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Roofing SWMS — Safe Work Method Statement for Roofers

A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) for roofing work is a mandatory safety planning document required under the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulation 2025. Roofing is inherently height work — there is no such thing as roofing below 2 metres on a construction site, and every time a worker steps onto a roof they are exposed to unprotected edges, fragile surfaces, variable pitch, and rapidly changing weather conditions. Falls from roofs remain one of the most common causes of workplace death in Australian construction, and the SafeWork NSW falls from heights enforcement programme (2023-2024) issued over $972,000 in penalty notices across 1,218 inspected sites with roofers prominently represented in the compliance findings. The falls HRCW applies to virtually every roofing task, and a site-specific SWMS is required before any worker steps onto the roof surface.

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SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.

Legal Requirements

regulation

WHS Regulation 2025 Part 6.1 Division 3 — High Risk Construction Work

hrcw category

Work involving a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres; work involving structural alterations or repairs that require temporary support (truss installation); work involving powered mobile plant; work involving disturbance of asbestos (pre-2003 roofs) (WHS Regulation 2025 Schedule 1)

code of practice

Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces (2021); Code of Practice: How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace (2020); Code of Practice: How to Safely Remove Asbestos (2020); AS/NZS 1891 series; AS/NZS 4994; AS 1562.1

section 26a binding

true

Hazards

HazardConsequenceLikelihood
Falls from unprotected roof edges during installation, repair, and inspection workFalls from a roof edge are the signature fatal mechanism in Australian roofing.Possible (C)
Falls through fragile surfaces including skylights, translucent sheeting, deteriorated fibre cement, and rusted metalA worker who steps onto a fragile surface can fall through the roof to the ground or floor below without warning.Possible (C)
Heat stress and heat stroke from elevated roof surface temperatures and exposure to direct sunRoof surfaces in Australian summer reach 70 degrees Celsius or more on metal sheeting and dark tiles.Likely (B) during summer daytime without heat management
Falling objects from the roof striking workers or members of the public belowRoofers handle tools, fixings, sheeting offcuts, and heavy materials above active work areas and in many cases above public pathways.Likely (B) without exclusion zones and tool management
Wind exposure at roof level affecting worker stability and material handlingWind speeds at roof level are typically 1.5 to 2 times higher than at ground level, and the worker on a roof presents a large cross-section to the wind.Possible (C)
Loss of footing on steep-pitch roofs (above 25 degrees) and slide to edgeWorking above 25 degrees pitch changes the dynamic of walking on a roof — friction between boot sole and surface may be insufficient to hold the worker in place, particularly on wet, frosty, or mossy surfaces.Possible (C)
Disturbance of asbestos-containing roof materials during removal, repair, or re-roofing of pre-2003 buildingsAsbestos cement sheeting (commonly referred to as fibro), asbestos eaves lining, asbestos insulation, and asbestos backing to tile underlay are present in many Australian roofs constructed before 2003.Possible (C) in pre-2003 buildings
UV radiation exposure causing severe sunburn and elevated long-term skin cancer riskRoofers have the highest UV exposure of any construction trade because they work on elevated surfaces with no shade and high UV reflection from the roof material.Almost Certain (A) without sun protection during summer daylight work
Electrical contact with overhead power lines during handling of long sheet materials, ladders, or tools near roof edgesDistribution power lines running close to residential eaves, factory roof edges, and commercial buildings create an electrocution hazard when long sheet materials, ladders, or metal tools approach within the safe approach distance.Unlikely (D)
Ladder falls during roof access and egressWorkers accessing or leaving the roof via a ladder can fall from the ladder due to incorrect setup, unsecured base, inadequate extension above the roof line, or slip during transition.Likely (B)

Controls (Hierarchy of Controls)

[Elimination] Prefabricate roof components, trusses, and sheet assemblies off-site or at ground level where the design permits, eliminating work-at-height hours for fabrication
[Elimination] Programme roof work to eliminate worker exposure during peak heat and high-UV hours — start early, take a long midday break, or reschedule to cooler seasons where client constraints allow
[Substitution] Substitute an elevating work platform (boom lift or scissor lift) for roof edge work where the task is short-duration repair or inspection and access from below is practical
[Substitution] Substitute factory-coated and pre-finished sheeting for on-roof cutting operations to reduce cutting dust and manual handling
[Isolation] Establish exclusion zones below active roof work using barricades, cones, signage, and spotters — no worker or pedestrian permitted in the drop zone during sheeting, stripping, or material lift
[Isolation] Isolate skylights, fragile surfaces, and deteriorated areas with paint marking, signage, and physical barriers such as crawl boards or guarding before any access is permitted
[Engineering] Install perimeter scaffold with full edge protection to AS/NZS 4994 around the building before any roof work commences — scaffold is the preferred control under the Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces
[Engineering] Install catch scaffold or catch platforms at eaves level to catch a falling worker where full perimeter scaffold is not practicable
[Engineering] Install safety mesh below roof sheeting on metal roofs to arrest a fall through a sheet or skylight per AS/NZS 4389
[Engineering] Install permanent or temporary roof anchor points per AS/NZS 1891.4 for harness attachment where fall arrest is required — anchors certified and tested before use
+ 15 more controls included in the full template

Recent Prosecutions

SafeWork NSW Falls from Heights Enforcement Programme (2023-2024)$972,000 in penalty notices plus multiple prohibition notices

SafeWork NSW's twelve-month targeted falls from heights enforcement programme included focused compliance activity on residential roofing contractors. Inspectors observed roofers working on pitched tiled and metal roofs without edge protection, without fall arrest systems, and without site-specific SWMS documentation. In one case, three workers were observed with inadequate fall protection on a pitched tile roof at Sawtell, and the contractor was convicted and fined by the Downing Centre Local Court. The programme issued 1,499 improvement notices, 727 prohibition notices, and 352 penalty notices amounting to $972,000 in penalties across 1,218 inspected worksites.

2024 — SafeWork NSW Falls from Heights Enforcement Programme Media Release

WorkSafe Queensland asbestos demolition and roofing prosecution$100,000

WorkSafe Queensland fined a demolition company $100,000 in 2024 for tearing down two houses in suburban Brisbane using an excavator without first safely removing the asbestos cement sheeting from the roof and walls. The case is directly relevant to re-roofing contractors because the same licensed removalist obligation applies whenever asbestos cement sheeting is removed from a roof. The prosecution demonstrates the mandatory sequence: licensed asbestos removal first, structural or re-roofing work second.

2024 — WorkSafe Queensland media release and prosecution register

What Your SWMS Must Include

✓Description of the roofing scope including roof type, pitch, height, and expected duration
✓Identification of the HRCW categories that apply (falls greater than 2 metres, structural alterations, powered mobile plant, asbestos)
✓Identification of all hazards including falls, fragile surfaces, heat stress, falling objects, wind, steep pitch, asbestos, UV, electrical, and ladder
✓Risk assessment of each hazard using a consequence-by-likelihood matrix
✓Control measures documented in hierarchy-of-controls order
✓Fall protection plan for the specific roof — edge protection type, harness anchor points, access and egress method, and rescue plan
✓Fragile surface identification — skylights, fibro sheeting, and deteriorated areas mapped before roof access, with crawl boards specified
✓Weather criteria — maximum wind speed for roof work, temperature threshold for heat stress response, and rain policy
✓Heat stress management plan — start times, break schedule, hydration, shade, and buddy monitoring
✓Asbestos assessment for any pre-2003 roof — register check, sampling where needed, licensed removalist engaged if asbestos is confirmed
+ 8 more requirements covered in the full template

Build Your Roofing SWMS in Minutes

This SWMS template pre-loads roofing hazards including fall protection, fragile surfaces, heat stress, steep pitch, and asbestos controls. Covers metal, tile, and asbestos cement roofs across residential and commercial projects.

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