Completed SWMS Example — What a Real SWMS Looks Like

Most SWMS resources online give you blank templates. That is like giving someone a blank canvas and saying "paint a masterpiece." If you have never prepared a Safe Work Method Statement before — or if you have been recycling the same generic document for years without really understanding what good looks like — a completed example is far more useful than a blank template.

A completed SWMS example shows you what a properly filled-in document actually looks like. Not the headings and empty tables, but the actual content: real hazard descriptions, real control measures referencing real Australian Standards, a properly completed 5×5 risk matrix with before and after control ratings, genuine emergency procedures, and a worker sign-on section that demonstrates proper consultation with the crew who will perform the work.

This page provides two fully completed SWMS examples — one for electrical switchboard work and one for residential roof replacement. Both are based on realistic scenarios with real hazards, real controls, and real risk ratings. They are not perfect documents (no SWMS is — every document should be customised for the specific site), but they demonstrate the standard of content that regulators, principal contractors, and courts expect under the WHS Regulation 2025.

Use these examples as reference when preparing your own SWMS. Compare your document to these examples and check: have I covered similar hazards? Are my controls specific or generic? Does my risk matrix show before and after ratings? Have I included emergency procedures and worker sign-on? If your SWMS is missing elements that these examples include, you have gaps to fill before an inspector finds them for you.

Scenario: A licensed electrician (sole trader) is performing a switchboard upgrade at a commercial office building in Parramatta, NSW. The work involves isolating the existing switchboard, removing old components, installing a new main switch and circuit breakers, and reconnecting circuits. The switchboard is at ground level but the electrician will access the ceiling cavity at 2.8 metres to trace and reroute cabling. The building was constructed in 1988, so there is a reasonable probability of asbestos-containing material in the ceiling lining.

PCBU details: J. Mitchell Electrical Pty Ltd, ABN 12 345 678 901, 14 Smith Street, Parramatta NSW 2150. Contact: John Mitchell, A-grade electrical licence, 0412 345 678. Crew of one (sole trader).

HRCW categories triggered: Category 1 — work where there is a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres (ceiling cavity access at 2.8 metres via A-frame ladder). Category 12 — work on or near energised electrical installations or services. Category 4 — work involving the disturbance of asbestos (pre-1990 building, ceiling cavity access).

Hazards identified: - Electric shock from contact with live 415V conductors during switchboard work (consequence: cardiac arrest, fatal; likelihood before controls: possible; risk before controls: extreme, 20). - Arc flash during switchboard operation and testing (consequence: severe burns, fatal; likelihood: unlikely; risk: high, 15). - Fall from ladder accessing ceiling cavity at 2.8 metres (consequence: fractures, spinal injury; likelihood: possible; risk: high, 15). - Manual handling of switchboard components weighing up to 18 kilograms (consequence: back strain; likelihood: likely; risk: medium, 8). - Exposure to respirable dust and fibres in ceiling cavity (consequence: respiratory irritation; likelihood: possible; risk: medium, 6). - Asbestos-containing material in ceiling cavity of pre-1990 building (consequence: mesothelioma, asbestosis, fatal; likelihood: possible; risk: extreme, 20).

This example demonstrates how a sole-trader electrician documents multiple HRCW categories in a single SWMS, with specific risk ratings for each hazard and residual risks after controls are applied.

Here are the controls for each hazard in the electrical SWMS example, with the residual risk after controls are applied. Each control references a specific Australian Standard so an inspector or principal contractor can verify compliance against a named benchmark.

Electric shock controls: Lock-out tag-out procedure applied to main incoming supply before any work on the switchboard. Isolation verified using a calibrated CAT IV voltage tester to AS/NZS 4836. Personal padlock and danger tag applied by the licensed electrician — no other person may remove. Insulated Class 0 gloves and insulated tools to AS/NZS 60900 used throughout. Test-before-touch procedure applied to every conductor before contact. Residual risk after controls: low (5).

Arc flash controls: Arc-rated PPE including arc-rated face shield (minimum 8 cal/cm²), arc-rated long-sleeve shirt, and insulated gloves to AS/NZS 2225. Work performed with main supply isolated wherever possible. Where live testing is unavoidable, arc flash risk assessment completed per AS/NZS 4836 and additional barriers installed. Residual risk: medium (10).

Falls from ladder controls: Industrial-grade A-frame ladder to AS/NZS 1892.1 used with 3-point contact maintained at all times. Ladder positioned on stable, level surface with feet on dry concrete. Tool belt used to keep both hands free. No work performed from the top two rungs. Alternative: mobile scaffold to AS/NZS 1576 if ceiling access requires prolonged work at height. Residual risk: low (4).

Manual handling controls: Hand trolley used for transporting components over 15 kilograms. Loads broken down into sub-18 kg packages. Safe lifting technique: bend at the knees, keep the load close to the body, no twisting. Residual risk: low (4).

Dust and fibre exposure controls: P2 disposable respirator to AS/NZS 1716 worn when entering ceiling cavity. Ceiling cavity pre-inspected with torch from ladder before entry. Residual risk: low (4).

Asbestos controls: Before any ceiling cavity access, the building's asbestos register is checked under WHS Regulation 2025 Part 8.3. If the register is unavailable, work does not proceed until an occupier-supplied register is obtained or a licensed asbestos assessor attends. If asbestos-containing material is identified or suspected, the work stops and a licensed asbestos removalist (Class A for friable, Class B for non-friable) is engaged. Residual risk (assuming the register confirms ACM absence or licensed removal is arranged): low (5).

Scenario: A roofing subcontractor (crew of 4) is replacing concrete roof tiles on a single-storey residential house in suburban Brisbane, Queensland. The gutter height is 3.8 metres and the ridge height is 5.2 metres. The work involves erecting a mobile scaffold on the north side and using roof anchors with harness systems on the roof. Old tiles will be removed and lowered via a materials chute, and new tiles will be hoisted using a tile elevator. Work is scheduled for January — peak Queensland summer.

PCBU details: Southside Roofing Pty Ltd, ABN 98 765 432 109, 22 Creek Road, Mt Gravatt QLD 4122. Contact: Steve Williams, 0478 901 234. Crew of 4 (1 leading hand, 2 roof plumbers, 1 roofing labourer).

HRCW categories triggered: Category 1 — work where there is a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres (gutter height 3.8 metres, ridge height 5.2 metres).

Hazards identified: - Fall from roof edge or through roof structure (consequence: death, spinal cord injury; likelihood: possible; risk: extreme, 20). - Falling tiles or debris striking workers below (consequence: head injury, fractures; likelihood: likely; risk: high, 16). - Scaffold collapse or instability (consequence: multiple fractures, death; likelihood: unlikely; risk: high, 10). - Heat stress during summer months (consequence: heat exhaustion, collapse from height; likelihood: likely; risk: high, 12). - Manual handling of concrete tiles weighing 4.5 kg each, repeated lifting (consequence: back strain, shoulder injury; likelihood: almost certain; risk: high, 15). - Unstable or broken roof battens collapsing under worker weight (consequence: fall through roof, fractures; likelihood: possible; risk: high, 12). - UV exposure over the full work period (consequence: skin cancer over time; likelihood: almost certain; risk: medium, 10).

Emergency procedures: Nearest hospital — Princess Alexandra Hospital, 199 Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba (12 minutes by road). First aider on site: Steve Williams (current HLTAID011 Provide First Aid certificate, renewal date documented). Emergency services: 000. Assembly point: front driveway, clear of the work zone. Rescue plan for worker suspended in harness: trained rescuer on ground, rescue ladder on site, maximum suspension tolerance 20 minutes.

Controls for the working-at-heights SWMS example, organised in hierarchy-of-controls order and tagged against Australian Standards.

Falls from roof edge: Mobile scaffold erected on the north side to AS/NZS 1576.3 by a competent person holding a basic scaffolding high-risk work licence. Scaffold includes guardrails, mid-rails, and toe boards. On the roof, workers use full-body harness systems to AS/NZS 1891.1 connected to temporary roof anchors to AS/NZS 5532 via self-retracting lifelines. Anchor points load-tested before first use and documented. Rescue plan in place — trained rescuer and rescue kit on site. Workers maintain minimum 2-metre setback from unprotected edges unless tied off and connected. Residual risk after controls: low (5).

Falling tiles and debris: Exclusion zone established around the perimeter of the house at minimum 2 metres from the drip line. Exclusion zone marked with star pickets, bunting, and signage. Materials chute used for lowering removed tiles — no throwing from roof. Workers below wear hard hats to AS/NZS 1801 at all times within the exclusion zone. Tile elevator used for hoisting new tiles — no manual carrying up the ladder. Residual risk: low (4).

Scaffold collapse: Scaffold erected by competent person to AS/NZS 1576 on firm, level ground with base plates. Outriggers deployed. Scaffold inspected and tagged before each use and after any adverse weather. Maximum loading not exceeded (signage displayed on scaffold with safe working load). Residual risk: low (5).

Heat stress: Work starts at 6:00 AM to use cooler morning hours. Mandatory rest breaks every 45 minutes when temperature exceeds 32°C. Shade shelter erected at ground level for breaks. Minimum 1 litre of water per worker per hour available. Electrolyte replacement drinks provided. Workers trained to recognise heat stress symptoms (cramps, dizziness, nausea). Work stops if forecast apparent temperature exceeds 38°C or if any worker shows symptoms of heat illness. Residual risk: medium (6).

Manual handling of tiles: Tile elevator used for hoisting tiles to roof level, eliminating manual carrying up the ladder. On the roof, tiles moved in small quantities (maximum 4 at a time). Workers alternate between tile removal, sheet-loading, and installation to vary posture. Residual risk: low (5).

Broken roof battens: Before walking on any section of roof, the leading worker tests battens by applying downward pressure with one foot while maintaining harness connection. Any weak or broken battens are replaced before that section is accessed. Workers distribute weight using crawl boards across battens when moving across older sections. Residual risk: low (4).

UV exposure: Long-sleeve sun-protective shirts, broad-brimmed hard hat brims, and SPF 50+ sunscreen reapplied every 2 hours. Work scheduled to minimise exposure during the UV peak between 11 AM and 3 PM. Residual risk: low (4).

The WHS Regulation 2025 requires that a SWMS be prepared in consultation with the workers who will carry out the high-risk construction work. A SWMS prepared by the office safety manager in isolation — without input from the electricians, roofers, or labourers on the tools — does not satisfy Section 47 of the WHS Act 2011. Consultation must be genuine, not a tick-box exercise.

In the completed electrical example, consultation is a single-person exercise because the PCBU is a sole trader. John Mitchell walks the site, reads the building's asbestos register, inspects the ceiling cavity from the ladder, and documents hazards he personally identifies. The consultation record reads: "Sole trader. Pre-start site walk conducted 10 April 2026. Identified ceiling cavity asbestos risk not addressed in previous SWMS; added asbestos controls. No other workers to consult."

In the completed roofing example, consultation involves the full crew. On the morning of day one, Steve Williams gathers the three roof plumbers and the labourer in the driveway. He walks through the hazard list, explains the controls for each, asks whether anyone has seen the ridge line before (one of the roof plumbers worked on this street two years ago and warns that the battens on similar houses were rotten at the eaves). Steve adds this site-specific intelligence to the SWMS as a new hazard and revises the batten inspection procedure. The consultation record documents the discussion, names the workers, and notes the change made in response.

Worker sign-on follows consultation. Every worker must acknowledge, in writing or digitally, that they have read the SWMS, understood the hazards and controls, and will perform the work in accordance with the document. Signatures must be collected before the HRCW begins — not at the end of the day when the work is already done. Each sign-on records the worker's full name, role, date, time, and signature. Digital sign-on via QR code (scan, read hazard summary, sign on screen) produces a timestamped audit trail that is stronger evidence than a paper clipboard in a prosecution.

Several features make these examples substantially stronger than the generic SWMS that regulators commonly reject. Study them and apply the same standards to your own documents.

Site-specific detail. Both examples name the exact site address, the crew, the building age, the weather conditions, and the specific hazards present on that site. "45 Smith Street, Parramatta" is useful; "a commercial premises" is not. Pre-1990 construction triggers an asbestos review; post-1990 construction does not. A January Queensland roof job triggers heat stress controls that a July Tasmanian roof job would not. The document reflects the reality of the site, not a generic template.

Australian Standards referenced by name and number. Every piece of PPE, every control measure, and every inspection procedure is tied to a specific AS/NZS standard. Inspectors can verify compliance against the standard. Courts can cite the standard in judgment. A SWMS that says "use appropriate PPE" without naming the standard is a SWMS that will be criticised in any serious review.

Before and after risk ratings. Each hazard has a risk score before controls (demonstrating the raw severity of the hazard) and a residual risk score after controls (demonstrating that the controls actually reduce risk). The arithmetic is explicit: 4 × 5 = 20 (extreme) reduced to 1 × 5 = 5 (low) after LOTO, insulated tools, and test-before-touch. This is the risk assessment that the WHS Regulation 2025 requires.

Hierarchy of controls applied visibly. Controls are listed in descending order: elimination first (isolation of the circuit eliminates the live electrical hazard), then engineering (LOTO, scaffold guardrails), then administrative (permit-to-work, rescue plan, rest breaks), then PPE as the last layer. A SWMS that lists only PPE as the control for a serious hazard is incomplete and will be flagged.

Emergency procedures with real detail. Nearest hospital named. First aider named with current certification. Assembly point specified. Suspension rescue plan documented with maximum tolerance time. Generic emergency statements ("call 000 if required") fail this test.

Compare each of these features to your own most recent SWMS. Any gaps you identify are improvement opportunities, and any gaps you fail to identify before an inspection may become enforcement actions.

Can I copy these examples and use them for my own jobs? You can use these examples as a reference, but do not copy them verbatim for a different site. Every SWMS must be customised for the specific site, the specific conditions, and the specific crew. The hazards in a switchboard upgrade in Parramatta differ from a switchboard upgrade in Darwin (add heat stress, cyclone season considerations). The controls for roofing in Brisbane differ from roofing in Hobart (different weather hazards, different emergency hospital). Use these as a starting point and adapt for your reality.

What makes these examples good SWMS? Several features make these examples above average. They reference specific Australian Standards (AS/NZS 1891.1, AS/NZS 1576, AS/NZS 4836) rather than generic control descriptions. They include before and after risk ratings for every hazard. They include emergency procedures with a specific hospital, first aider, and assembly point. They identify specific HRCW categories (not just "high-risk work"). And they include controls from across the hierarchy — elimination and substitution first, then engineering controls, then administrative controls, then PPE.

Where can I download a completed SWMS example as a PDF? The SWMS builder generates a completed SWMS as a professional PDF when you use the guided workflow. Your first SWMS is free — select your trade, review the pre-loaded hazards and controls, customise for your site, and generate. The output is a completed SWMS similar in quality to these examples, customised for your specific job.

How do I know if my SWMS is good enough? Check it against the WHS Regulation 2025 content requirements: PCBU details, HRCW description, HRCW categories, hazards and risks, risk matrix (before and after controls), control measures in hierarchy order, responsibilities, worker consultation record, sign-on, emergency procedures, and review arrangements. If any section is missing or generic, it needs improvement before the document is put in front of an inspector or a principal contractor.

Do these examples cover every hazard for electrical and roofing work? No, and that is an important point. These are worked examples, not universal templates. Electrical work on industrial switchgear, high-voltage substations, or solar DC systems introduces additional hazards that a commercial fit-out SWMS does not cover. Roofing work on commercial buildings, heritage structures, or metal-clad industrial sheds introduces additional hazards that a residential tile replacement SWMS does not cover. Every SWMS must reflect the specific hazards of the specific job — the examples here are a starting point for thinking, not an end point for copying.