• SWMS template · erect, alter, dismantle

Scaffolding SWMS template Australia

Putting a scaffold up is not “access prep” you bury in someone else’s SWMS. Erect, alter and dismantle are their own high-risk sequence: falls from incomplete lifts, falling frames onto the footpath, and a tag that actually means the structure is ready.

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When a scaffolding SWMS is the right document

HRCW: fall greater than 2 m, and often work where there are falling objects. Independent scaffold on a three-storey terrace is both. A hop-up inside a ground-floor room under 2 m is not this page.

The SWMS belongs to the scaffolder (the PCBU doing the erect/alter/dismantle), consulted with that crew. The builder’s roof SWMS does not replace it.

Filled example: independent scaffold, Paddington NSW

Three-storey brick terrace, narrow footpath, residents still using the front door. Facade pointing next week — this SWMS is the erect, a mid-job hop-up alter, and the dismantle. Not the pointing itself.

Job / task: Erect, alter and dismantle independent scaffold for facade pointing
Site: Three-storey terrace, Paddington NSW 2021
Document: SWMS · HRCW: fall > 2 m / falling objects · example only
PPE: Hard hat, hi-vis, steel-caps, gloves, glasses, harness when required by the system of work

Example layout. Public protection on a Paddington footpath is part of the job, not an extra. Licensed scaffolders still need this SWMS. Heights work from the finished scaffold: working at heights SWMS.

Step	Hazards	Controls	5×5 risk
1. Check ground bearing, underground services and overhead power before base-out Responsible: Supervisor	Cellar lights and weak footpath slabs Unknown services under the pavement Low overhead service to the terrace	Sole boards; don’t base out on cellar covers; confirm with the builder DBYD / before-you-dig and visual check of pits before standards go down Spotter for the service; plan the first lift so standards stay clear	InitialL3×C4 = 12 High ResidualL2×C3 = 6 Medium
2. Base out, build the first lift, fit ties and falling-object protection Responsible: Scaffolder	Fall from the first lift while fitting ledgers Frames and boards dropped onto the footpath Residents walking through the bay	Build to design; ties as specified before the next lift Mesh, toe boards, and a hoarding / exclusion on the footpath; spotter at the door Do not throw boards; use a gin wheel or pass hand-to-hand	InitialL4×C5 = 20 Critical ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
3. Build upper lifts, hop-ups for the pointers, tag the scaffold Responsible: Leading hand	Fall from incomplete upper lifts Overloading hop-ups with pointing gear later Unauthorised use before the tag is on	Guardrails on every lift before it is a working platform Note load class on the tag; brief the pointing contractor Handover certificate and scafftag before anyone else climbs	InitialL3×C5 = 15 High ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
4. Alter for a window bay, then dismantle in reverse at the end of the job Responsible: Scaffolder	Fall during alter when a rail is temporarily off Falling components during dismantle Traffic on the lane when the truck is loaded	Exclusion while a rail is off; don’t leave an open edge overnight Dismantle top-down; lower gear, don’t bomb it into the truck Spotter on the lane; stack on the truck from the footpath side	InitialL3×C5 = 15 High ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a scaffolding SWMS template?

Yes when the work involves a risk of a fall greater than 2 m or falling objects onto workers or the public — which erecting and dismantling almost always does. High-risk licences still need a SWMS for the job, not just a ticket in the wallet.

Is there a free scaffolding SWMS 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. Don’t photocopy this Paddington example onto a tower scaffold in a warehouse.

Can the painter’s JSA cover the scaffold?

No. The crew who erect and dismantle need a SWMS for that work. The painter working from a completed, tagged scaffold on the ground-floor lift might be on a JSA — only if their fall is not greater than 2 m. First-floor pointing is still heights HRCW.

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

State-aware citations: WHS Act/Regulation in NSW, QLD, WA; OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017 in Victoria. Scaffold high-risk work licences and the relevant code of practice still apply in each state.

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.

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