Roofing SWMS: Written for Your Roofs, Not a Generic Template

Almost every roofing job is high risk construction work, so almost every roofing job needs a SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement) before anyone goes up. Here’s what a roofing SWMS must cover, what we see go wrong on real jobs, and how to make yours actually work on site, not just sit in the ute.

When does roofing work need a SWMS?

A SWMS is legally required when the job includes high risk construction work. Roofing usually ticks more than one box:

• a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres, which covers nearly every roof, plus the ladders, scaffold and edges getting to it
• working where powered mobile plant is moving, such as scissor lifts, boom lifts, cranes or forklifts delivering sheets
• working on or near energised electrical installations or services, like overhead powerlines near the gutter line or a service line to the house
• work likely to involve disturbing asbestos, common on older fibro and corrugated cement roofs (removing asbestos itself needs a licensed removalist)
• work on or next to a road in use, when the roof edge, crane or delivery is over a footpath or road

If you’re not sure, assume you need one. It’s also the first document a WHS inspector asks for when they walk onto a site.

What your roofing SWMS needs to cover

A good roofing SWMS lists the actual steps of the job, what could go wrong at each step, and what you’ll do about it. These are the hazards we’d expect to see in almost every roofing SWMS:

Hazard	Controls to include
Falls from the roof edge	Edge protection or scaffold first. If not practical, a harness system with identified, rated anchor points, plus a rescue plan. Never work alone on a roof.
Falls through fragile roofs and skylights	Identify every fragile area before going up: skylights, fibreglass and polycarbonate sheets, old fibro and brittle roofing. Use safety mesh, covers or walkways, and mark them. Treat anything you can’t confirm as fragile.
Wet or slippery roofs	No access until dew, rain or frost has dried off. Check the roof surface first thing each morning, and stop work if it gets wet.
Scissor lifts and boom lifts (EWPs)	Trained operators, a pre-start check, firm level ground, and a spotter where needed. Wear a harness clipped to the basket anchor in boom lifts. Keep clear of powerlines.
Overhead powerlines	Find them before you start, keep outside the exclusion zone, and call the network operator (Energex or Ergon in Queensland) if you need to get closer or need the line covered or switched off.
Wind, heat and storms	Stop sheet handling in strong wind (sheets act like sails), plan heavy work for cooler hours, and have water, shade and sun protection. Get off the roof in storms.
Ladders and access	Ladders secured and extending 1 metre above the landing, or proper stair access. Maintain three points of contact.
Manual handling of sheets	Two-person lifts or mechanical lifting, gloves for sharp edges, and loads spread on the roof structure.
Falling objects	Exclusion zone below, toe boards or catch screens, and tools and offcuts secured.
Hot work and power tools	Fire extinguisher on hand, cut-off and grinder guards, hearing and eye protection.

What we see go wrong on real roofing jobs

These are real incidents from the last year or so. They’re why a SWMS has to be specific to the roof you’re on.

• A roof wet with morning dew. A subcontractor decided to get on the roof before it had dried and fell. A simple “no access until the roof is dry” control, talked through at the start of the day, would have stopped it.
• Fragile sheets painted to look like Colorbond. Skylights and fragile roofing had been painted over, so they looked like normal metal roofing. Someone stepped on one and fell through. If you can’t confirm a sheet is safe to walk on, treat it as fragile.
• The SWMS was treated as paperwork. Signed, filed, never read. Most people just need a SWMS to be compliant and forget it’s designed to keep them safe.

A SWMS isn’t a “tick, flick and sign here” exercise

Your SWMS is the plan for doing the job safely. To actually work, it needs to be:

• Read and talked through with the crew before work starts. Go through the hazards and control measures together, like a toolbox talk, and get everyone to sign once they understand it.
• Specific to the site: this roof, its height and pitch, its fragile areas, its access, and the powerlines and weather on the day.
• Kept on site and easy to get to, not in the office.
• Reviewed when things change, like a new crew member, different equipment, weather, or a control that isn’t working. Stop, update it, and brief the crew.
• Given to the builder before work starts. If there’s a principal contractor, you must give them a copy of your SWMS before the high risk work begins. Most subbies only hand it over when asked, but it’s your responsibility to provide it.

Scissor lifts and boom lifts on roofing jobs

Elevating work platforms (EWPs) are often the safest way onto a roof edge, but they bring their own hazards, so they belong in your roofing SWMS:

• Boom lifts with a boom length of 11 metres or more need a high risk work licence (WP class) to operate. Smaller booms and scissor lifts still need the operator to be trained and familiar with that machine.
• Do a pre-start check every day and keep a record. The app makes this quick on your phone.
• Check the ground is firm and level. Watch for soft ground, slopes, pits and kerbs.
• In a boom lift, wear a harness clipped to the basket anchor point. Never climb out onto the roof from a raised basket unless the work method and SWMS allow for it.
• Keep well clear of powerlines, and use a spotter when working near them or near people and traffic.
• Have a rescue plan for getting someone down if the machine fails at height.

Working at heights: start at the top of the list

For falls, the law expects you to work down this list and use the highest control that’s reasonably practicable:

• Do the work from the ground where you can (for example, assembling at ground level).
• Fall prevention: a solid working platform, scaffold, edge protection or guardrails.
• Work positioning: a system like a restraint harness that stops you reaching the edge.
• Fall arrest: harnesses with rated anchors, or safety mesh, which catches you if you fall. You must have a rescue plan if you use these.
• Ladders and admin controls only where nothing higher on the list works.

How we can help

SWMS Done For You: $240. Tell us about the job, and we write a roofing SWMS that fits your work, your crew and your equipment. It arrives as a Word document within about 2 business days, ready to review, talk through with the crew, sign and take to site.

Doing roofs every week? The Projects One app lets you copy last job’s SWMS, update it for the new site on your phone, get the crew to sign on screen, and send it straight to the builder. Pre-starts for your scissor lift or boom are in there too.

Not sure what you need? Talk to a real person

Roofing SWMS questions

Do I need a new SWMS for every roof?

You don’t have to start from scratch, but you do need to review your SWMS for each roof before work starts. Roof height, pitch, fragile areas, access, powerlines and the crew change from job to job, so update the SWMS to match. More on reusing a SWMS.

Does the builder’s SWMS cover my roofing work?

No. The business doing the high risk work prepares the SWMS for that work. As the roofing contractor, you’re responsible for your SWMS, and you must give a copy to the builder (principal contractor) before the work starts.

Do I need a SWMS for a small roof repair?

If there’s a risk of someone falling more than 2 metres, yes. That includes most roofs, even a quick gutter or sheet repair on a single-storey house once you count the drop to the ground. If you’re not sure, we can help you work it out.

Do I need a licence to use a boom lift?

A high risk work licence (WP class) is needed to operate a boom-type EWP with a boom length of 11 metres or more. Scissor lifts and smaller booms don’t need that licence, but the operator still needs to be trained and familiar with the machine.

Is a free roofing SWMS template good enough?

A free template can be a starting point, but it won’t know your roofs, your equipment or your crew. An inspector will ask how the SWMS fits the job in front of them. If it doesn’t match what’s actually happening on site, it doesn’t protect your workers or your business.

Who should sign the roofing SWMS?

Everyone doing the work, once it’s been explained and they understand it. Re-sign it when it’s updated, and make sure new crew members go through it before they start.

Related guides

• Do I need a SWMS for every job?
• SWMS for sole traders
• SWMS vs Risk Assessment (JSA) vs Take 5
• SWMS rules in each state: Queensland, NSW, Victoria, WA

General information based on the model Work Health and Safety Regulations used in Queensland, NSW, WA and most states. Victoria uses its own OHS laws, but SWMS rules there are very similar. This isn’t legal advice, so check the detail for your state or ask us.