This safety alert reminds designers, engineers, persons conducting business or undertaking (PCBUs), person with management and control of site, and workers of the risks associated with inadequate design and certification of formwork installation and provides advice on minimising those risks in complying with the duties under WHS legislation.

Background:

SafeWork NSW has observed an increased number of inadequate installation designs and certifications by formwork designers and engineers in the construction industry.

Risks of inadequate designs, documentation and inspection include:

  • structural collapse of the formwork which may result in serious injuries or even death of workers and others in a workplace
  • falls from height
  • falling objects.

Action required:

Work Health and Safety legislation requires principal contractors, form workers and designers, to manage risks to health and safety associated with risks of using formwork.

Careful planning and preparation followed by adequate documentation, as mentioned in the AS/NZS 3610 series, is necessary to ensure health and safety risks are sufficiently managed. Inspections and certifications should occur for key stages during construction prior to loading any materials or persons accessing the formwork deck by a competent person.

Specific control measures:

  • Formwork companies must ensure to develop site specific formwork installation designs before commencing works.
  • Design must be performed by a competent person. A competent person refers to someone with adequate experience in designing formwork and have suitable qualifications in civil or structural engineering.
  • Designers must follow technical information provided by the manufacturers while designing the site-specific formwork plans. In the absence of technical information designers must ensure that all essential testing, calculations, analyses, or examinations are completed to confirm that the formwork will perform adequately under the intended loading conditions and throughout its service life. This process may involve but not limited to, load testing, manual calculations, or computer-generated simulations and modelling.
  • PCBUs and installers must ensure that formwork plans are readily available on-site during construction, either in hard copy or digital format.
  • Installers must ensure that the formwork system is installed and used in accordance with the installation designs provided and any other information. Any modifications on installation design changes must be approved by the designers, and all changes should be properly documented.
  • Inspection and certification by a competent person should occur prior to loading the formwork with construction materials or allowing access to other trades.
  • A separate certification by a competent person should occur when the formwork is complete no more than 48 hours prior to pour.
  • SafeWork NSW considers it is reasonably practicable for any inspection and certification to be conducted in person unless exceptional circumstances exist to be performed via photos and videos.
  • A designer safety report is required for designs that have unique, unusual or atypical features which create hazards and risks during the construction phase.
  • For any non-conformances identified during the pre-loading/pre-pour inspection by the competent person they should be documented and rectified prior to loading of the formwork. It is reasonably practicable to physically re-certify formwork once the formwork is rectified fully before the concrete pour. Certificates should not be forward dated or conditional on future works or rectifications.

For example: The formwork is adequate and compliant as per AS3610 series to pour after additional props are placed/double braces are used/missing jacks are placed etc.

Related guidance material

Further information

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