Facade & Wall Demolition SWMS
NSW — Facade & Wall Demolition. Full task scope, hazards and controls to be authored to Phase 1 standard.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Facade and wall demolition is partial demolition in which parts of a structure are removed while others are deliberately retained — a retained facade, a party wall, or a structural core kept for redevelopment. A Safe Work Method Statement is mandatory because the work is high risk construction work under the Work Health and Safety Regulation: it involves demolition of load-bearing elements, structural alterations requiring temporary support, likely asbestos disturbance, work at heights, and powered mobile plant. The defining hazard is the stability of the retained structure. Partial demolition redistributes loads and removes the lateral restraint that walls and floors once provided, so the retained element can become unstable or collapse unless engineered temporary works hold it through every stage. Adjacent-property and party-wall risks are significant — vibration damage, loss of support, and damage to shared walls — alongside falls from scaffold and floor edges, fibre release where asbestos is present, and damage to heritage fabric. This SWMS ties the work to an engineered temporary works design, staged removal with hold points, party-wall and adjacent-property protection, and completion of any licensed asbestos removal before structural work proceeds. It is supplied in eight jurisdiction editions; each cites its own Act, Regulation and regulator, and the demolition-licensing position is set out per state. It supports licensed work — it does not replace the demolition licence or authorisation.
Hazards identified
8 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Crush fatality and structural failure of the retained element
Sudden collapse of the retained facade or wall
Uncontrolled respirable fibre release and worker exposure
Fall fatality or serious injury
Structural damage to neighbouring buildings and third-party injury
Struck-by or crush fatality
Fatal or serious head and body injury
Irreversible loss of heritage value and regulatory breach
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Install engineered temporary propping and bracing to the retained structure before any load-bearing element is removed, eliminating the risk of progressive or uncontrolled collapse
- 2Substitution — Substitute mechanical demolition worked from outside the structure for personnel entry into the partial-demolition zone wherever the retained structure allows
- 3Engineering — Temporary Works Design signed by a chartered (NER/CPEng) structural engineer, with propping installed and inspected before demolition
- 4Engineering — Party-wall and adjacent-property protection, with vibration monitoring against set peak-particle-velocity limits
- 5Engineering — Edge protection, scaffold and catch decks to arrest falls and contain falling material
- 6Administrative — Pre-demolition asbestos audit by a Licensed Asbestos Assessor before selective dismantling begins
- 7Administrative — Staged removal with engineer hold points and a sequence that maintains stability at every step
- 8Administrative — Dilapidation survey and party-wall agreement with the adjacent owner before work starts
- 9PPE — Type 1 hard hat with chin strap, impact eye protection and high-visibility clothing, mandatory site-wide
- 10PPE — Fall-arrest harness and P2/P3 respiratory protection selected and fit-tested for the task
Applicable Codes of Practice
Primary code governing partial demolition, temporary works and exclusion zones
General construction duties and SWMS requirements
Asbestos register and management duties before demolition
Licensed removal and clearance where asbestos is present
Mandatory reference for partial demolition with facade retention
Design basis for temporary support and propping systems
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Dismantling proceeds on scaffold and open floor edges above 2 m.
Demolition of load-bearing elements adjacent to retained structure is the core activity.
Wall cavities are likely to contain asbestos that is disturbed.
Temporary support is essential to keep the retained structure stable throughout.
Powered mobile plant operates around the retained structure.
Who this is for
- →Licensed demolition contractors undertaking partial and facade demolition
- →Principal contractors managing redevelopment behind retained facades
- →Structural engineers (NER/CPEng) designing temporary works
- →Heritage consultants and architects coordinating facade retention
- →Party-wall surveyors engaged on adjacent-property protection
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
On a Wednesday morning a crew from Cornice Demolition begins selectively dismantling the rear of a heritage terrace whose street facade is being retained. The temporary works design is on site; the supervisor confirms the propping and needling to the retained facade were installed and inspected, and checks the vibration monitors set against the agreed limit for the neighbouring building. A dilapidation survey and party-wall agreement are already in place. Scaffolders work off a fully boarded external scaffold with edge protection, and anyone near an internal open edge is on fall-arrest. When a wall cavity is opened, the crew finds bonded sheet not listed in the original audit; work in that zone stops immediately and the licensed asbestos team is called to remove and clear it before dismantling continues. Material is lowered, never dropped, and the powered plant works to a traffic plan that keeps it clear of the retained facade. Each stage is taken only after the engineer confirms the retained structure remains stable, so the facade stands secure on its temporary works at the end of the day.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- AS 2601 The demolition of structures
- Demolition Work Code of Practice