TV Antenna / Satellite Dish Installation SWMS
SWMS template for tv antenna / satellite dish installation. Covers Antenna pole mounting, cable, set-top box.. 8-state AU coverage, CIH-reviewed editable DOCX delivered within 24 hours of payment.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
TV antenna and satellite dish installation work involves rooftop access, pole mounting, coaxial cable routing through ceiling and wall cavities, and connection of set-top boxes or distribution amplifiers to a property's existing 230V electrical infrastructure. Although this work is often perceived as low-risk domestic trade activity, it routinely combines three of the highest-frequency fatality categories in Australian construction: working at height above 2 metres, proximity to live electrical conductors and overhead powerlines, and ladder use on uneven or unstable surfaces. Safe Work Australia data continues to identify falls from roofs and ladders during light trade work as a leading cause of serious injury claims in the antenna and communications installation sector.
Under section 19 of the model Work Health and Safety Act 2011, the PCBU has a primary duty of care to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers carrying out antenna and dish installations. Where the work is performed on a structure as part of construction work and meets any High Risk Construction Work (HRCW) trigger under regulation 291 of the WHS Regulation — including a risk of a fall greater than 2 metres or work on or near energised electrical installations — a Safe Work Method Statement is mandatory before work commences (regulation 299).
This SWMS template has been prepared and reviewed by a Certified Industrial Hygienist and is structured to satisfy the documentary obligations under the model WHS Regulation, AS/NZS 1170, AS/NZS 3000:2018 (Wiring Rules) and the Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces. It is suitable for use across all eight Australian jurisdictions and is delivered as an editable DOCX so that site-specific controls, plant and personnel can be added prior to sign-on.
Hazards identified
6 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Fatal or serious injury from impact — fractures, spinal injury, traumatic brain injury
Electrocution, severe burns, cardiac arrest; risk amplified by conductive mast materials
Electric shock, ventricular fibrillation, burns, secondary fall from shock reaction
Ladder slide-out or kick-back causing fall, crush or strike injuries
Inhalation of respirable asbestos fibres leading to mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer
Musculoskeletal injury, dropped object striking persons below, loss of balance and fall
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Conduct a documented pre-start risk assessment identifying overhead powerline clearances (minimum 3m for unqualified persons under the relevant state Electrical Safety Code of Practice) and roof condition before any ladder is placed.
- 2Use only non-conductive fibreglass ladders within 3m of any overhead conductor; aluminium ladders are prohibited near electrical sources in accordance with AS/NZS 1892.1.
- 3Erect ladders at a 4:1 (75°) pitch, secure at the top, extend 1m above the landing, and ensure three points of contact are maintained at all times — refer to the Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces.
- 4Where work involves a fall risk greater than 2m and a ladder is not reasonably practicable, install a roof edge protection system, harness-based fall-arrest system anchored to a rated point, or use an EWP per the hierarchy of control in regulation 79.
- 5Isolate, lock out and tag the relevant final sub-circuit at the switchboard before connecting any 230V powered amplifier, splitter or set-top box; verify dead with a tested two-pole tester in accordance with AS/NZS 4836.
- 6All fixed wiring, GPO modifications and amplifier hard-wiring must be carried out by a licensed electrician and certified under AS/NZS 3000:2018 with a Certificate of Electrical Safety / Compliance lodged in accordance with the relevant state regulator's requirements.
- 7Prior to drilling into eaves, soffits, or wall sheeting on any structure built before 1990, review the asbestos register or assume ACM is present; use wet drilling, P2 RPE and HEPA vacuum capture per the Code of Practice: How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace.
- 8Use a tool lanyard or hoist line for raising masts, dishes and power tools; never carry assemblies up a ladder. Establish a 2m exclusion zone at ground level using bunting and signage to protect the public.
- 9Wear minimum PPE: AS/NZS 1801 hard hat, AS/NZS 1337.1 safety eyewear, cut-resistant gloves, non-slip soft-sole footwear, and AS/NZS 1891.1 harness where fall-arrest is in use.
- 10Stop work in wet, windy (>35 km/h) or lightning conditions; reschedule rather than attempt rooftop work in deteriorating weather.
- 11Conduct a documented toolbox talk and SWMS sign-on with every worker before commencement; review controls if scope, weather or site conditions change.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Directly applicable to all rooftop antenna and dish work above 2m; prescribes the hierarchy of fall controls.
Defines HRCW and SWMS obligations under r291 and r299 of the model WHS Regulation.
Sets minimum approach distances to overhead powerlines and isolation procedures for energised equipment.
Mandatory technical standard for any 230V connection to set-top boxes, masthead amplifiers and distribution equipment.
Guidance on earthing of antenna masts and dish structures to prevent lightning-induced equipment damage and shock.
Selection, inspection and use criteria; mandates non-conductive ladders near electrical hazards.
Applies when drilling cable entries through pre-1990 eaves, soffits or fibro sheeting.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Antenna pole mounting and dish alignment is performed on residential and commercial roofs, ladders and EWPs almost always exceeding 2m of fall potential.
Set-top box, amplifier and wall plate installation involves connection to the property's 230V supply, and rooftop work is regularly carried out within proximity of overhead service mains.
Because this work meets two HRCW categories under regulation 291, a written SWMS is mandatory before work commences (regulation 299). Failure to prepare, comply with, or make available a SWMS attracts penalties of up to $6,000 for an individual and $30,000 for a body corporate under the model WHS Regulation, with significantly higher Category 1 and 2 penalties under the WHS Act if a worker is seriously injured or killed.
Who this is for
- →Licensed antenna and satellite installers operating as sole traders or small businesses
- →Electrical contractors offering home theatre, MATV or SMATV installation services
- →Telecommunications cabling technicians (ACMA registered) performing rooftop work
- →Property maintenance and facilities companies subcontracting AV and reception work
- →Real estate and property management firms commissioning antenna upgrades on rental stock
- →Builders and developers fitting out new dwellings with TV reception infrastructure
What you receive
- ✓Fully editable Microsoft Word (DOCX) SWMS template, pre-populated and ready for site-specific customisation
- ✓State-specific legislation schedule covering NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT and NT
- ✓Comprehensive hazard register with risk ratings aligned to a 5x5 matrix
- ✓Worker sign-on register and daily pre-start review sheet
- ✓HRCW identification checklist mapped to regulation 291
- ✓Embedded references to applicable Codes of Practice and AS/NZS standards
- ✓CIH-reviewed control measures structured against the hierarchy of control
- ✓Delivery within 24 hours of payment to the nominated email address
Worked example
Daniel is a licensed antenna installer in Western Sydney engaged to upgrade a digital TV antenna and install a new Foxtel satellite dish on a single-storey tile-roof home built in 1978. Before arriving on site, he opens this SWMS template, adds the property address, identifies that the eaves are likely fibro (pre-1990 build) and notes overhead 240V service mains running from the street pole to the eave on the western elevation — well within the 3m unqualified-person approach distance. On site, Daniel walks his apprentice through the SWMS at the tailgate, both sign on, and they implement the listed controls: a fibreglass extension ladder is footed and tied off, the aerial mast is raised on a hoist line rather than carried, and cable entry through the eave is wet-drilled with P2 RPE on as a precaution against ACM. For the set-top box connection, Daniel isolates the lounge room circuit at the switchboard, applies a personal danger tag and padlock, and verifies dead before terminating. The completed SWMS, sign-on sheet and electrical certificate of compliance are filed against the job — satisfying both the homeowner's records and any subsequent SafeWork NSW inspector request.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (model)
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 — Part 6.3 Construction Work (r291–r299)
- Electrical Safety Act 2002 (QLD) and equivalent state electrical safety legislation
- Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth) — cabling provider rules
- AS/NZS 3000:2018 Electrical Installations (Wiring Rules)
- AS/NZS 3760:2022 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment
- AS/NZS 1891.1 Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices
- AS/NZS 1892.1 Portable ladders — Performance and design
Frequently asked questions
Is a SWMS legally required for residential TV antenna installation?
Yes. If any part of the work involves a fall risk greater than 2 metres, or work on or near energised electrical services, it is classified as High Risk Construction Work under regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulation. A written SWMS must be prepared before work starts, regardless of whether the job is residential or commercial.
Does this SWMS cover all Australian states and territories?
Yes. The template is structured around the model WHS Act and Regulation, and includes a state-specific legislation schedule for NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT and NT. Victoria's OHS Act 2004 equivalents are mapped where they differ from the model law.
Can I use this SWMS if I am not a licensed electrician?
The SWMS covers the antenna, dish and cabling work that ACMA-registered cablers may legally perform. Any hard-wired 230V connection — for example, mains-powered masthead amplifiers — must be carried out by a licensed electrician, and the SWMS includes a control to that effect.
How quickly will I receive the document after payment?
The editable DOCX is delivered to your nominated email address within 24 hours of payment, typically much sooner during business hours. The file is fully unlocked so you can add your business name, ABN, logo, site address and crew details.
Does the SWMS need to be reviewed or updated?
Yes. Under regulation 300, a SWMS must be reviewed and revised if controls are not effectively managing the risk, if the work changes, or after any incident. We recommend a documented review at each new site and at minimum annually.
Is this template suitable for commercial MATV or SMATV systems?
Yes. The hazards, controls and HRCW breakdown apply equally to multi-dwelling MATV/SMATV head-end installations. For very large rooftop systems involving plant such as EWPs or scaffolding, you should add the relevant plant pre-start and operator licensing controls in the editable sections provided.