• SWMS template · exterior and high-level painting

Painting SWMS template: safe work method statement for painters

This is a painting SWMS template (safe work method statement) for Australian painting jobs. Ground-floor interior painting is usually a JSA. Exterior repaints, stairwells and high ceilings are different: once a person could fall more than 2 metres from a scaffold, EWP or ladder, it's high-risk construction work and you need a SWMS. This page shows what a painting SWMS should cover.

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When do painters need a SWMS?

Ground-floor interior painting from a low platform is usually covered by a painting JSA. A SWMS is required when the painting involves high-risk construction work (HRCW). Under the model WHS Regulations, regulation 291, these triggers commonly apply to painting; Victoria has its own list under the OHS Regulations 2017:

A risk of a person falling more than 2 metres, e.g. exterior, stairwell or high-ceiling painting from scaffold, an EWP or ladders.
Work in an area where powered mobile plant is moving (e.g. EWPs, forklifts or machinery on a commercial site).
Work on or next to a road or other traffic corridor in use by traffic.
Work on or near energised electrical installations or services, such as overhead lines near eaves.
Work likely to involve disturbing asbestos, e.g. preparing old fibre-cement eaves or cladding.
Work in or near a confined space, such as painting or coating inside tanks or pits.

Lead paint is not an HRCW category on its own, but if you're preparing old lead-based paint as part of a job that needs a SWMS, write the lead controls into it.

See the full list in our high risk construction work checklist.

Painting hazards and controls

Ladders, scaffolds and EWPs

Choose the right access for the job: use ladders only for short-duration work, set them on firm footing and secure them, and maintain three points of contact.

Scaffold must be erected by a competent person, with a licensed scaffolder for scaffolds from which a person or object could fall more than 4 m, and inspected before use.

EWP operators must be trained; a boom-type EWP with a boom of 11 m or more requires a high risk work licence. Use a harness and a rescue plan where required.

Solvents, 2-pack paints and isocyanates

Read the safety data sheet (SDS), provide ventilation and use a respirator suited to the product.

2-pack polyurethane coatings can contain isocyanates, which can cause occupational asthma: follow the SDS and use the respiratory protection it specifies, often supplied-air for spraying.

Keep ignition sources away from flammable vapour.

Lead paint and old surfaces

Houses built before about 1970 are more likely to have lead-based paint; test before preparation.

Do not dry sand or use open-flame stripping: use wet methods, containment and careful clean-up. Stop and identify suspect asbestos before drilling or sanding.

Spray painting

Set an exclusion zone, control overspray and check the wind before spraying; use a suitable respirator and eye protection.

Airless spray guns can cause injection injuries: never point the gun at anyone, use the tip guard and release pressure before cleaning.

Manual handling, slips and trips

Use mechanical aids and team lifts for heavy paint tins and ladders.

Secure drop sheets, clean spills promptly and manage cords and hoses so walkways stay clear.

Filled example: two-storey exterior repaint, older weatherboard house

Illustrative example of an exterior repaint on a two-storey weatherboard house built before 1970, painted from scaffold and a small EWP. The business and site are made up.

Document: SWMS — painting
Site: Two-storey weatherboard house (illustrative)
HRCW: Risk of a fall more than 2 m; powered mobile plant (EWP)

Example layout only — not a copy-paste legal document. See the working at heights SWMS for more on fall controls.

Step	Hazards	Controls	5×5 risk
1. Set up scaffold, EWP and exclusion zone Responsible: Supervisor	Falls from scaffold or EWP EWP contact with overhead service line Public walking under the work	Scaffold erected by a competent person and inspected with handover before use EWP operated by a trained (and licensed where required) operator; no-go zone kept from the service line Barriers and signs at ground level below the work	InitialL4×C5 = 20 Critical ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
2. Test and prepare old paintwork Responsible: Painter	Lead dust and chips from old paint Possible asbestos in old fibre-cement eaves	Test paint before preparation; no dry sanding or open-flame stripping of lead paint Wet scraping with drop sheets and containment; collect and bag debris Stop and identify any suspect fibre-cement before drilling or sanding	InitialL4×C4 = 16 Critical ResidualL2×C3 = 6 Medium
3. Spray and brush exterior coatings Responsible: Painter	Solvent vapour and spray mist Overspray onto neighbours, cars and the public	Read the SDS; respirator suited to the coating; spray only with wind conditions checked Mask and screen nearby surfaces; notify neighbours; stop spraying if drift reaches the boundary	InitialL3×C3 = 9 Medium ResidualL2×C2 = 4 Low
4. Cut-in and roll from ladders at the eaves Responsible: Painter	Falls from ladder Overreaching Dropped tins	Ladder footed and secured; maintain three points of contact; no working from the top two rungs Move the ladder instead of overreaching; use tool/tin hooks Exclusion zone below the work	InitialL4×C5 = 20 Critical ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
5. Clean up and pack down Responsible: Painter	Solvent waste Manual handling Slips on drop sheets	Dispose of waste per SDS and local rules; no washing paint into stormwater Team lifts for heavy items Remove drop sheets and trip hazards	InitialL3×C3 = 9 Medium ResidualL2×C2 = 4 Low

What the generator changes for painting

Tell the SWMS generator the building, the access method (scaffold, EWP, ladder) and the state. It drafts the steps, hazards and controls for the job, which you then review and edit. Check what a SWMS must include or start from the SWMS template.

Frequently asked questions

Do painters need a SWMS?

When the painting involves high-risk construction work. The most common trigger is a risk of falling more than 2 metres, for example exterior or stairwell painting from scaffold, an EWP or ladders. Working where powered mobile plant moves, or near energised services, also needs a SWMS. Ground-floor interior painting is usually a JSA.

Is a painting SWMS free to download?

Creating an account is free and needs no card; creating and editing your own site-specific draft is free too. The $20/month subscription is only needed to download the PDF. This page is an example layout, not a Word file you print and sign.

How should a painting SWMS handle lead paint?

Older homes may have lead-based paint. Test before preparing surfaces, don't dry sand or use open-flame stripping on lead paint, contain and collect the debris, and protect occupants and neighbours. Write those controls into the SWMS for the surfaces you'll prepare.

Do I need a licence to use an EWP?

A boom-type EWP with a boom length of 11 metres or more needs a high risk work licence. Smaller EWPs still need the operator to be trained and competent for that machine. Record the plant, the licence or training and the rescue plan in the SWMS.

Does the SWMS work in NSW, VIC, QLD and WA?

The generator cites the WHS Act and Regulations for NSW, QLD, WA and the other model-WHS jurisdictions. Victoria uses the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and Regulations 2017. Pick the state when you generate and the references follow.

Is a painting SWMS the same as a JSA?

No. A SWMS is required by law for high-risk construction work, such as painting with a fall risk over 2 metres. A JSA is a general risk tool often used for lower-risk tasks like ground-floor interior painting. See the painting JSA for that.

What should a painting SWMS include?

The HRCW involved, the job steps, the hazards for each step, the controls and how they'll be put in place and monitored, plus who is responsible. It must be site-specific and reviewed when the work changes.

Check the official guidance

A SWMS sets out the high-risk construction activities, their hazards and the controls to use. Prepare it before the work starts, adapt it to the site and review it when the work or controls change. Consult the people doing the work. An AI draft or example needs review before use.

Model WHS guidance and Victorian requirements differ. Check the rules that apply to your workplace.

Write the painting SWMS for this job

Describe the building, the access method and the state. Free account, no card to sign up. $20/month for unlimited PDF downloads.

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