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SWMS, JSA & WHS — without the jargon.
Practical guides for Australian trades, builders and site supervisors. Real examples, current legislation, no fluff.
The guides cover four things. SWMS basics: what a Safe Work Method Statement is, what regulation 299 says it must include, how to write one step by step, and a filled example. High-risk construction work: the 18 categories that make a SWMS mandatory, with a trade example for each. State rules: how the requirements differ between Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and the other states and territories, and which regulator you deal with. And JSA: when a Job Safety Analysis is enough, what a filled one looks like and what to look for in a JSA app. Every guide is general information, not legal advice, and points to the official sources. For trade-specific examples, browse SWMS templates by trade for high-risk work, or JSA templates by trade for everyday tasks.
SWMS template: what a SWMS must include (WHS Regulation 299 checklist)
The four things the law says every SWMS must contain, the details principal contractors expect, and a section-by-section template layout you can follow.
How to write a SWMS: 7 steps for Australian trades
Seven practical steps from 'does this job need one?' to a signed SWMS on site, written for tradies rather than safety consultants.
SWMS requirements by state: QLD, NSW, VIC, WA, SA, TAS, ACT, NT
One national model, eight sets of regulations. Which law applies where you work, who the regulator is, and the few differences that actually change your SWMS.
Safe work method statement example: a filled SWMS for a metal roof re-sheet
A worked example for a two-storey metal roof re-sheet, laid out the way a real SWMS is: HRCW identified, steps, hazards, controls, ratings and sign-on.
JSA software and apps for Australian trades: what to look for
What to look for in a JSA app, the point where a JSA stops being enough and the law requires a SWMS, and an honest look at how ours works.
JSA example Australia: a filled Job Safety Analysis (interior painting)
A complete filled JSA for ground-floor interior painting in Hawthorn VIC — steps, hazards, controls and 5×5 scores. Learn the layout, then generate your own.
SWMS and JSA: what's the difference and which do you need?
One Leichhardt extension, two documents: ground-floor tiling is a JSA, first-floor roofing is a SWMS. Legal weight, required content, and when each is enough.
High risk construction work: the 18 activities that require a SWMS
The full HRCW list from the model WHS Regulations, with examples for each — so you know instantly whether your job needs a SWMS.
What is a SWMS? A plain-English guide for Australian trades (2026)
Safe Work Method Statements explained — when you legally need one, what must be included, and how to write one in minutes instead of hours.