• SWMS template · rooftop PV

Solar installation SWMS template Australia

Rooftop solar is two HRCW problems stacked: a fall greater than 2 metres, and work on or near electrical systems (DC strings, AC isolators, sometimes a live board). A domestic tiled roof in Unley is not exempt because it is “just residential”.

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Why rooftop solar is a SWMS job

HRCW: fall greater than 2 m, and often work on or near energised electrical installations (DC can be live as soon as modules see light). Tile roofs also behave like fragile surfaces if you step between battens.

This example is a residential tile roof in Unley, South Australia — not the Parramatta demo on the homepage, and not the Yatala warehouse on the roofing SWMS page. Rails, tile hooks and DC stringing are the sequence here.

Filled example: tiled roof PV, Unley SA

Twelve modules, tile hooks, rails, stringing to a garage-wall inverter. Occupied house, steep street, no scaffold until edge protection is decided on the day. Licensed electrician for AC.

Job / task: Install 12 rooftop PV modules, rails and garage-wall inverter
Site: Occupied tiled dwelling, Unley SA 5061
Document: SWMS · HRCW: fall > 2 m + electrical · example only
PPE: Hard hat, hi-vis, steel-caps, glasses, gloves, sun protection, harness with edge protection

Example layout. Residual risk on a live tile roof often stays High. DC is live in daylight — cover modules until stringing is ready. Energised AC at the board: electrical SWMS.

Step	Hazards	Controls	5×5 risk
1. Access the tile roof and install edge protection before rails go up Responsible: Supervisor	Fall more than 2 m from the eave or through tiles between battens Ladder not footed on a steep nature strip Occupants in the backyard under the pitch	Guardrails or a rope system with a documented anchor before anyone works the pitch Ladder tied, 1:4, second person foots; boards on the strip if the ground is soft Backyard exclusion until rails are in; tell the owner	InitialL3×C5 = 15 High ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
2. Fit tile hooks and rails without breaking the weatherproofing Responsible: Solar installer	Slip on dusty tiles Broken tiles creating a step-through Manual handling of rail packs on the pitch	Crawl boards / walk the batten lines; don’t step mid-tile Spare tiles on the truck; stop if a tile goes and the hole is a fall risk Two-person pass for rails; rest them on the hooks immediately	InitialL4×C5 = 20 Critical ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
3. Land modules and string DC (modules live in daylight) Responsible: Solar installer	Module as a sail — fall or struck-by DC shock / arc when connectors go on in sun Fall while reaching the ridge for the last row	Two-person land; don’t lift modules in wind; rest on the rail immediately Covers on modules until ready; MC4 with the right tool; no jewellery; licensed person for electrical work Stay inside the edge protection; no overreaching the ridge	InitialL4×C5 = 20 Critical ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
4. Terminate DC at the inverter and AC isolator on the garage wall Responsible: Licensed electrician	DC still live at the inverter Work on or near the existing garage DB Ladder work on the garage wall under 2 m vs still a roof job for the array	DC isolator off; prove; treat strings as live until tested If the garage DB is energised, stop and write an electrical SWMS for that part — don’t improvise on a live board Stable platform for wall work; roof crew stay off the pitch during AC testing	InitialL3×C5 = 15 High ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a solar installation SWMS template?

Almost always. Rooftop PV has a fall greater than 2 m, and stringing / isolators add electrical risk. A SWMS is required before panels go up the ladder — a generic roofing SWMS that never mentions DC is the wrong document.

Can I get a free solar 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. The Unley tiled-roof example is a layout. A tin roof in the tropics is a different job.

Is a JSA enough for rooftop solar?

No. Fall greater than 2 m is HRCW. A JSA is not a substitute. Ground-floor inverter work on an already-isolated extra-low-voltage job might be a JSA — the roof is not.

NSW, VIC, QLD, WA — does the solar SWMS change?

Citations follow the state: WHS Act/Regulation, or Victoria’s OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017. Electrical licensing and Clean Energy Council / network rules are extra — the SWMS does not replace them.

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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