Air Conditioning Service & Repairs SWMS
Air conditioning service and repair work covers split-system, ducted, and VRV/VRF service tasks including refrigerant gas handling per AS/NZS 5149, electrical isolation, rooftop access for outdoor units, and ARC licence verification.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Air conditioning service and repair work spans split-system, ducted, and VRV/VRF systems across residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. Technicians routinely work at heights on rooftops to access outdoor condenser units, handle pressurised refrigerants under AS/NZS 5149.1, conduct live electrical fault-finding, and operate in confined plant rooms. This work is classified as High Risk Construction Work (HRCW) under WHS Regulation 2025 Schedule 1 because it involves work above 2 metres, energised electrical systems, and hazardous chemical exposure from refrigerants. A Safe Work Method Statement is mandatory under WHS Regulation 291 before any HRCW commences, must be prepared in consultation with workers under s47, and must be readily accessible at the workplace. The SWMS must identify each hazard, document control measures using the hierarchy of control, and be reviewed if controls are revised or an incident occurs. PCBUs who fail to prepare, comply with, or retain a SWMS face Category 2 offences under the WHS Act.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Fatal impact injuries, traumatic brain injury, spinal fractures; Category 1 prosecution under WHS Act s31
Cardiac arrest, deep tissue burns, arc flash injury; coronial inquest and electrical safety prosecution
Asphyxiation in confined plant rooms, frostbite from liquid contact, decomposition to hydrofluoric acid
Lumbar disc herniation, crush injuries to hands and feet, long-term musculoskeletal disability
Structural fire, smoke inhalation, third-degree burns; building insurance and WHS prosecution exposure
Falls from height, dropped cylinder rupture, struck-by injuries to workers below
Legionnaires' disease, hypersensitivity pneumonitis; notifiable disease under public health legislation
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Where feasible, schedule major component replacement at ground level by removing the unit rather than servicing in-situ at height on rooftops.
- 2Elimination — De-energise and lock out the entire AC circuit at the main switchboard before any electrical fault-finding, eliminating live work exposure.
- 3Substitution — Specify lower-GWP refrigerants (R32 over R410A) where system design permits, reducing toxic decomposition risk during brazing per AS/NZS 5149.1.
- 4Substitution — Use mechanical refrigerant recovery units instead of venting, substituting controlled capture for atmospheric release under Ozone Protection Act 1989.
- 5Engineering — Install permanent rooftop guardrails, anchor points certified to AS/NZS 5532, and refrigerant leak detection in plant rooms per AS/NZS 5149.3.
- 6Engineering — Use insulated tools rated to 1000V, residual current devices on all power leads, and lockout-tagout hardware compliant with AS/NZS 4836.
- 7Administrative — Verify ARCtick licence (RAC01/02) and electrical licence currency before work; conduct documented pre-start brief covering this SWMS with all workers.
- 8Administrative — Implement hot work permit system for brazing, with 30-minute fire watch and combustible clearance of 10 metres per AS 1674.1.
- 9PPE — Wear cut-resistant gloves (EN388 Level 5), safety glasses to AS/NZS 1337.1, and steel-cap boots during all manual handling and unit installation.
- 10PPE — Use full body harness with shock-absorbing lanyard to AS/NZS 1891.1, cryogenic gloves for refrigerant handling, and P2 respirator during coil cleaning.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates refrigerant classification, charge limits, leak detection, and ventilation requirements for all service and repair tasks on refrigerating systems.
Governs isolation procedures, testing for dead, and verification under clause 2.10 before commencing any electrical work on AC equipment.
Requires written fall prevention plan, anchor point certification, and rescue procedure for any work above 2 metres on rooftop AC units.
Specifies hot work permit, fire watch duration, and combustible clearance requirements during brazed refrigerant pipework repairs.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Rooftop access to outdoor condenser and VRF units routinely exceeds 2 metres on commercial and multi-residential buildings without permanent edge protection.
Fault-finding on PCBs, compressors, and 415V three-phase supply requires proximity to energised conductors even where isolation is the primary control.
Handling pressurised fluorinated refrigerants, brazing fluxes, and coil cleaning chemicals triggers exposure to GHS-classified hazardous substances under WHS Reg.
PCBU must prepare the SWMS in consultation with workers, ensure compliance during the task, and retain the document for at least 2 years (or for the life of an incident investigation); penalties for non-compliance are substantial and indexed annually, with current maximums following the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Licensed refrigeration mechanics holding ARCtick RAC01
- →HVAC service contractors on commercial buildings
- →Facilities maintenance PCBUs managing tenanted properties
- →Electrical contractors performing AC fault-finding
What you receive
- ✓Editable DOCX template — Microsoft Word compatible
- ✓State-specific WHS legislation schedule (NSW/VIC/QLD/SA/WA/TAS/NT/ACT)
- ✓Hazard register with risk ratings + hierarchy-of-control mapping
- ✓Worker sign-on register, pre-start checklist, and incident escalation flow
Worked example
A two-technician crew arrives at a four-storey suburban office building to investigate a VRV system fault affecting Level 3 indoor units. The lead technician opens the Air Conditioning Service & Repairs SWMS on a tablet at the tailgate and runs the pre-start brief in the loading bay. Reviewing the hazard register, the team identifies three live risks for this job: rooftop access at 14 metres to inspect the outdoor condensing units, energised 415V three-phase work at the rooftop isolator, and potential R410A leak based on the building manager's report of oil staining. Working through the controls in hierarchy order, they confirm the building has certified anchor points (engineering control verified against the AS/NZS 5532 logbook), retrieve harnesses and shock-absorbing lanyards from the van, and stage the refrigerant recovery unit and leak detector. Both technicians sign on to the SWMS, recording their ARCtick and electrical licence numbers. Mid-task, the technician discovers the rooftop isolator cannot be locked off because it lacks a hasp. Rather than proceeding, he pauses work, photographs the deficiency, and updates the SWMS control register on the tablet to record the substituted control — isolation at the main switchboard with personal lockout — before resuming. The amended SWMS is re-signed by both workers and emailed to the supervisor before the next phase begins.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- AS/NZS 3000 — Electrical installations