Arborist SWMS
Professional arborist work including canopy climbing, aerial rescue, tree felling, stump grinding, and wood chipping on residential and commercial sites.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Professional arborist work is among the most hazardous activities in the Australian workforce, combining elevated work, the use of dangerous powered equipment (chainsaws, chippers, stump grinders), and the unpredictable behaviour of trees under tension. Workers routinely operate at heights exceeding 10 metres, perform single-rope and double-rope canopy climbs, conduct aerial rescues, and dismantle large limbs above structures, vehicles, and the public. Each of these tasks carries a foreseeable risk of serious injury or death if not systematically controlled.
Under the model Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the WHS Regulation 2025, a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) has a primary duty of care under section 19 to eliminate or minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable. Arborist work that involves a risk of a fall greater than 2 metres is classified as High Risk Construction Work (HRCW) under Regulation 291, and a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) must be prepared before the work commences in accordance with Regulation 299.
This SWMS has been developed to align with the Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces, AS 2210.5 (PPE — chainsaw protective clothing), AS/NZS 1891 series (industrial fall-arrest systems), and the Industry Code of Practice — Amenity Tree Industry. It documents hazards, control measures in line with the hierarchy of control (Reg 36), PPE requirements, and worker consultation evidence required to satisfy regulator inspections from SafeWork NSW, WorkSafe Victoria, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, and equivalent jurisdictions.
Hazards identified
13 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Fatal or life-altering injuries from impact with ground or structures
Crush injuries, fractures, head trauma, fatality
Severe lacerations, amputation, death
Fatal entanglement; traumatic amputation
Uncontrolled fall from canopy; fatality
Electrocution, arc flash burns, fatality
Penetrating eye injuries, lacerations, amputation
Loss of consciousness, organ failure if not rescued within 15-30 minutes
Climber falls with tree; ground crew struck
Permanent vascular and neurological damage to hands
Permanent noise-induced hearing loss
Musculoskeletal injuries, lower-back disorders
Injury to bystanders; property damage; civil liability
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Eliminate climbing where practicable by using an Elevating Work Platform (EWP) compliant with AS 2550.10, with a high-risk work licence (WP) where the boom exceeds 11 metres.
- 2Conduct a documented pre-climb tree inspection assessing species, defects, decay, deadwood, included unions, and root plate condition; abort and refer to ground-based felling if structurally unsound.
- 3Implement a two-rope climbing system in accordance with current industry best practice, with independent life-support and work-positioning systems anchored to separate suitable Tie-In Points (TIPs).
- 4Maintain a minimum approach distance from energised overhead powerlines per the relevant state Electrical Safety Code (e.g. 3m for <132kV in NSW); engage the network operator for de-energisation or insulated EWP where work is closer.
- 5Establish a clearly demarcated drop zone using bunting, cones, and a dedicated ground-based spotter; no person is to enter the drop zone during cutting or rigging operations.
- 6All climbers must wear AS/NZS 1891.1-rated harness, AS 1801 climbing helmet with chinstrap, AS 2210.5 chainsaw chaps or trousers (Type A minimum), cut-resistant gloves, and AS/NZS 1337 eye protection.
- 7Pre-start inspection and tagging of all chainsaws, ropes, harnesses, carabiners, and rigging hardware; immediately remove from service any item with damage, exceeded service life, or failed load test.
- 8Wood chipper operation: feed butt-end first, never wear loose clothing or gloves with cuffs, maintain control bar functionality, never reach into the in-feed chute, and ensure two operators are present for large material.
- 9Implement a documented aerial rescue plan with a competent second climber on site at all times; rescue equipment must be staged and ready to reach a suspended climber within 10 minutes to mitigate suspension trauma.
- 10Hearing protection (AS/NZS 1270, Class 5) and vibration management — rotate chainsaw operators, maintain sharp chains, and monitor for HAVS symptoms per AS/NZS ISO 5349.
- 11All operators to hold nationally recognised competencies: AHCARB units for tree climbing, aerial rescue, and tree felling; chainsaw operators to hold AHCMOM213 or equivalent.
- 12Conduct a documented site-specific risk assessment and toolbox talk before commencement; all workers to sign on to this SWMS and any amendments arising from changed site conditions.
- 13Traffic management plan in accordance with AS 1742.3 where work affects road or footpath users; engage accredited traffic controllers for arterial roads.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Primary CoP for all work where a fall >2m is foreseeable, including canopy climbing and EWP use.
Establishes the hierarchy of control framework applied throughout this SWMS.
Applies where arborist work forms part of a construction project; defines HRCW and SWMS obligations.
Industry benchmark for safe arboricultural practice including climbing, rigging, and felling techniques.
Specifies cut-resistant PPE requirements for chainsaw operators.
Mandatory standard for harnesses and lanyards used in tree climbing fall-arrest applications.
Safe use requirements for EWPs deployed as a fall-elimination control.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Arborists routinely climb to heights of 5–30 metres in tree canopies and operate from EWPs. Any failure of the climbing system, anchor, or platform creates a foreseeable fall greater than 2 metres.
Limb removal, rigging, and felling operations involve the deliberate detachment and lowering of heavy timber sections. Limbs can swing, barber-chair, or release prematurely, striking ground crew, the climber, or members of the public.
Because this work is classified as HRCW under Regulation 291 of the WHS Regulation 2025, a SWMS must be prepared before work starts (Reg 299), kept available for inspection by the regulator (Reg 301), and the work must stop immediately if controls are not implemented or a notifiable incident occurs (Reg 302). Failure to prepare or comply with a SWMS is a Category 2 or 3 offence under the WHS Act 2011, with maximum penalties exceeding $1.8M for a body corporate.
Who this is for
- →Arboriculture and tree services PCBUs (sole traders through to large contractors)
- →Climbing arborists, ground crew, and EWP operators
- →Local councils and government parks and gardens teams managing in-house tree crews
- →Vegetation management contractors working on powerline corridors and rail reserves
- →Property managers and construction principal contractors engaging arborist subcontractors
- →WHS managers and safety advisors auditing high-risk subcontractor documentation
What you receive
- ✓Fully editable Microsoft Word (DOCX) SWMS template, pre-populated with arborist-specific hazards and controls
- ✓State-specific legislation schedule covering NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT, and NT WHS/OHS instruments
- ✓Comprehensive hazard register with risk matrix scoring (likelihood × consequence)
- ✓Worker sign-on register meeting Regulation 300 consultation requirements
- ✓Pre-start daily inspection checklist for ropes, harnesses, chainsaws, and chippers
- ✓Aerial rescue plan template with suspension trauma response protocol
- ✓Drop zone and traffic management diagram template
- ✓12 months of free updates as legislation and codes of practice change
Worked example
A three-person crew is engaged to remove a structurally compromised 18-metre Eucalyptus on a residential block in suburban Brisbane, with the canopy overhanging the neighbour's tiled roof and an 11kV overhead line running 4 metres from the trunk. Before mobilising, the crew leader reviews this SWMS with both the climbing arborist and the groundie, identifying that HRCW Categories 1 and 2 apply. The team contacts Energex to confirm the line clearance distance, establishes a drop zone with bunting across the driveway, and sets up a rigging system using a Port-a-Wrap on a separate anchor tree. The climbing arborist conducts a pre-climb inspection identifying a co-dominant union with included bark at 9m — this is documented and a redundant tie-in is established above the defect. The groundie remains outside the drop zone, in radio contact, and stages the aerial rescue kit at the base of the tree. Each rigged section is lowered under control, the chipper is operated with two people present, and the worker sign-on sheet is updated when an apprentice arrives mid-job to assist with cleanup. The completed SWMS, sign-on register, and pre-start checklist are retained on file for two years in line with Regulation 301.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth model) — sections 19, 20, 27, 28
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 — Part 3.1 (Risk Management), Part 4.4 (Construction Work), Part 4.7 (Hazardous Manual Tasks)
- Electrical Safety Act 2002 (QLD) / Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004 (NSW) and equivalents — overhead powerline approach distances
- Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) and equivalent state planning instruments — tree preservation orders
- Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) and state equivalents
- Australian Standard AS 4373 — Pruning of Amenity Trees