination

Check
SWL/Plan Lift Banksman Exclusion Zone Lifting Gear Man Cradle Concrete Skips Pallets/Secure Loads Pedestrian Route Examination & Inspection Other

Hand Held
Generators Compressor Jack Dust
Equipment Selection/Suitability Voltage Check Cable Guards Outside & Whip Checks Hammer/Kango Suppression Hot Works Chain Saw
Revised July 2007 © Copyright The Health and Safety Authority January 2006
 HAZARD OR CONTROL
ACTIVITY
Tick the ✔ box to identify controls required; Tick the ✔ circle when control is in place.

Excavation
Batter Back Trench Box Sheet Piling Shoring Back Fill Spoil Back Chock No Undermining Underpinning Ladder Access

Environment
Exclusion Zone Barriers Pumping Risk Assess Safe Stacking Propping Access/Egress Air Supply Examination & Inspection Other

Falls and
Falling Objects Scaffold/
Working Platform Edge Protection Open Holes Safe Ladder MEWP Mobile Scaffold Propping Nets/Bean Bags Trestle Platform Other

Structures
Proprietary Proprietary Guard
Steel Fixing Rebar Lifting Rebar Working Platform Edge Protection All Opes Temporary Works Bearings & Fixings Prop Types Prop Supports
In-Situ

Precast

Steel Work
PART 2

Fall Road Works Erecting Overhead

Concrete Pour Tag LInes Safe Access Arrest and Rescue Traffic Control Signs Surveying Burners/Boilers Lines/No Tipping Other

Traffic
Flagman/ Vehicle Traffic Rock Blasting
Management Liaison Diversion Road Signage Competence Warning/Sequence Exclusion Zone
Stop-Go Man Crash Barriers Speed Control

Working close
Flagman/
to the public Liaison Fencing/Hoarding Barriers Pedestrian Routes Security Traffic Control Stop-Go Man Banksman Lighting Dust/Muck

Working close
to water Personal Safety Fall
Floatation Device Life Ring Boat Edge Protection Line/Grab Line Arrest & Rescue Diving Coffer Dam Pontoon & Crane Dredger

X X

Manual Harmful Confined

Work Health
Handling Mechanical Aids Organisation Training Biological Agents Gases and Dusts Space Survey Permit to Work Detection

ex
PPE
Safety Respiratory
Helmet/Boot/Hi-Vis Eye Protection Safety Gloves Ear Protection Dust Mask Equipment Face Protection Safety Harness Tripod Communication

SSWP prepared by: Date:

PART 3

The controls to be used as per this form have been brought to my attention.

Signed by Team:
NOTE: This list of Hazards and Controls is not exhaustive and is in no particular order.
IF IT’S NOT SAFE DON’T DO IT AND INFORM SITE MANAGEMENT
Revised July 2007 © Copyright The Health and Safety Authority January 2006
 FOR THE RECORD (OPTIONAL)
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Safe System of Work Plan (SSWP)
Civil Engineering

Achieving a
Healthy
Safe
and

Working Life
-Together
HEALTH AND SAFETY
AUTHORITY HEADQUARTERS
10 Hogan Place, Dublin 2
Tel. 1890 289 389
Callers outside Republic of
Ireland 00353 1 6147000
Fax. (01) 6147020
website: www.hsa.ie