Facade Restoration SWMS

Facade restoration involves the repair, recoating, resealing and partial replacement of external building envelopes — including render, precast panels, curtain walling, ACP/aluminium composite cladding, stone veneer and sealant joints — typically carried out from swing stages, mast climbers, boom-type EWPs or fixed scaffolds at heights well above two metres. The work combines uncontrolled fall exposure with high-energy tools, chemical strippers, silica-generating grinding and cutting, and the near-certainty of encountering asbestos-containing materials in fibre cement sheeting, sealant bond-breaker tapes, backing boards and older render mixes on buildings constructed before 1990.

Under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW), facade restoration is high risk construction work under section 291(a) (fall risk greater than 2 metres) and typically section 291(d) (likely disturbance of asbestos). Section 299 requires a Safe Work Method Statement to be prepared before work commences, and section 302 requires review whenever controls are revised or an incident occurs. Controls must follow the hierarchy in section 36, with elimination and engineered fall prevention prioritised over administrative measures and PPE.

Hazards identified

12 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.

1. 1Eliminate working at height where possible by carrying out repairs at ground level on removed panels, or by reconfiguring the scope to avoid facade access altogether.
2. 2Substitute high-silica abrasive methods with low-dust chemical cleaning or water-fed pole systems where structurally suitable.
3. 3Before any disturbance, obtain a compliant asbestos register and hazardous materials survey; where materials are suspect, engage a licensed asbestos assessor and, for friable or >10 m² non-friable removal, a Class A/B licensed asbestos removalist under sections 458-491 of the WH&S Regulation 2025 (NSW).
4. 4Design and install suspended access equipment (swing stages, BMU, mast climbers) to AS/NZS 1418.13 and AS 2550.13, with engineer-certified roof anchors, secondary fall arrest lines to AS/NZS 1891.1 and daily pre-use inspection.
5. 5Erect perimeter fixed scaffold to AS/NZS 4576 with fully planked platforms, midrails, toeboards and containment sheeting; scaffolds over 4 m to be erected by a ticketed scaffolder (SB/SI/SA).
6. 6Establish exclusion zones at ground level with hard barricades, gantries and spotters; suspend work in winds exceeding manufacturer limits (typically 40 km/h for swing stages) verified by anemometer.
7. 7Control silica dust using on-tool H-class LEV to AS/NZS 60335.2.69 combined with wet-cutting; enforce the 0.05 mg/m³ 8-hour TWA workplace exposure standard with air monitoring by an occupational hygienist.
8. 8De-energise, isolate and tag facade-mounted and adjacent electrical services under AS/NZS 4836; maintain no-go zones from overhead lines per SafeWork NSW Code of Practice — Work Near Overhead Power Lines.
9. 9Provide task-specific PPE: full-body harness with dual lanyards to AS/NZS 1891.1, P2/P3 respirators fit-tested to AS/NZS 1715, chemical-resistant gloves to AS/NZS 2161, and eye/face protection to AS/NZS 1337.
10. 10Implement rescue-at-height procedures with suspended worker rescue kits, trained rescuers on site at all times, and documented emergency response drills.
11. 11Restrict all facade restoration tasks to workers holding CPCCWHS1001 (White Card), relevant EWP/scaffold/asbestos awareness units, and verified competency for the specific access system.
12. 12Consult with workers and HSRs under section 47 of the WH&S Act 2011 (NSW) when developing the SWMS, and formally review under section 302 of the WH&S Regulation 2025 (NSW) on control change, incident, or at least every 12 months.

Applicable Codes of Practice

High-Risk Construction Work triggered

Worked example

A remedial builder is engaged to strip and recoat the render, replace failed sealant joints and remove ~180 m² of legacy fibre cement spandrel panels on a 14-storey residential tower in Parramatta. Prior to mobilisation, the PCBU reviews the building's asbestos register — the spandrel panels are confirmed ACM. A Class B licensed removalist is engaged for the panel removal, and a Licensed Asbestos Assessor conducts clearance. The facade access system is a two-point swing stage with engineer-certified davit arms on the roof plant deck. Workers are inducted to the SWMS, hold CPCCWHS1001, EWP and asbestos awareness tickets, and are fit-tested to P3 respirators. Ground-level exclusion zones are managed by a traffic controller on Macquarie Street with a covered gantry over the residential entry. Wind speed is logged each shift; on one afternoon gusts reach 46 km/h and work is stood down. The SWMS is reviewed under section 302 after a near-miss where a dropped scraper strikes the gantry roof — the controls are amended to require lanyarded tools on all suspended platforms.

Related legislation

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW)
• Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) — waste and dust emissions
• Environmentally Hazardous Chemicals Act 1985 (NSW)
• Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) — cladding rectification
• Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Act 2020 (NSW)

Frequently asked questions