An editable safe work instruction for hand tools: what the worker does, step by step, the hazards and controls, and when to stop.
Step-by-step instruction for the worker: choosing the right tool for the task, checking it before use, body position and grip, cutting away from the body, carrying and storing tools, and tagging out damaged tools. It also sets out who may do the work, the hazards and their controls (most effective first), PPE, emergencies, consultation and approval, and a signed acknowledgement. A short setup note lists what to adapt and every placeholder.
It works with the Hand Tools Field Verification Checklist, which checks on site that the controls it relies on are working. There is no VOC or pack for this work: the safe work instruction and the field verification checklist are the set.
A VOC supports workplace competency verification. It does not replace a high risk work licence where one is required. No licence is needed to use hand tools. Workers must have the training and competency the task requires.
Delivered as one ZIP download. The files below are editable, and every Word document also comes as a PDF. Each download also includes Read Me First, a Setup Note, a Product Overview, the Permitted Use Terms and Version Information (PDF).
| File | Format | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Hand Tools Safe Work Instruction | Word (.docx) | Step-by-step instruction for the worker: choosing the right tool for the task, checking it before use, body position and grip, cutting away from the body, carrying and storing tools, and tagging out damaged tools. |
The safe work instruction says how the work is done; the Hand Tools Field Verification Checklist checks on site that the controls it relies on are working. There is no VOC or pack for this work: the safe work instruction and the field verification checklist are the set.
Tells the operator what to do
The steps, hazards and controls for the task, written for the person doing it.
Included
Checks they can do it
Verifies each operator against that same instruction, on your equipment, with evidence and a clear outcome.
In the pack
Checks the equipment is fit to use
Every shift, before use, with clear do-not-operate criteria.
In the pack
Checks the controls are working on site
A supervisor checks on the floor that the controls the instruction relies on are in place and effective.
In the pack
What supervisors find in the field feeds back into the instruction and the VOC.
Before first use, adapt the documents to:
Before you use them
No. There is no VOC or pack for this work: the safe work instruction and the field verification checklist are the set. The Hand Tools Field Verification Checklist is sold on its own too.
No. A VOC supports workplace competency verification. It does not replace a high risk work licence where one is required. No licence is needed to use hand tools. Workers must have the training and competency the task requires.
No. Where the manufacturer's instructions differ, follow the manufacturer and change the document to match.
No licence is needed, but workers must be trained and competent in the tools they use, including choosing the right tool, checking its condition and avoiding strain and repetitive movement injuries. The safe work instruction sets out how, and the field verification checks it on site.
A safe work method statement (SWMS) is a document WHS and OHS laws require before certain listed high risk work, such as work on a building site with a risk of a fall of more than 2 metres; it sets out the hazards and controls for that work. A safe work instruction is a step-by-step guide for doing one task or using one piece of equipment safely, written for the person doing it. Many workplaces use both. The safe work instruction gives workers the steps, and the field verification checks on site that they are followed.
Yes. Every document is supplied in Word (.docx) or Excel (.xlsx), so you can add your logo, change the wording and adapt it to your workplace. The copyright notice must stay.
Yes. The documents must be adapted to your equipment, the manufacturer's instructions, your site and your local controls before they are used. The setup note in the download lists what to change.
No document can. Your duties are met by managing the risks in your actual workplace. Using them does not by itself make a workplace compliant with WHS or OHS laws. They support the work of managing the risk; they are not legal advice.
Yes. Every price in the store includes GST, so $49.00 is the total, including $4.45 GST. Your receipt is a tax invoice showing the GST.
As a ZIP download. Card purchases can be downloaded straight away from the confirmation page and by a link we email you. Download links expire after 14 days for security; you can request a new one at any time.
Yes. Use Request an Invoice to order through your normal procurement process, with a purchase order number and quantities if you need them. The files are released once payment is confirmed.
Yes, across your own organisation. The documents are licensed for internal use by the purchasing organisation. A consultant, labour hire business or training provider supplying them to clients needs separate written permission.
They are written for Australian workplaces and refer to Australian WHS and OHS laws and licences. A business elsewhere should replace those references with its own country's requirements. Everything is editable for that.
Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law are not affected. See the Refund Policy for how we handle a document that is faulty, not as described, or not what you ordered.
Licence and legal information here is general. It may not be correct in your jurisdiction: please check with your local WHS or OHS regulator.
Ordering for a business or several sites? Request an invoice. Other questions: contact us.
Start with a toolbox talk to brief the crew on the hazard, then use the safe work instruction, the VOC and the field verification checklist to set and check the controls.
For workers who lift, push, pull, carry or hold: what makes a manual task hazardous, and why changing the task works better than lifting technique.
For every worker who wears PPE: where it sits in the hierarchy of control, and how to choose, fit, wear, look after and replace it so it actually protects.
Using the right tool for the task is a common critical control. To manage it as one, with performance standards and field verification across the business, see the Critical Control Management series.
The supervisor's field verification checklist: checks on site that the controls for the work are in place and working.