SWMS template — Australia

The fastest SWMS template you'll ever fill out.

Stop downloading 14-page Word templates and copy-pasting from last year's job. Describe your job in plain English and get an AI-written, Australian-compliant Safe Work Method Statement — hazards, controls, risk matrix and PDF — in about three minutes.

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What a compliant Australian SWMS template must include

  • The specific High-Risk Construction Work being carried out
  • Hazards and risks associated with each task
  • Control measures using the hierarchy of controls (elimination → PPE)
  • A 5×5 risk matrix score before and after controls
  • How controls will be implemented, monitored and reviewed
  • The relevant WHS or OHS legislation for your state
  • Sign-on register for workers and supervisors

Why use an AI SWMS template instead of Word?

A Word template starts blank. Our AI template starts with the right hazards for your job — based on the trade, the activity, the location and the state. You spend your time reviewing, not typing. Every document is stored in the cloud, versioned, and re-usable for the next site.

Trades and high-risk work covered

Each of these is a real SWMS page with a unique example — not a comma list. Work that is not HRCW belongs on a JSA instead.

  • Working at heights SWMSFirst-floor eaves, ladders and platforms with a fall over 2 m — Schedule 3, not a JSA.
  • Roofing SWMS templateMetal sheeting, fragile roofs and exclusion zones — commercial and residential pitches.
  • Scaffolding SWMS templateErect, alter and dismantle — falls and falling objects, not just the handover tag.
  • Electrical SWMS templateWork on or near energised installations. Isolated extra-low-risk fit-off belongs on a JSA.
  • Solar installation SWMSRooftop PV is usually fall > 2 m plus electrical. Domestic roofs are not exempt.
  • Demolition SWMS templateLoad-bearing strip-out. Check asbestos before the first bar hits the wall.
  • Excavation SWMS templateTrenches and shafts deeper than 1.5 m — collapse and buried services.
  • Asbestos SWMS templatePlanned licensed removal, or an unexpected find that stops the job.
  • Confined space SWMSTanks and pits. Permit, atmosphere, standby — not a maintenance JSA.
  • Plumbing SWMS templateRooftop HWS, gas and live services. A ground-floor tap change is a different document.
  • Concreting SWMS templatePours, pumps, precast and silica — concrete trucks, boom pumps and rebar are HRCW more often than not.
  • Carpentry & formwork SWMSSuspended slab formwork, wall frames and roof framing — falls, collapse and nail guns on the same day.
  • Steel erection SWMSStructural steel with a crane, riggers and EWPs — falls, suspended loads and an unbraced frame.
  • Crane & lifting SWMSMobile crane lifts, dogging and rigging — lift plans, ground bearing, power lines and the drop zone.
  • Hot works & welding SWMSWelding, cutting and grinding near fuel, in plant rooms and at height — permits, fume and fire watch.
  • Traffic control SWMSWork on or beside a live road — traffic guidance schemes, stop/slow, and the crew inside the cones.

Frequently asked questions

What must an Australian SWMS template include?

Under the WHS Regulations, a SWMS must list the high-risk construction work being carried out, the hazards and risks, the control measures (using the hierarchy of controls), and how those controls will be implemented, monitored and reviewed. It must also be developed in consultation with workers and signed off before work starts.

Is there a free SWMS template?

The structure and examples on this site are free. Generating your own site-specific SWMS is $20 per month or $200 per year for unlimited documents. Creating an account is free and needs no card.

Can I edit the SWMS after the AI writes it?

Absolutely. The AI gives you a strong starting draft. You can edit every step, hazard, control, risk score and add your own company branding before exporting the PDF.

Is this template valid in NSW, VIC, QLD and WA?

Yes. The generator selects the correct legislation per state — Work Health and Safety Act/Regulation in NSW, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 plus OHS Regulations 2017 in Victoria.

Do I need a SWMS for non-high-risk work?

Strictly, a SWMS is only legally required for the 18 categories of High-Risk Construction Work in Schedule 3 of the WHS Regulations. For other tasks a JSA or risk assessment is usually appropriate.

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