Escalator / Travelator Maintenance SWMS

Escalator and travelator maintenance is high-risk service work performed on energised passenger-carrying plant containing exposed step bands, drive chains, handrail drives, controllers and 415V three-phase motors. Routine servicing, step band inspections and safety circuit testing expose technicians to crush, draw-in, electrical, fall and confined space hazards within the truss, pit and machine spaces. Under WHS Regulation 2011 r291 and the equivalent provisions in each harmonised state regulation, this work meets the definition of High Risk Construction Work because it involves work on or near energised electrical installations and powered mobile plant. A documented Safe Work Method Statement is mandatory before work commences, must be developed in consultation with the workers performing the task, and must be available for inspection by the regulator and the principal contractor. This SWMS template addresses lockout/tagout of the main isolator, step band restraint, fall protection in the pit and truss, and the consultation and sign-on requirements demanded by the regulator.

Hazards identified

7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

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

1. 1Elimination — Schedule major step band overhauls during centre close-down periods to eliminate concurrent public exposure and remove the need for live running tests in occupied areas.
2. 2Elimination — Remove all stored energy by releasing handrail and step band tension through manufacturer-specified jacking procedures before any dismantling commences within the truss.
3. 3Substitution — Substitute manual fault-finding with diagnostic laptop interface to controller, reducing time spent with energised cabinet covers removed and live terminals exposed.
4. 4Engineering — Apply lockout/tagout to the main isolator, controller supply and auxiliary 24V circuit using personal padlocks per AS/NZS 4836 and verify dead with calibrated voltage tester before contact.
5. 5Engineering — Install step band mechanical restraint pins and chock the drive sprocket before any inspection requiring removed steps to prevent gravity rotation of the band.
6. 6Engineering — Erect rigid barricades and Type 2 hoarding around all landing plates and pit openings with overhead signage compliant with AS 1742.3 worksite traffic management.
7. 7Administrative — Conduct documented pre-start briefing using this SWMS, JSA review and permit-to-work covering isolation, restraint and emergency egress before any tools are deployed.
8. 8Administrative — Restrict task to licensed electrical workers and competent escalator technicians holding manufacturer endorsement, with second-person standby at the emergency stop at all times.
9. 9PPE — Issue arc-rated coveralls minimum 8 cal/cm² rating, Class 0 insulated gloves with leather overgloves for electrical work per AS/NZS 2225, and impact-rated eye protection to AS/NZS 1337.1.
10. 10PPE — Wear cut-resistant Level D gloves, steel-cap safety footwear to AS/NZS 2210.3, hearing protection to AS/NZS 1270 when running plant, and head torch for pit access.

Applicable Codes of Practice

High-Risk Construction Work triggered

Worked example

A two-person crew arrives at a regional shopping centre for a quarterly routine service and step band inspection on a 12-metre escalator linking the food court to the carpark level. Before any tools come out of the van, the lead technician opens this SWMS on a tablet at the head landing and walks the apprentice through the seven hazards. They identify inadvertent start-up and electrical contact as the two HIGH priority items applicable today because the scope includes a comb plate replacement and a brake torque test. Working through the controls section, they apply the engineering control sequence — main isolator locked with personal padlocks, controller cabinet supply locked, step band restraint pin engaged at the drive sprocket — and verify dead with a calibrated tester at the motor terminals. Rigid barricades are placed around both landing plates with public detour signage, and centre management is notified the unit is offline. Both workers sign on to the SWMS, recording their tickets and competencies. Midway through the task the apprentice identifies an additional hazard not in the template: a small oil leak creating a slip risk in the pit. The lead technician pauses work, annotates the SWMS with the additional control of absorbent matting and a hot-wash before recommencement, re-signs the document, and the modified version is filed with the principal contractor at completion.

Related legislation

• WHS Act 2011 (model)
• WHS Regulation 2025
• AS/NZS 3000 — Electrical installations

Frequently asked questions