Industrial Fan & Motor Maintenance SWMS
Safe Work Method Statement covering the key hazards and control measures for industrial fan & motor maintenance.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Industrial fan and motor maintenance covers the inspection, lubrication, balancing, belt and bearing replacement, electrical testing, and overhaul of large axial, centrifugal, and roof-mounted fans and their drive motors used in HVAC, process exhaust, and ventilation systems. The work routinely involves elevated plant rooms, rooftops, plenums and ductwork, exposure to live electrical equipment up to 415V three-phase, stored energy in rotating impellers, and confined or restricted spaces inside fan housings. Without rigorous isolation, lock-out/tag-out and fall protection, this work has historically resulted in fatalities from electrocution, entanglement on start-up, and falls from height.
This SWMS has been prepared to satisfy the duties imposed under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth model) and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025, in particular Regulation 291 which requires a SWMS to be prepared before any High Risk Construction Work (HRCW) commences. Industrial fan and motor maintenance triggers two HRCW categories under Regulation 291: work involving the risk of a fall of more than 2 metres, and work on or near energised electrical installations. The SWMS also addresses duties under Part 3.1 (Risk Management), Part 4.5 (Plant), Part 4.7 (Electrical Safety) and Part 4.4 (Falls).
A documented, signed and accessible SWMS is a legal precondition to the work — not a paperwork formality. PCBUs and contractors who direct workers to commence HRCW without a compliant SWMS face penalties under section 31–33 of the WHS Act, and the SWMS must be reviewed if controls are revised, an incident occurs, or a worker raises a concern.
Hazards identified
8 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Electrocution, arc flash burns, cardiac arrest — fatal
Entanglement and amputation by impeller; crush injuries — fatal
Serious head, spinal and limb injuries; fatality
Hand laceration, finger amputation from rotating blades
Musculoskeletal injury, hernia, crushed fingers/feet
Respiratory irritation, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, psittacosis, asbestos exposure in legacy plant
Contact burns to hands and forearms
Noise-induced hearing loss exceeding LAeq,8h 85 dB(A) exposure standard
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1De-energise at the local isolator AND upstream MCC; apply personal danger lock and tag per AS/NZS 4836:2023 — verify dead with a tested-known-tested voltage indicator before any contact with terminals
- 2Place the VSD/BMS into maintenance mode and physically disconnect control wiring or remove the start permissive; obtain a written 'permit to work' from the facility's electrical authorised person
- 3Mechanically restrain the impeller with a strap or pin once rotation has stopped to eliminate residual kinetic energy and prevent windmilling from cross-draughts in ducted systems
- 4Use compliant fixed access (ladders to AS 1657:2018) or, where unavailable, an EWP operated by a licensed operator with harness and lanyard anchored to the manufacturer's designated point per AS/NZS 1891.4
- 5Where edge protection is absent on rooftop fan plant, install temporary guardrails or deploy a travel-restraint system before the worker enters the 2m fall zone
- 6Conduct a pre-start atmospheric and contamination assessment of fan housings — assume bird droppings and pre-2004 insulation may be hazardous; use P2 RPE minimum, or supplied-air for confirmed asbestos per the Code of Practice: How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace
- 7Allow a documented cool-down period (minimum 30 minutes) for motor casings and bearings before contact, or use IR thermometer to confirm <50°C; wear heat-resistant gloves for unavoidable hot work
- 8Use mechanical lifting aids (gantry, chain block rated and tagged per AS 2550) for any motor or component over 25kg; two-person lift for 16–25kg with clear travel path established
- 9Issue Class 5 hearing protection (SLC80 ≥26dB) when adjacent fans cannot be shut down; post the work area as a hearing protection zone
- 10Insulated tools to IEC 60900 and Cat III 1000V rated test instruments only for any live testing that cannot be avoided; live work requires a separate energised electrical work risk assessment under Regulation 158
- 11Spotter/standby person stationed at the isolator with radio communication for the duration of any entry into a fan housing exceeding head-and-shoulders depth
- 12Toolbox talk and SWMS sign-on completed at the work location with all workers before commencement; SWMS reviewed if scope, plant or personnel change
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates the hierarchy of fall control for rooftop and elevated fan access; SWMS must demonstrate why higher-order controls were not reasonably practicable before relying on PPE
Sets the de-energise-isolate-test sequence and prohibits live work except where unavoidable — directly governs motor terminal and VSD work
Defines the SWMS requirement for HRCW under Regulation 291 and mandates content, sign-on and review obligations
Technical standard for isolation, testing for dead, and lock-out procedures referenced in the controls
Specifies compliant access requirements for rooftop and elevated fan plant
Governs anchor selection, harness inspection and rescue planning for height work on fans
Triggers hearing protection and noise zoning where adjacent plant cannot be shut down
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Rooftop fans, plant-room mezzanines, elevated duct-mounted fans and access via fixed ladders routinely place workers above 2 metres, frequently at unguarded roof edges or beside open plenums
Maintenance involves opening motor terminal boxes, VSD enclosures and MCC starters that are part of energised installations; even with isolation applied, the work is performed on energised installations and triggers Category 14
Under Regulation 291 of the WHS Regulation 2025, work in these HRCW categories must not commence until a compliant SWMS has been prepared, the SWMS must be available for inspection at the workplace, and work must stop immediately if the SWMS is not being followed. Failure to prepare or comply with a SWMS is a Category 3 offence under section 33 of the WHS Act 2011, with penalties of up to $7,215 for an individual worker, $14,430 for an officer, and $72,150 for a body corporate, with significantly higher penalties where reckless conduct causes death or serious injury under sections 31–32.
Who this is for
- →HVAC mechanical services contractors performing scheduled and breakdown fan maintenance
- →Facility maintenance teams in commercial buildings, hospitals, data centres and industrial plants
- →Licensed electricians servicing fan motors, VSDs and motor control centres
- →Building services subcontractors working under a head contractor's principal contractor SWMS framework
- →Self-employed refrigeration and mechanical tradespeople (PCBUs) with their own WHS duties
- →WHS managers and safety advisors reviewing contractor documentation prior to site access
What you receive
- ✓Fully editable Microsoft Word (DOCX) SWMS template branded for your business
- ✓State-specific legislation schedule covering NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT and NT WHS/OHS variations
- ✓Pre-populated hazard register with all 8 identified hazards, risk ratings and hierarchy-of-control measures
- ✓Worker sign-on register with declaration, competency verification and date fields
- ✓Pre-start checklist for isolation, lock-out/tag-out and fall protection setup
- ✓Emergency response and rescue plan template for height and electrical incidents
- ✓SWMS review and amendment log to evidence ongoing compliance with Regulation 292
- ✓Plain-English guidance notes explaining how to tailor the SWMS to your specific site and plant
Worked example
A mechanical services technician, Jason, is dispatched to a Sydney CBD office tower to investigate a vibrating return-air fan on Level 32. On arrival he opens this SWMS on his tablet, signs on with his apprentice, and walks the job. The fan is a 15kW centrifugal unit on the rooftop plant deck, 1.8m from an unguarded parapet. He identifies that the work triggers HRCW Categories 3 and 14, and follows the SWMS controls in sequence: he obtains the building's electrical permit, isolates the fan at the local isolator and the L32 MCC, applies his personal danger lock and tag, and tests dead at the motor terminals with his Cat III multimeter using the test-known-test method. Before approaching the fan within the 2m fall zone, Jason and his apprentice install a temporary guardrail system along the parapet, brief each other on the rescue plan, and strap the impeller to prevent windmilling from the adjacent supply fan's cross-draught. They wear P2 respirators while vacuuming accumulated dust from the housing, replace the worn bearing using the gantry, and complete a post-work insulation resistance test before re-energising. The SWMS sign-on, isolation certificate and amended hazard note (added because they discovered pigeon nesting material — a biological hazard not in the original assessment) are uploaded to the building manager's contractor portal before they leave site.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth model) — sections 19, 31–33
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 — Part 3.1 Risk Management
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 — Regulation 291 SWMS for High Risk Construction Work
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 — Part 4.4 Falls
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 — Part 4.5 Plant and Structures
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 — Part 4.7 Electrical Safety in the Workplace
- Electrical Safety Act and Regulation (state-specific, e.g. QLD Electrical Safety Act 2002)
- Environmental Protection Act 1994 (state equivalents) where refrigerant handling is incidental
Frequently asked questions
Does industrial fan maintenance always require a SWMS, or only sometimes?
If the work involves either working at heights over 2 metres or work on/near energised electrical installations — which almost all industrial fan maintenance does — a SWMS is mandatory under Regulation 291 of the WHS Regulation 2025 before work commences. The only scenarios that may not require a SWMS are purely visual inspections from compliant fixed platforms with no electrical work, but even then most PCBUs require one as a matter of policy.
Can one SWMS cover multiple fans across a site, or do I need one per fan?
A single SWMS can cover the activity of fan and motor maintenance across a site provided the hazards, plant types and controls are substantially the same. However, you must conduct a site- and task-specific risk assessment for each fan, document any additional hazards (e.g. an unguarded roof edge at one location), and have workers re-sign-on. If a fan presents materially different hazards — such as confined space entry into a large plenum — a separate SWMS or an addendum is required.
Who is legally responsible for preparing and maintaining the SWMS?
Under Regulation 291, the PCBU carrying out the High Risk Construction Work must prepare the SWMS. In a typical contracting chain, that is the mechanical services or HVAC contractor — not the building owner or principal contractor. However, the principal contractor has a duty under Regulation 309 to obtain a copy and ensure work is carried out in accordance with it. Workers must be consulted in its preparation under section 47 of the WHS Act.
How often does this SWMS need to be reviewed?
Under Regulation 292, the SWMS must be reviewed and revised whenever the control measures are revised, the work activity changes, a notifiable incident occurs, a worker or HSR requests a review, or the SWMS is no longer effective in controlling risks. As best practice, we recommend an annual review cycle and an immediate review after any near-miss involving electrical contact, falls or unexpected start-up.
Does this SWMS cover live electrical testing, or do I need a separate document?
This SWMS covers the standard isolate-and-verify-dead methodology that should be used for the vast majority of fan motor work. If energised testing is genuinely unavoidable (for example, fault-finding a VSD that only manifests under load), Regulation 158 requires a separate energised electrical work risk assessment and justification. We recommend pairing this SWMS with a dedicated Live Electrical Work SWMS in those scenarios.
Is this SWMS valid in all Australian states and territories?
Yes. The document is built on the harmonised model WHS Act and Regulation, and the included state-specific legislation schedule maps the equivalent provisions for Victoria (which retains the OHS Act 2004) and Western Australia (WHS Act 2020). The core hazards, controls and HRCW triggers are consistent across all jurisdictions.