Hoist Installation & Operation SWMS

Hoist installation and operation covers the erection, tie-in, commissioning, daily operation, extension and dismantling of materials and passenger/materials hoists on construction sites. The work involves lifting heavy mast sections and enclosure panels into position, working from the hoist car roof and from partially completed landings, energising three-phase power, and interfacing the hoist structure with an active building perimeter. Personnel are routinely exposed to falls from height above the base enclosure, crush injuries from mast sections and counterweights, electrical hazards during commissioning, and struck-by risks from falling tools, fixings or lifted loads. Once operational, the hoist becomes a piece of registered plant carrying workers and materials, meaning any structural, mechanical or control failure has catastrophic potential.

Under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW), this work is high risk construction work under section 291 because it involves a risk of a fall of more than 2 metres and the movement of powered mobile plant. A Safe Work Method Statement complying with section 299 must be prepared before work commences and must be readily accessible on site. Controls are applied in hierarchy order, with engineered fall protection, exclusion zones, competent operator control and manufacturer-specified erection procedures forming the primary defence.

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 practicable by erecting mast sections from within the hoist car with the top-mounted crane, keeping workers off the exterior of the mast during extension.
2. 2Install the hoist strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's erection manual and an engineer-certified tie-in schedule; verify each anchor's pull-out capacity into the host structure before loading the mast.
3. 3Provide engineered fall protection to AS/NZS 1891.1 and AS/NZS 1891.4 — hoist car roof handrails, twin-lanyard harnesses with shock absorbers anchored to certified points, and self-retracting lifelines during external mast work above 2 m.
4. 4Fully enclose the hoist base landing with rigid mesh and interlocked landing gates complying with AS 1418.13 for building hoists; interlocks must prevent car movement unless all gates are closed and prevent gate opening unless the car is present.
5. 5Establish and physically barricade a drop zone around the hoist during erection and dismantle; post spotters, signage, and prohibit any work or access below the mast during lifting operations.
6. 6All electrical connection, commissioning and isolation to be performed by a licensed electrician; apply lock-out/tag-out to AS/NZS 4836 principles and test-for-dead before touching conductors; RCD protection on all site supply per AS/NZS 3012.
7. 7Control respirable crystalline silica when drilling for tie-ins using on-tool water suppression or M/H-class dust extraction, with P2 RPE selected to AS/NZS 1715 and fit-tested to AS/NZS 1716; comply with the 0.05 mg/m³ workplace exposure standard.
8. 8Where the host structure was built before 1990 or has unknown material composition, obtain an asbestos register and clearance before drilling; if disturbed, stop work and engage a licensed asbestos removalist under Chapter 8 of the WHS Regulation 2025.
9. 9Operate the hoist only within manufacturer-rated load and passenger limits displayed inside the car; conduct documented daily pre-start inspections, monthly inspections and 12-monthly major inspections; maintain plant records per section 213 of the WHS Regulation 2025.
10. 10Suspend erection, dismantle and external works when wind speed at the working level exceeds the manufacturer's stated limit (typically 36 km/h working / 72 km/h out-of-service), during electrical storms, or when visibility is compromised.
11. 11Only competent, trained operators may operate the hoist; erectors must hold an appropriate rigging licence (intermediate or advanced) and have documented manufacturer-specific training on the hoist model being installed.
12. 12All workers to hold CPCCWHS1001 (White Card); conduct SWMS consultation and sign-on with the crew before work starts in accordance with section 47 of the WHS Act 2011 (NSW), and review the SWMS under section 302 of the WHS Regulation 2025 whenever the mast is extended, the tie-in configuration changes, or an incident occurs.

Applicable Codes of Practice

High-Risk Construction Work triggered

Worked example

A tier-2 builder is constructing a 24-storey residential tower in Parramatta and engages a specialist hoist contractor to install a twin-cage passenger/materials hoist tied into the west face of the structure. During initial erection to 40 metres, the crew uses this SWMS to plan the lift sequence for mast sections delivered by a 130-tonne mobile crane, establish a 6-metre exclusion zone at ground level enforced by a spotter with UHF communication, and confirm each tie-in bracket into the post-tensioned slab edge against the engineer's certified anchor schedule. Erectors work from the hoist car roof using twin-lanyard harnesses anchored to the manufacturer-designed roof anchor points. The electrician isolates and locks out the 415 V supply before final terminations. Wind readings are logged every 30 minutes from an anemometer at the top of the mast, with a documented stop-work trigger at 36 km/h. When the mast is extended to 80 metres four weeks later, the SWMS is reviewed under section 302 to reflect the increased tie-in count and revised rescue-from-height arrangements, and the crew re-signs the consultation register.

Related legislation

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Chapter 6 (Construction work) and Chapter 5 (Plant and structures)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Chapter 8 (Asbestos)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Part 7.1 (Hazardous chemicals including respirable crystalline silica)
• Electricity Supply (Safety and Network Management) Regulation 2014 (NSW)
• Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) — for hoist locations on building sites

Frequently asked questions