Electrical Disconnection & Make-Safe for Demolition SWMS
Disconnection, isolation, and permanent make-safe of incoming mains, sub-mains, and internal distribution prior to structural demolition, including awareness and handover of asbestos-composite switchboard panels to a licensed asbestos removalist.
SWMS variants reference your state's WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Electrical disconnection and make-safe for demolition covers the permanent disconnection, isolation, and removal of electrical infrastructure from a building or structure prior to structural demolition. The work includes coordination with the network operator for permanent disconnection of the consumer mains at the meter or pole-top, isolation and removal of internal sub-mains and distribution boards, sealing off any retained services, and the safe handover of switchboards to the demolition contractor or licensed asbestos removalist as appropriate. The work is High-Risk Construction Work under WHS Regulation s. 291 because it involves work on or near energised installations during the disconnection sequence — even after the network operator has disconnected at the meter, retained back-feed sources (solar PV, BESS, generators, neighbouring shared metering) may keep parts of the installation energised. A second HRCW trigger applies when pre-1985 asbestos-composite switchboard panels are present in the installation — disturbance of these panels during disconnection or removal is asbestos work under WHS Regulation Part 8.3 and triggers the HRCW category for asbestos disturbance. The Australian asbestos-composite switchboard panel trade names include Zelemite, Ausbestos, Lebah, and Miscolite (asbestos-reinforced phenolic resin panels manufactured pre-1985, distinct from non-asbestos bakelite). Where these panels are identified, removal must be performed by a licensed asbestos removalist under the How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice. The applicable framework is AS/NZS 3000:2018 for the electrical disconnection requirements, AS 2601 (Demolition of structures), and the Demolition Work and Asbestos Codes of Practice.
Hazards identified
10 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Fatal — solar PV systems remain energised on the DC side as long as light reaches the panels; BESS holds significant stored energy regardless of grid state; generators and neighbouring shared metering are commonly missed back-feed sources.
Mesothelioma and asbestos-related disease decades after exposure. Switchboard panel disturbance — drilling, cutting, breaking — releases respirable asbestos fibres.
Worker electrocuted during what should be an isolated work environment. Coordination failures between disconnection request and network operator action are documented incident causes.
Severe burns. Disconnection sequence routinely involves work on energised tails between the network connection and the meter where network operator scope ends.
Fall injury or fatal outcome. Service entries on multi-storey buildings are commonly above 2 metres.
Building collapse, falling debris, unstable surfaces. Buildings undergoing pre-demolition assessment may have compromised structural integrity.
Asphyxiation, entrapment, delayed rescue. Service basements in older commercial buildings are commonly confined spaces.
Musculoskeletal injury during removal of legacy equipment. Removed equipment is often heavy and the working positions are awkward in cramped service areas.
Polychlorinated biphenyl exposure during removal of legacy equipment — chronic toxicity, environmental contamination from spills.
Gas explosion if striking gas; flooding if striking water; telecommunications outage. Service interactions in service basements are dense.
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Pre-disconnection survey by the licensed electrician — identify all sources of supply (network operator mains, solar PV, BESS, generators, shared metering, alternative tenant supply), all asbestos-containing materials in the electrical infrastructure (switchboard panels, fuse holders, asbestos cement panels), and the disconnection sequence to make every part of the installation safe.
- 2Asbestos register review — the building owner's asbestos register must be obtained before disconnection work. If no register exists for a pre-2003 building, a licensed asbestos assessor should inspect the electrical infrastructure before disturbance work commences.
- 3Network operator disconnection request submitted in advance — timing coordinated with the demolition programme; written confirmation of the disconnection date received before any worker touches the meter or upstream tails.
- 4Solar PV and BESS isolation before any electrical disconnection work — DC switches opened and locked, BESS in shutdown state, BMS configured to prevent re-energisation. Test the DC bus dead with a calibrated DC voltage detector before any work near PV or BESS conductors.
- 5Generator isolation — fuel supply isolated, control circuit disabled, starter battery disconnected, manual transfer switch locked in the OFF position.
- 6Shared metering check — verify whether the building shares a meter or sub-meter with adjacent tenancies; coordinate with the principal contractor and adjacent tenants for any shared supply that must be retained.
- 7Test-before-touch on every conductor at every disconnection step using a calibrated voltage detector. Test the detector on a known live source immediately before and after the proving-dead measurement.
- 8Permanent disconnection methods per AS/NZS 3000:2018 — cables severed and ends sealed, conductors permanently identified as disconnected, cable termination removed not just isolated.
- 9Asbestos panel handover — if pre-1985 asbestos-composite switchboard panels (Zelemite, Ausbestos, Lebah, Miscolite) are identified, electrical disconnection proceeds with no disturbance to the panel itself; the panel is handed over in situ to a licensed asbestos removalist for removal as part of the asbestos scope.
- 10PCB-containing equipment identification — capacitors and transformers manufactured pre-1980 may contain polychlorinated biphenyls. Suspected PCB equipment is handled per the asset owner's PCB management procedure; spills are isolated and licensed waste handlers engaged for disposal.
- 11Fall protection above 2 metres for any meter-board work at pole-top or elevated service entries — twin-tail lanyard, rated anchor, harness inspected within 6 months. EWP preferred for pole-top meter work.
- 12Structural assessment of dilapidated buildings before entry — engineering review of the structure if visible damage suggests reduced integrity. No worker enters a structure that has not been assessed safe for entry by the demolition contractor.
- 13Confined space entry permit for service basements and meter rooms with restricted ventilation — atmospheric testing for O₂, LEL, CO before entry; continuous monitoring; rescue plan with topside attendant.
- 14Service interaction check — visual identification of gas, water, telecommunications, and sewer services in shared service basements before any cutting or removal work. Cable removal coordinated with the demolition contractor to avoid interference with retained services.
- 15Documentation handover — disconnection record per AS/NZS 3000:2018, network operator disconnection certificate, asbestos handover record (if applicable), PCB equipment register update (if applicable), demolition contractor briefing on the make-safe state of the electrical infrastructure.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Becomes legally binding under Section 26A of the WHS Act from 1 July 2026. Sets the regulatory baseline for safe systems of work for electrical disconnection — including the controls for retained back-feed sources and the disconnection sequence.
Current consolidated set with Amendments 1 (January 2020), 2 (April 2021), 3 (May 2023), and Ruling 1 (May 2024). Section 1 covers permanent disconnection requirements including the methods for severing and sealing conductors prior to demolition.
Australian Standard governing demolition work including the electrical make-safe requirements as a precondition to structural demolition. Cited in the Demolition Work Code of Practice and forms the practice baseline for the demolition contractor's scope.
Becomes legally binding under Section 26A of the WHS Act from 1 July 2026. Sets out the demolition work obligations including the requirement to disconnect electrical, gas, and water services before structural demolition commences. Defines the WHS management plan obligations under WHS Reg s. 309.
Becomes legally binding under Section 26A of the WHS Act from 1 July 2026. Applies if pre-1985 asbestos-composite switchboard panels (Zelemite, Ausbestos, Lebah, Miscolite) or asbestos cement panels are present. Removal must be performed by a licensed asbestos removalist; the electrical disconnection step must avoid disturbance to these panels.
Becomes legally binding under Section 26A of the WHS Act from 1 July 2026. Applies to the building owner's obligation to maintain an asbestos register and to identify asbestos before any disturbance work — the register is the input to the make-safe pre-disconnection survey.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Disconnection work involves the proving-dead and severing of conductors that may remain energised from retained back-feed sources (solar PV, BESS, generators, shared metering) even after the network operator has disconnected the upstream supply. The worker is in physical proximity to potentially energised installations throughout the disconnection sequence.
Pre-1985 buildings commonly contain asbestos-composite switchboard panels (Zelemite, Ausbestos, Lebah, Miscolite — distinct from non-asbestos bakelite phenolic resin) and asbestos cement panels in the electrical infrastructure. Where these panels are present, disconnection or removal work that disturbs them constitutes asbestos work under WHS Regulation Part 8.3 and triggers the HRCW category. This SWMS controls the electrical disconnection step to avoid disturbance and hand over the panels to a licensed asbestos removalist for removal.
Failure to prepare a SWMS before High-Risk Construction Work commences is a contravention of WHS Regulation s. 291. Category 2 offences under WHS Act s. 32 — where a duty breach exposes a person to a risk of death or serious injury without proof of recklessness — attract substantial monetary penalties for body corporates and individual duty holders; refer to the current SafeWork NSW penalty schedule for the NSW-indexed 2025–26 figures. Category 1 reckless-conduct offences under WHS Act s. 31 attract up to approximately $10.42 million for a body corporate, $2.17 million for an individual PCBU or officer, and $1.04 million for an individual worker, with up to 10 years' imprisonment (NSW-indexed at 1 July 2025). VIC maximum penalties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 differ in structure and amount and are set at VIC variant-generation time.
Who this is for
- →Licensed electrical contractors performing make-safe work on commercial, industrial, and residential demolition projects.
- →Demolition contractors coordinating the electrical make-safe step as part of an overall demolition programme — typically as an upstream subcontractor to the demolition trade.
- →Asset owners and project managers responsible for site preparation prior to building demolition — particularly on commercial and industrial sites where the electrical infrastructure is significant.
- →Principal contractors coordinating multi-trade demolition projects where the electrical disconnection is one of several preparatory steps (gas, water, telecommunications).
- →WHS managers and electrical safety officers responsible for the company's demolition support work and the asbestos awareness controls.
What you receive
- ✓Editable Microsoft Word .docx — open in Word or Google Docs, drop in your company logo and ABN.
- ✓State-specific variant matched to the jurisdiction selected at checkout (NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, NT, or ACT).
- ✓10 hazards documented with worst-case consequence, inherent risk rating, residual risk rating, and HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW priority — including the often-overlooked asbestos-composite switchboard hazard and PCB-containing legacy equipment.
- ✓15 control measures covering pre-disconnection survey, asbestos register review, network operator coordination, retained-source isolation (solar PV, BESS, generators), permanent disconnection methods, and asbestos handover.
- ✓References to AS/NZS 3000:2018, AS 2601, the Managing Electrical Risks Code, the Demolition Work Code, and both Asbestos Codes of Practice.
- ✓Cross-references to existing related products — Asbestos Management trade master and Electrical Isolation & LOTO sub-task.
- ✓Asbestos-composite panel identification reference (Zelemite, Ausbestos, Lebah, Miscolite trade names) and the distinction from non-asbestos bakelite.
- ✓Section for principal contractor sign-off, demolition contractor handover, and worker acknowledgement signatures.
Worked example
An electrical contractor in Sydney is engaged by a demolition contractor to make-safe a 1965-built three-storey commercial office block in Surry Hills prior to structural demolition. The building has main switchboard panels of unknown manufacture, two retained tenant sub-meters that share supply with the adjacent retained heritage building, a 20 kW rooftop solar PV system installed in 2019, and a basement diesel generator. Job value is $9,800 over two days. Before disconnection commences, the contractor reviews the asbestos register supplied by the building owner — the register identifies the main switchboard panels as Ausbestos manufacture (asbestos-reinforced phenolic resin, pre-1985). A network operator disconnection request is submitted with three weeks' lead time. On the disconnection day, the contractor first isolates the solar PV (DC switches opened and locked, DC bus tested dead with DC voltage detector) and the basement generator (fuel isolated, starter battery disconnected, transfer switch locked OFF). The shared sub-meter for the adjacent heritage building is identified, isolated from the demolition building's mains, and re-routed to retain supply to the heritage building under coordination with the principal contractor. Network operator disconnection is confirmed in writing before any worker touches the meter. Permanent disconnection of the main feeders is performed per AS/NZS 3000:2018 — cables severed and ends sealed. The Ausbestos switchboard panels are not disturbed; they remain in situ for handover to the licensed asbestos removalist as part of the asbestos scope of works. Documentation handover includes the make-safe certificate, the network operator disconnection record, the asbestos handover record, and a written brief to the demolition contractor confirming the electrical state of the building.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) — Sections 19, 31, 32, 46–49, 242B
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW) — Sections 291 (HRCW definition), 299 (SWMS), Part 8.3 (asbestos), 309 (WHS management plan)
- Electrical Safety Act 2017 (NSW) and Electrical Safety Regulation 2018 (NSW)
- AS/NZS 3000:2018 — Electrical Installations (Wiring Rules), including Amendments 1–3 and Ruling 1
- AS 2601 — The demolition of structures
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between this and the Electrical Isolation & LOTO SWMS?
Different intent. The Electrical Isolation & LOTO SWMS covers planned isolation of equipment that will be re-energised — work-on/work-off discipline for maintenance and repair. This Make-Safe SWMS covers permanent disconnection of equipment that will not be re-energised — cables are severed and sealed, switchboards may be removed entirely. The two SWMS are not interchangeable; a make-safe job uses different methods and produces different documentation than a planned isolation.
Are Zelemite/Ausbestos/Lebah/Miscolite panels really asbestos? Aren't they just old bakelite?
These are distinct products. Bakelite is phenol-formaldehyde resin, a non-asbestos thermosetting plastic — brittle, but not asbestos-containing. Zelemite, Ausbestos, Lebah, and Miscolite were Australian-manufactured asbestos-reinforced phenolic resin switchboard panels marketed under those trade names roughly between the 1940s and 1985. They contain chrysotile asbestos in a phenolic matrix and release respirable fibres when drilled, cut, broken, or aggressively cleaned. Confusing the two is a common error in older-building electrical work; the correct identification matters because asbestos panel disturbance triggers WHS Regulation Part 8.3 obligations and licensed-removalist requirements.
Do I disconnect the network supply or does the network operator do it?
The network operator is responsible for permanent disconnection at the meter or pole-top. The electrical contractor coordinates the disconnection request, confirms the date, and verifies in writing that disconnection has occurred before working on the upstream tails. The contractor's scope begins at the meter and extends through the building infrastructure. Physical removal of the meter itself is the network operator's responsibility; the contractor must not remove or modify the meter before network operator disconnection is confirmed.
What about retained back-feed sources?
This is the highest-risk failure mode in make-safe work. Solar PV systems remain energised on the DC side as long as light reaches the panels — the AC isolation does not de-energise the array. BESS holds significant stored energy regardless of grid state. Generators may auto-start on signal loss. Shared metering can keep parts of an installation energised after upstream disconnection. The pre-disconnection survey must identify every back-feed source and the disconnection sequence must isolate each one before work proceeds on the affected conductors.
What do I do if I find an unidentified panel that might be asbestos?
Stop work, do not disturb the panel, and engage a licensed asbestos assessor to sample and identify the material. Asbestos assessor sampling is typically same-day or next-day in metropolitan areas. If the panel is confirmed asbestos-containing, removal proceeds under a licensed asbestos removalist scope per the How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice. The electrical disconnection scope is adjusted to avoid panel disturbance — typically by isolating upstream of the panel and severing connections at the next-upstream junction.
What's the demolition contractor's responsibility versus the electrical contractor's?
The electrical contractor's scope ends at the make-safe state — all sources isolated, conductors severed and sealed, asbestos panels handed over for separate removal, documentation provided. The demolition contractor's scope begins after make-safe is complete and confirmed; structural demolition cannot commence until the make-safe certificate is in hand. The principal contractor coordinates the handover. Both contractors must be clear on where one scope ends and the other begins — overlap is a documented incident cause.
Does Victoria use the same framework?
Victoria operates under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017, not the WHS Act and WHS Regulation. The substance of the make-safe controls is identical, but the legal framing differs — the High-Risk Construction Work concept is replaced by Construction Work Compliance Code obligations, and the regulator is WorkSafe Victoria. WorkSafe Victoria's asbestos provisions are similar in substance but use different terminology (Compliance Code rather than Code of Practice). The VIC variant of this SWMS substitutes the legislative references at variant-generation time.
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