Tree Felling SWMS
Felling of standing trees using chainsaw and mechanical assist. Covers notch/back-cut technique, exclusion zones, lean assessment, escape routes, and wood-chipping.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Tree felling is one of the highest-risk activities in the arboricultural and land management sectors. The work involves the controlled severance and directional drop of standing timber using chainsaws, supported by mechanical assist (winches, excavators, skid steers) and follow-up wood chipping. A felling operation combines kinetic hazards (a multi-tonne stem under gravitational load), high-energy cutting tools, unpredictable wood fibre behaviour, and routine exposure to noise, vibration, and respirable wood dust.
Under the model Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the WHS Regulation 2025, a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) must eliminate or minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable (s.17–s.19). Tree felling falls within the scope of High Risk Construction Work under Part 4.4 of the WHS Regulation 2025 — specifically Category 2 (work involving a risk of a person being struck by a moving object). Where the work forms part of construction (site clearing, civil works, line clearance for builders), regulation 291 mandates that a written SWMS be prepared, communicated, and complied with before work commences.
This Tree Felling SWMS has been authored against AS 2727 'Chainsaws – Guide to safe working practices', the FWPCOT2238 industry competency for tree felling, and the relevant model Codes of Practice for managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work, hazardous manual tasks, and construction work. It provides a defensible, legally compliant framework for documenting hazards, controls, exclusion zones, and emergency response for felling operations across all Australian jurisdictions.
Hazards identified
10 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Fatal crush injury to feller or ground crew; property damage to structures, vehicles, or services
Stem rotates rearward at high velocity, fatally striking the feller before escape route can be used
Severe lacerations, arterial bleeding, permanent disfigurement or fatality
Head and spinal injuries to feller and spotter from above
Electrocution, arc flash burns, fatality; network outage and prosecution under electrical safety legislation
Cable whip striking workers; crush injuries from uncontrolled stem movement
Permanent neurovascular damage to hands; irreversible hearing loss exceeding the 85 dB(A) exposure standard
Amputation or fatality from being drawn into feed rollers
Occupational asthma, anaphylaxis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis (per Hazardous Chemicals Schedule 14 exposure standards)
Inability to clear the fall zone; fractures or being overtaken by falling stem
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Conduct a documented pre-fell tree assessment covering species, height, diameter at breast height (DBH), lean (head/side), defects, hang-ups, deadwood, and surrounding targets — recorded on the site-specific risk assessment before any cut is made.
- 2Establish a minimum exclusion zone of two times the tree height in all directions, signposted and physically barricaded; only the feller and an authorised spotter remain inside the zone with verbal/whistle communication protocols established.
- 3Use the correct felling technique for the lean — conventional 70° notch with horizontal scarf for straight stems, bore (plunge) cut with trigger/holding wood for back-leaners or large DBH, to prevent barber-chair failure.
- 4Plan and clear two escape routes at 45° behind the intended fall direction; retreat a minimum of 5 metres at the moment of commitment and watch the canopy.
- 5Verify no overhead powerlines within the fall radius — where lines are present, work is to be performed only by an Authorised Person under the relevant network operator's Vegetation Management Work Procedure with the documented approach distances of AS 5804 / ENA NENS 04.
- 6Operate only chainsaws compliant with AS 2726.1 fitted with chain brake, anti-vibration mounts, throttle interlock, and low-kickback chain; daily pre-start inspection logged.
- 7Mandatory PPE: AS/NZS 1801 Type 3 helmet with mesh visor and AS/NZS 1270 Class 5 earmuffs, AS/NZS 4453.3 chainsaw-protective leg covering (Type C all-round for non-experienced fellers), cut-resistant gloves, and steel-capped chainsaw boots to AS/NZS 2210.3.
- 8Limit continuous chainsaw operation to manage hand-arm vibration exposure below the 5 m/s² A(8) action value per the model Code of Practice — implement task rotation and log vibration magnitude from manufacturer data.
- 9Wood-chipper operation: only operators with documented training; in-feed last-stick technique, no loose clothing, emergency stop bar tested each shift, and a second worker on visual standby at the discharge.
- 10All fellers hold current FWPCOT2239 (Trees up to 15 m) or FWPCOT3316 (Advanced Trees over 15 m) competency, plus current First Aid (HLTAID011) including remote-area bleeding control with at least one CAT tourniquet on site.
- 11Mechanical assist with winches/excavators only used with rated and certified rigging; cable angle no greater than 30° from horizontal, all personnel positioned at 1.5× the cable length from the line of pull.
- 12Continuous canopy monitoring by the spotter throughout cutting — work ceases immediately on detection of cracking, settling, or wind gusts exceeding 40 km/h (per Bureau of Meteorology forecast verified on site).
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates a written SWMS for HRCW Category 2 (risk of being struck by a moving object) before tree felling commences as part of construction work.
Sets out SWMS preparation, communication, review, and retention obligations applicable to felling operations.
Chainsaws routinely exceed 100 dB(A); this Code informs the noise control hierarchy and audiometric testing program.
Addresses cumulative musculoskeletal injury and hand-arm vibration risk from sustained chainsaw use.
Industry benchmark for cutting techniques, maintenance, PPE selection, and operator competency referenced throughout the SWMS.
Specifies the chainsaw-protective leg covering performance class required as PPE in the controls.
Defines minimum approach distances and authorised-person requirements when felling near overhead electricity infrastructure.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
A felled tree is a multi-tonne moving object whose final trajectory is influenced by lean, wind, defects, and hinge integrity. Even with correct technique, the stem, broken tops, and shed limbs (widow-makers) move at high velocity through the work area. Mechanical assist cables under tension and chipper-discharged material are additional moving-object hazards. This squarely engages WHS Regulation 2025 reg 291 Category 2.
Because the work is High Risk Construction Work, a written SWMS must be prepared before work starts, must be readily accessible at the workplace, must be complied with by all workers, and must be reviewed and revised if a control is found to be ineffective or if there is a change in the work. Failure to prepare a SWMS for HRCW is a Category 3 offence under the WHS Act 2011, attracting penalties currently up to $9,108 for an individual and $45,540 for a body corporate, with significantly higher penalties where breach causes death or serious injury (Category 1 — up to $3 million for a body corporate, plus potential industrial manslaughter charges in QLD, VIC, NT, ACT, WA and NSW).
Who this is for
- →Arboricultural contractors and tree-care businesses (Levels 3–5 AQF) performing removal works
- →Local government parks and reserves teams undertaking in-house tree felling
- →Land-clearing and civil contractors preparing sites for construction or subdivision
- →Powerline vegetation management crews working under network operator contracts
- →Bushfire hazard reduction and asset protection zone (APZ) maintenance teams
- →Rural property managers and stations conducting commercial-scale clearing
What you receive
- ✓Fully editable Microsoft Word (DOCX) SWMS template branded to your business
- ✓State-specific legislation schedule covering NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, NT, ACT and Commonwealth jurisdictions
- ✓Pre-populated hazard register with all 10 felling hazards, risk-rated using a 5×5 matrix
- ✓Worker sign-on register with competency verification fields (FWPCOT2239/3316, First Aid, EWP if applicable)
- ✓Pre-fell tree assessment checklist (lean, defects, escape route, exclusion zone)
- ✓Emergency response plan template including remote-area arborist self-rescue and aerial rescue protocols
- ✓Daily plant pre-start inspection records for chainsaw, chipper, and mechanical assist plant
- ✓SWMS review and revision log compliant with reg 295 of the WHS Regulation 2025
Worked example
Daniel, a Cert IV qualified arborist, is contracted to fell a 22-metre dead Eucalyptus saligna leaning 8° toward a residential garage on a site in Wollongong. Before any saw is started, he opens the Tree Felling SWMS on his tablet, walks the site with his groundie Priya, and completes the pre-fell assessment: he records the back-lean, identifies two hung-up limbs in the upper canopy, marks 44-metre exclusion radius (2× tree height), and notes 11 kV powerlines 18 metres to the east. Because the lines are within fall radius, he activates the mechanical-assist control: an excavator with rated lifting eye and 12 mm winch line at a 25° pull, with all ground crew positioned behind the cab. Daniel briefs Priya on the SWMS controls, both sign the worker register, and he confirms his chainsaw chain brake, leg chaps (AS/NZS 4453.3 Type C), helmet, Class 5 earmuffs, and CAT tourniquet are on his person. He cuts a 70° open-face notch, then performs a bore cut to set the hinge before releasing the back strap — eliminating barber-chair risk on the dead stem. On commitment, he signals 'falling', retreats 6 metres along his pre-cleared 45° escape route, and watches the crown. The tree falls within 2 metres of intended lay. Priya does not enter the zone until Daniel confirms canopy settle. Later that afternoon a wind gust forecast of 45 km/h triggers the SWMS stop-work threshold, and remaining stems are deferred to the next morning — a decision that is logged in the SWMS review section.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth model) — primary duty of care s.19
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 — Part 4.4 Construction Work, Part 3.2 General Workplace Management, Part 4.1 Noise
- Electricity Supply (Safety and Network Management) Regulation (state-based) — vegetation clearance
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) — protected flora and habitat trees
- Local Government Act tree preservation orders (state and council level)
- Dangerous Goods (Storage and Handling) Regulations — chainsaw fuel and 2-stroke oil
- Rural Fires Act 1997 (NSW) and equivalents — total fire ban day chainsaw restrictions
Frequently asked questions
Is a SWMS legally required for every tree felling job, or only for construction sites?
A SWMS is mandatory under reg 291 of the WHS Regulation 2025 whenever the felling is part of construction work — which is broadly defined and includes site clearing, civil works, and line clearance supporting building or infrastructure projects. For non-construction felling (e.g. routine residential tree removal), a SWMS is not strictly required but a documented Safe Work Procedure or risk assessment is still mandated under the PCBU's primary duty of care (s.19 WHS Act). Most insurers, principal contractors and government clients now require a SWMS regardless, so this document is structured to satisfy both pathways.
Does this SWMS cover work near powerlines?
It includes the controls and approach-distance framework based on AS 5804 / ENA NENS 04 and identifies the hazard, but felling within the 'No Go Zone' (typically 3 m for distribution lines up to 132 kV and greater for transmission) requires the operator to be an Authorised Person under the network operator's accreditation scheme. The SWMS prompts you to verify that authorisation and to obtain a network access permit before work commences.
What competencies must my fellers hold for this SWMS to be valid?
The SWMS specifies FWPCOT2239 'Fell trees manually (basic)' for trees up to 15 m and FWPCOT3316 'Fell trees manually (advanced)' for trees over 15 m or with complex defects, plus current HLTAID011 First Aid and a documented chainsaw operator assessment under AS 2727. The worker sign-on register has fields to record certificate numbers and expiry dates so competency is verifiable on audit.
How often must this SWMS be reviewed?
Under reg 295 of the WHS Regulation 2025, the SWMS must be reviewed and, if necessary, revised whenever a control measure is revised, the work changes, a notifiable incident occurs, a HSR requests a review, or a new hazard is identified. As a baseline we recommend a formal review at least every 12 months and a site-specific review (using the pre-fell assessment in the document) before each new job.
Does this document satisfy SafeWork inspector audits across all Australian states?
Yes. The document is built on the model WHS Act and Regulation framework adopted by NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, NT, ACT, and the Commonwealth, and includes a state-specific legislation schedule that maps equivalent provisions for Victoria (OHS Act 2004, OHS Regulations 2017) and Western Australia (WHS Act 2020, WHS (General) Regulations 2022). It addresses every element a SafeWork/WorkSafe inspector typically requests: hazard identification, control hierarchy, HRCW disclosure, worker consultation, sign-on, and review provisions.
Is wood-chipper operation included or do I need a separate SWMS?
Wood-chipper in-feed and processing of felled material is included as it is the natural downstream activity of felling. However, if your operation involves stand-alone chipping work (e.g. processing pre-stockpiled material) or large industrial horizontal grinders, we recommend a dedicated Wood Chipping SWMS that addresses the unique entanglement and projectile hazards in greater depth.