If your crew does high risk construction work in Queensland, you need a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) before the work starts. This page explains, in plain English, when a SWMS is required, what has to be in it, and what you need to do with it on site. If you get stuck, call us. You’ll talk to a real person, not a call centre.
Working outside Queensland? The rules are almost the same Australia-wide. See our SWMS in Australia guide.
Do I need a SWMS? The 18 high risk construction work types
Under the Queensland Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (section 291), you need a SWMS for construction work that:
- involves a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres
- is carried out on a telecommunication tower
- involves demolition of a load-bearing element, or anything holding the structure together
- involves, or is likely to involve, disturbing asbestos
- involves structural alterations or repairs that need temporary support to prevent collapse
- is carried out in or near a confined space
- is carried out in or near a shaft or trench deeper than 1.5 metres, or a tunnel
- involves the use of explosives
- is carried out on or near pressurised gas mains or piping
- is carried out on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines
- is carried out on or near energised electrical installations or services
- is carried out where there may be a contaminated or flammable atmosphere
- involves tilt-up or precast concrete
- is carried out on, in or next to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor in use
- is carried out where powered mobile plant is moving (excavators, forklifts, cranes, concrete pumps and the like)
- is carried out in artificial extremes of temperature
- is carried out in or near water or other liquid with a risk of drowning
- involves diving work
Most trades tick at least one box on a normal week: ladders and roofs (falls over 2 m), working near live power, a bobcat or excavator on site, a trench for plumbing, or older homes that may contain asbestos.
What a Queensland SWMS must include
According to WorkSafe Queensland, your SWMS must:
- identify the work that is high risk construction work
- list the hazards and the risks to health and safety from that work
- describe the control measures you will use
- describe how those controls will be put in place, monitored and reviewed
- take into account the conditions at this workplace and, on a construction project, the principal contractor’s WHS management plan
It should also show your business name, address and ABN, who is responsible for making sure it’s followed, the principal contractor’s name and the site address (on a construction project), and the dates it was prepared, given to the principal contractor and reviewed. Worker names, consultation dates and sign-offs are strongly recommended.
Be specific. WorkSafe Queensland gives “use appropriate PPE” as an example of what not to write. Say exactly what PPE, which barriers and which method, so nobody on site has to guess.
Your SWMS duties on site
- Before work starts: make sure a SWMS is prepared, by you or someone else, and give a copy to the principal contractor. The principal contractor must not let high risk construction work start without it.
- Talk to your workers: involve the people doing the work, and make sure they understand the hazards, the controls, and what to do if the job isn’t going to plan.
- Follow it: if the work isn’t being done the way the SWMS says, stop as soon as it’s safe, and don’t start again until it can be done as written (or the SWMS is reviewed and revised).
- Review it: when controls change, or the site or conditions change, review the SWMS and let everyone know about the revised version.
- Keep it: keep the SWMS readily available for inspection until the work is finished. If a notifiable incident happens, keep it for at least 2 years.
Can I use a generic SWMS or a template?
Yes, as a starting point. WorkSafe Queensland allows a generic SWMS for work you do regularly, but it must be reviewed and revised for each new job and workplace before you start. As we tell our clients: don’t call it generic, call it a template you make specific to each site and task. Keep your templates handy and update one for every new job.
Common SWMS mistakes we see
- Downloading a free template and never making it site-specific
- Vague controls like “be careful” or “use appropriate PPE”
- No sign-off from the crew actually doing the work
- Not giving a copy to the principal contractor before starting
- Never reviewing it when the job changes, the weather turns or a new subbie arrives
- Covering the 2 m fall risk but forgetting the excavator working next to you
Three ways to get your SWMS sorted
1. Do it yourself with the Projects One app
Build a site-specific SWMS step by step on your phone or computer, get your crew to sign on site, and copy it for the next job. Unlimited SWMS, toolbox talks, risk assessments and pre-starts for up to 10 users. See how the SWMS app works or check our prices.
2. We write it for you
Short on time, or tendering for a bigger job? We’ll write your SWMS for your actual job and site, ready for the principal contractor. SWMS done for you, done right.
3. Prefer paper?
Not a computer person? No problem. We can prepare your safety documents and send them ready to sign. Paper safety documents.
Not sure what you need? Talk to a real person
Projects One started in Rockhampton because we were a small construction business drowning in safety paperwork too. We talk tradie, not acronyms. Give us a call and we’ll tell you what your business actually needs, even if that’s not our app.
SWMS questions we get asked a lot
Do sole traders need a SWMS in Queensland?
Yes, if you’re doing high risk construction work. A sole trader is still a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), so the SWMS rules apply to you just like a bigger business.
Do I need a new SWMS for every job?
You need a SWMS that applies to each job and workplace. You can reuse a template, but you must review and revise it for the new site and conditions before work starts.
Can the builder’s SWMS cover my work?
A SWMS can be prepared by another person, but you are still responsible for making sure one is in place for your high risk work and that your crew follows it. If several businesses work in the same area, you need to consult and coordinate with each other.
Is a SWMS the same as a Risk Assessment (JSA) or a Take 5?
No. A SWMS is the document the law requires for high risk construction work. A Risk Assessment (some people call it a JSA or JHA) or a Take 5 is a useful tool, but it doesn’t replace a SWMS when one is required.
How long do I keep a SWMS?
Until the high risk construction work is finished. If a notifiable incident happens, keep it for at least 2 years from the incident. If you revise a SWMS, keep every version.
Do my workers each need a copy?
Not necessarily. The SWMS must be available to anyone doing the work and for inspection, and every worker must understand the hazards and controls in it, usually through an induction or toolbox talk.
More plain-English answers
- Do I need a SWMS for every job?
- Do sole traders need a SWMS?
- SWMS vs Risk Assessment (JSA) vs Take 5
- What safety documents does a tradie need?
This page is general information based on the Queensland Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and WorkSafe Queensland’s Safe work method statements guide. It isn’t legal advice. For your specific situation, give us a call or check with WorkSafe Queensland.