Site Safety

# Safe Work Procedure template — the steps, written down

An SWP turns “everyone knows how we do it” into a written, step-by-step procedure — the document you train new workers from and hand an auditor when they ask how the task is controlled.

[Open the SWP template](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=safe-work-procedure#form-library)
[Browse all 126 forms](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools#form-library)

## Free to fill and print

The worksheet opens in Blue Crane's Form Maker: fill the fields on
screen, print, done — no account. Free PDFs carry a small
Blue Crane footer line; the one-time Form Maker Pass ($9 for 30
days, $69 for a year) strips all Blue Crane text for clean, client-ready
prints and auto-fills your company details on all 126 forms.

**Worksheet and record, not a filing.** Where an
official form or filing exists, this prepares the information and
keeps your copy — the filing itself is done with the regulator.

## What goes in a Safe Work Procedure

A usable SWP fits on a page or two and covers:

- The task, plainly named — one SWP per task, not one for the whole trade

- The hazards of that task, specifically — not generic boilerplate

- Required PPE and equipment before starting

- The steps in order, written the way the work is actually done

- What to do when something goes wrong — stop-work and emergency steps

- Who wrote it, when, and when it gets reviewed

## SWP, JHA, FLHA — which one?

They answer different questions. A [JHA/JSA](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=hazard-assessment#form-library) analyzes a job to find its hazards. An SWP is the standing instruction that results — how the task is done safely, every time. An [FLHA](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=field-level-hazard-assessment#form-library) is the daily field check that today’s conditions match the plan. Mature safety programs run all three.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is a Safe Work Procedure legally required?

Canadian OHS law places a general duty on employers to inform, instruct, and supervise workers so work is done safely. Written procedures are how that duty is evidenced for recurring or higher-risk tasks — and specific regulations require written procedures for certain work. If an auditor or officer asks how a task is controlled, the SWP is the answer they expect on paper.

### How many SWPs does a contractor need?

One per recurring task that carries real risk — not one per trade. A small crew might run a dozen: ladder work, cutting, lockout, lifting with equipment, confined entry if it applies. Start with the tasks that would hurt someone the fastest.

### Who should write the SWP?

Someone who actually does the task, with a supervisor or competent person reviewing it. A procedure written far from the work reads that way — and workers ignore documents that describe a job they do not recognize.

### How often should SWPs be reviewed?

Review when the task, equipment, or site changes — and on a regular cycle regardless, so the review date on the document is never years old. The template carries an effective date and a review-due date for exactly that reason.

## The paperwork is the easy part now.

The Blue Crane App keeps documents, certs, crew sign-offs, and costs
per job site — the Form Maker is the free front door.

[Try the App free — 30 days](https://app.bluecraneworks.ca/?intent=trial)
[Open the SWP template](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=safe-work-procedure#form-library)

[Hazard assessment / JHA](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=hazard-assessment#form-library)
[FLHA template](https://bluecraneworks.ca/field-level-hazard-assessment-flha.html)
[Toolbox talk sign-in](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=toolbox-talk-sign-in#form-library)
[Worker orientation](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=worker-orientation#form-library)

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Source: https://bluecraneworks.ca/safe-work-procedure-template