HPWJ Exemption Secured for Queensland Water Sector New
Date: 25-Feb-2025
After years of advocacy and research, qldwater is pleased to announce that we have successfully secured an exemption from the Office of Industrial Relations (Queensland’s safety regulator) for Queensland Water Service Providers regarding the use of High-Pressure Water Jetting for sewer cleaning.
This exemption, valid until 2030, applies to:
- Local governments that own water or sewerage infrastructure and are registered as Water Service Providers under chapter 2, part 3 of the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008.
- Distributor-retailers as defined in the South-East Queensland Water (Distribution and Retail Restructuring) Act 2009.
- Entities contracted to perform high-pressure water jetting on behalf of a registered Water Service Provider or distributor-retailer.
👉 Download the letter of exemption here.
👉 Download the Exemption Decision Document here.
The Research Behind the Exemption
The exemption follows extensive research on asbestos fibres in sewers, sewer flows, biosolids, and treatment plants. This study involved presence and absence testing at 20 Water Service Providers across Queensland.
This achievement was made possible with the strong support of Urban Utilities—Queensland’s largest Water Service Provider—and their contractors, Veolia and WSP. Their expert Occupational Hygiene advice, combined with collaboration between qldwater, the regulator, and unions, helped develop Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) to ensure worker safety.
👉 Download the sample SWMS here.
What This Means for Water Service Providers
The exemption requires Water Service Providers to implement appropriate safety training and adopt a Safe Work Method in line with the regulator’s approval. While providers must tailor their SWMS to local conditions and equipment, the core safety principles outlined in the sample SWMS must be followed.
To support the sector in understanding these requirements, qldwater will soon host a webinar covering the research findings and safety measures needed for compliance. Stay tuned for details on the webinar in the coming week.