eFlash #624

eFlash #624 New

Date: 02-May-2025

New / Hot Topics

New Safe Work Australia Course

Following the exemption for HPWJ of asbestos cement pipes and the release of the Grey Card, we have now added an interactive Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) tool to the Water Training website.

Developed by Safe Work Australia, the interactive SWMS tool provides information on how to prepare and use a SWMS in the workplace. It identifies high risk activities including falling more than two metres, disturbing asbestos, working in confined space, near a shaft, trench, tunnel or pressurised mains and more.

The information provided in the SWMS tool is based on the model WHS laws and does not guarantee compliance or provide information about WHS laws that are specific to your state or territory. Contact the local WHS regulator in your state or territory for more information about the WHS laws that apply to your workplace. Your local WHS regulator can provide practical advice, guidance, resources and tools to help you keep safe when doing high risk work.

Accredited Training for HPWJ

qldwater is actively supporting Toowoomba Regional Council to ensure its operational teams receive compliant and nationally accredited High Pressure Water Jetting (HPWJ) training—particularly as it relates to working on high-risk infrastructure such as asbestos cement pipes. The HPWJ exemption now allows limited work on asbestos materials, but this comes with strict conditions that include mandatory training through a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). qldwater is reinforcing that training for this high-risk activity must be aligned with Australian Standard AS4233 and delivered by accredited trainers—not internal staff—to maintain compliance and reduce liability risks for council.

Toowoomba’s upcoming training has been secured through TrainRight, one of Australia’s leading providers in HPWJ education for the water sector. qldwater has negotiated a delivery model that includes three days of onsite training in Toowoomba, with up to 10 students per session. Each participant will complete the MSMSS00019 – Operate a Drain Cleaning System skill set, which includes four nationally accredited units and covers key topics such as correct nozzle selection, asbestos awareness, and SWMS review. This ensures council workers are fully equipped to perform HPWJ tasks safely and in line with legal requirements.

In addition to high-quality, hands-on training, TrainRight provides ongoing compliance support, including refresher tracking and streamlined re-certification options. This proactive approach not only meets the legislative training obligations under the HPWJ exemption but also supports Toowoomba’s operational resilience and workforce capability. By facilitating access to this training, qldwater is helping Toowoomba Council strengthen safety outcomes, reduce operational risk, and ensure legal compliance in the delivery of critical water services.

For more information, please contact Sarah Henry.

SWIM Training

David Scheltinga and Jess Dean will be in the qldwater offices at Eagle Farm on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 May to provide in person assistance and guidance to make the most of SWIM and swimlocal.

For those who can’t attend in person, we have scheduled two Teams sessions:

Thursday 22 May from 9.30 to 10.30 – Register here
Friday 23 May from 9.30 to 10.30 – Register here

Please email jdean@qldwater.com.au to let us know if you’ll be attending in person.

This is your chance to stay up to date with changes to the SWIM and swimlocal system to ensure you get most out of these powerful tools. We look forward to seeing you there!

Utility Damage Prevention Awareness Session

qldwater is hosting a general awareness and education session in partnership with Before You Dig Australia (BYDA). Join us to understand the role of BYDA, safe excavation practices, complying with asset-owner instructions, and the consequences of damages. Learn how to mitigate and avoid potential damage and harm and ensure a safe work environment.

The presentation will include:

About Before You Dig Australia (BYDA)
How and why damage occurs
What can you do to stay safe and avoid damages
The importance of safe excavation
The 5P’s of Safe Excavation
Safe work practices
Legislative and Duty of Care requirements
How the referral BYDA service works
How to lodge a free BYDA enquiry
Australian Standard 5488 - Classification of Subsurface Utility Information
Skilled Locators - Who they are, their role & how to find one

Water Connections Tour 2025

We are gearing up for the 2025 Water Connections Tour visiting the South West Queensland region from 12 to 15 May.

The study tour is open to government personnel seeking to increase their knowledge of urban water systems and issues impacting the communities, infrastructure assets and workforce.

The tour group will see dam safety upgrades at Cressbrook Dam in Toowoomba, inspect water and sewer assets in Goondoowindi as well as asset and service risks in Balonne and Maranoa Regional Council areas, as identified through the South West Queensland Water and Sewerage Alliance (SWQWSA) detailed condition assessment (funded through QWRAP).

The tour will also incorporate meetings with technical staff and discussions with CEOs to help to gain an appreciation of what’s involved in the delivery of essential services to these communities.

The objective of the tour is to bring together different departments and working groups to gain firsthand insights of issues impacting the sector including infrastructure condition, and workforce and skilling), and to build trust between key government and Local Government stakeholders.

REMINDERS / OTHER NEWS

Australian Fire Danger Rating System

The Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS) Utilities Sector Stakeholder Engagement Project aims to support the utilities sector with an efficient ongoing transition to the AFDRS. The project has been designed to assist the AFDRS Project Management Office to proactively identify, map and understand the difficulties faced by stakeholders within the utilities sector nationally. Outcomes from this work will assist prioritisation and identification of support tools and assistance required to effectively manage and enhance business continuity with the implementation of AFDRS and associated impacts

A comprehensive understanding of the AFDRS is vital for business continuity within the urban water sector. The AFDRS provides precise and timely bushfire risk information. However, to better empower the utilities sector’s understanding of bushfire risk, it is essential to gain a deeper understanding of necessary support tools. This will be achieved through extensive engagement, including national workshops and online consultations. Efforts intend to enhance the sector's resilience, minimise disruptions, and ensure a continuous supply of essential services during heightened fire danger periods.

The project seeks to:

Engage extensively with utilities sector stakeholders through a collaborative consultation process to assess the risks to BAU operations resulting from the transition to AFDRS
Conduct collaborative consultation with national utilities sector stakeholders to identify and codesign support tools required for effective AFDRS adoption
Engage with a board range of utility sector stakeholders to improve the accessibility to critical information for decision making
Identify and capture key learnings, analyse the outcomes and share key learnings from the project experience to enhance future engagement activities.

For further information please contact belinda.edmondson@afac.com.au