SWMS Examples: What a Completed SWMS Looks Like

The best way to understand a SWMS is to see one. The examples below show completed SWMS for common trades and activities. Each one shows what a compliant, site-specific SWMS looks like — not a blank template, but a filled-in document with real hazards, real controls, and real risk ratings.

These examples are for education only. Your SWMS must reflect your specific job, your specific site, and your specific crew. Copying an example word for word defeats the purpose and puts you at legal risk. Australian courts have consistently convicted PCBUs for using generic SWMS that did not reflect the actual work being performed — the fact that the document existed did not save them.

Use these examples to understand the level of detail, the structure, and the specificity that inspectors and courts expect. Then build your own with the same discipline applied to your real job. A SWMS is only useful when it is rooted in the reality of the work on the ground.

One more note before the examples: every SWMS in Australia must be prepared in consultation with the workers who will carry out the work. The examples below describe the technical content of a SWMS, but behind each one is a conversation between the supervisor and the crew about what can go wrong and how it will be controlled. Skipping that conversation and copying the document is the most common failure in Australian construction safety.

Scenario: Rewiring a commercial kitchen at a fit-out site in Parramatta, NSW. Subcontractor: licensed electrical contractor. Crew: three workers (one licensed A-grade electrician, one B-grade electrician, one apprentice). Duration: five days.

HRCW categories triggered: Work on or near energised electrical installations or services. Work where there is a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres — accessing ceiling cavity from scaffold above the kitchen service area at 2.4 metres.

Hazards identified: Electric shock from live 415V three-phase conductors at distribution board DB-03. Arc flash during fault diagnosis testing on circuits that cannot be isolated because they supply essential services. Cable damage from other trades working in the same ceiling cavity. Fall from scaffold (2.4 metres) when accessing ceiling junction boxes. Confined posture work in the ceiling cavity causing heat stress and dehydration during summer conditions.

Risk before controls: Likelihood 3 (Possible) x Consequence 5 (Catastrophic — electrocution fatality) = 15 (High).

Control measures (hierarchy applied): Isolation of all circuits that can be isolated (engineering — the highest level reasonably practicable). Test-before-touch procedure using a CAT IV voltage tester on every circuit before contact (engineering). Lock-out/tag-out procedure per AS/NZS 4836 with each worker applying their own personal padlock (engineering). RCD protection verified on all circuits before work begins and tested at each pre-start (engineering). Arc-rated barriers around any section that cannot be isolated (engineering). Permit-to-work system for any live testing, signed by the A-grade electrician and the site supervisor (administrative). Scaffold erected by a licensed scaffolder and tagged (engineering). Apprentice does not access the switchboard or the ceiling cavity without direct supervision from the A-grade (administrative). PPE: insulated gloves Class 0, arc-rated clothing, face shield, hard hat (AS/NZS 1801), safety glasses (AS/NZS 1337), steel-cap boots (AS/NZS 2210.3).

Risk after controls: Likelihood 1 (Rare) x Consequence 5 (Catastrophic) = 5 (Medium, actively monitored).

Responsibilities: Licensed A-grade performs all isolation and live testing. B-grade performs cable installation under supervision. Apprentice performs ground-level support tasks only. Scaffold inspection by the site supervisor at each pre-start. All three workers signed on via QR code before day 1 pre-start.

Scenario: Roof replacement on a single-storey weatherboard home in Cronulla, NSW. Sole trader roofer plus one labourer. Duration: three days. Roof ridge height 6.2 metres above ground level on the street-facing side, 5.8 metres on the garden side.

HRCW categories triggered: Work where there is a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres. Work on or near an energised electrical installation — overhead service connection within 2 metres of the roof edge on the street side.

Hazards identified: Fall from roof edge at 6.2 metres to concrete driveway on the north side. Fall through fragile roof sheeting — existing roof may include older sheeting that will not support body weight. Falling objects striking persons below — old roof sheets, fixings, tools, removed trim. Overhead powerlines within 2 metres of the roof edge on the street side. Weather hazards — wind gusts above 40 km/h destabilise workers and loose sheets; summer heat stress during extended exposure. Manual handling — carrying sheet metal from ground to roof at 12 kilograms per sheet, repetitive task over three days.

Risk before controls: Likelihood 4 (Likely) x Consequence 5 (Catastrophic — fatal fall) = 20 (Extreme).

Control measures: Edge protection installed on all sides before any roof access — scaffold with guardrails at eaves level, compliant with AS/NZS 4994.1. Roof safety mesh installed below any fragile sheeting before removal begins. Exclusion zone established below the work area with barricading and signage — no persons within 3 metres of the building. Powerline management: contacted the network operator for assessment, insulation covers installed on the service line, minimum 1 metre clearance maintained during work. Wind monitoring — work ceases if sustained winds exceed 30 km/h or gusts exceed 40 km/h. Mechanical lifting where possible — materials hoisted via scaffold rather than carried up ladders.

Risk after controls: Likelihood 1 (Rare) x Consequence 5 (Catastrophic) = 5 (Medium).

PPE: Full-body harness with double lanyard (AS/NZS 1891.1) anchored to ridge beam rated to 15 kN for work beyond the edge protection zone. Hard hat (AS/NZS 1801). Safety glasses (AS/NZS 1337). Steel-cap boots (AS/NZS 2210.3). Sun protection — long sleeves, broad-brim hat when the harness is not in use, sunscreen SPF 50+, water access at the scaffold platform.

Scenario: Trench excavation for a sewer connection at a residential subdivision on the Gold Coast, QLD. Excavation contractor. Crew: one excavator operator plus one spotter and labourer. Duration: two days. Trench length 22 metres, maximum depth 2.1 metres in clay and sand mixed soil.

HRCW categories triggered: Work in or near a shaft or trench deeper than 1.5 metres. Work involving powered mobile plant on a construction site.

Hazards identified: Trench collapse burying a worker — 2.1 metre depth in a mixed soil profile carries a genuine collapse risk without shoring. Underground services strike — Before You Dig Australia plans confirm gas, water, and telecommunications services within 3 metres of the trench alignment. Excavator striking a worker on foot — limited visibility behind the machine during swing operations. Public access to an open excavation — residential street with a primary school nearby, pedestrian foot traffic at school drop-off and pickup. Water ingress — forecast rain on day 2 with trench flooding risk.

Risk before controls: Likelihood 3 (Possible) x Consequence 5 (Catastrophic — burial fatality) = 15 (High).

Control measures: Trench shoring installed for any section exceeding 1.5 metres depth — hydraulic shoring system rated to the soil classification. Before You Dig Australia completed 5 business days prior, reference number recorded in the SWMS. Hand-dig within 500 millimetres of any marked service. Non-destructive digging (vacuum excavation) within the tolerance zone of the gas line. Spotter on foot at all times when the excavator is operating, with radio communication to the operator. Barricading around the entire excavation perimeter with star pickets, bunting, and signage. Trench covers over any section left open overnight. Dewatering pump on standby for day 2. School drop-off and pickup times logged in the SWMS, with a site supervisor on foot during these windows.

Risk after controls: Likelihood 1 (Rare) x Consequence 5 (Catastrophic) = 5 (Medium).

Emergency plan: Trench rescue procedure documented with muster point and emergency phone numbers. Nearest hospital: Gold Coast University Hospital, 12 minutes by road. Emergency assembly point: site office car park.

Scenario: First-fix framing for a new two-storey house in Wollongong, NSW. Carpentry subcontractor. Crew: four workers (one leading hand, two carpenters, one apprentice). Duration: eight days.

HRCW categories triggered: Work where there is a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres — standing wall frames at second-storey level. Work involving powered mobile plant on a construction site — forklift delivery and positioning of timber packs.

Hazards identified: Fall from the first-floor level during wall frame erection — 3.8 metre drop to the slab below. Wall frame collapse during erection if temporary bracing fails. Struck by falling timber during forklift unloading of packs. Manual handling — repetitive lifting of studs at 4.8 metres length, 6 kilograms per stud, over an eight-day period. Nail gun discharge — penetration injury or ricochet. Forklift operating on uneven ground — rollover risk at the edge of the slab.

Risk before controls: Likelihood 4 (Likely) x Consequence 4 (Major) = 16 (Extreme).

Control measures: Perimeter edge protection installed before any work above 2 metres — scaffold with mid-rail and toe-board at the second-storey level. Temporary bracing installed on every frame within 5 minutes of erection — minimum two braces per frame at 45-degree angles. Exclusion zone during forklift operations — no workers within the swing radius or the load path. Two-person lift for studs over 4 metres in length. Nail gun safety: trigger lock engaged when not in active use, never pointed at another worker, safety glasses mandatory within 5 metres of any nail gun in use. Forklift operates on a compacted, level pad prepared before the first delivery, operator holds a valid TLILIC0003 high-risk work licence for forklift operation.

This SWMS covers two HRCW categories. Both must be addressed with specific controls in the document. A single generic statement like "take care when working at heights" does not satisfy the legal requirement and would not survive scrutiny in a post-incident investigation.

Risk after controls: Likelihood 1 (Rare) x Consequence 4 (Major) = 4 (Low). The residual risk is acceptable and the work can proceed with the supervisor monitoring controls throughout the day.

Look at what each example does right. These are the details that separate a compliant SWMS from the generic rubbish that gets people fined.

Site-specific details. Every example names the address, the date, and the crew. "45 Smith Street, Parramatta" is specific. "A commercial premises" is not. Every example references the specific conditions of the job — proximity to schools, overhead powerlines, soil type, building height — rather than generic construction language.

Specific controls with standards. Not "use appropriate PPE" but "hard hat (AS/NZS 1801), safety glasses (AS/NZS 1337), steel-cap boots (AS/NZS 2210.3)." An inspector can verify compliance against a named Australian Standard. The same applies to scaffolding (AS/NZS 4994.1), fall arrest harnesses (AS/NZS 1891.1), and lock-out/tag-out procedures (AS/NZS 4836).

Risk matrix with before-and-after ratings. This shows the controls actually reduce the risk. Moving a hazard from Extreme (20) to Medium (5) demonstrates that the controls are meaningful rather than box-ticking. An inspector or court will specifically check whether the residual risk ratings are honest — a SWMS that drops everything to "Low" regardless of the hazard signals a lack of genuine assessment.

Clear responsibilities assigned to named roles. "Licensed A-grade electrician performs all isolation" tells everyone exactly who does what. "A competent person" does not. Named responsibilities create accountability.

Consultation recorded. The workers were involved in the preparation, not just signing a document someone else wrote in an office. Genuine consultation is a legal requirement under section 47 of the WHS Act.

All workers signed on before work started. Timestamped sign-on records confirm each worker acknowledged the SWMS before picking up a tool. Unsigned SWMS are prosecution triggers, regardless of how well the document is written.

The following mistakes appear repeatedly in enforcement notices and prosecution briefs. Avoid them.

Generic hazards. Writing "various hazards" or "general construction risks" instead of naming each hazard specifically. A SWMS needs to say "electrical shock from 415V supply to switchboard SB-01 on the north wall," not "electrical risks."

"Use appropriate PPE" as a control. The most common failure in Australian SWMS. It does not specify which PPE, which standard, or which tasks require it. List exact PPE with AS/NZS standards for each activity.

No risk ratings. Without a risk matrix showing before-and-after scores, there is no way to demonstrate that controls reduce the risk. Australian courts have examined this specifically and convicted PCBUs whose SWMS lacked genuine risk assessment.

No worker signatures. If workers have not signed on, there is no evidence they were briefed on the hazards and controls. Unsigned SWMS have been the basis of conviction in multiple Australian cases, regardless of the quality of the document itself.

Template not adapted to the site. Downloading a template and changing the company name is not preparing a SWMS. The document must reflect the actual hazards at the actual site. Walk the site. Look at what is there. Write what you see.

No review date or triggers. A SWMS without a review schedule suggests it was written once and forgotten. Set clear triggers: reviewed weekly, after any incident, when scope changes, when new workers join the crew, and when conditions change.