Landscaping Work SWMS
Soft and hard landscaping including planting, retaining walls, paving, and irrigation installation.
SWMS variants reference your state's WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
This SWMS covers the full scope of landscaping work on Australian residential, commercial, and council projects — chainsaw and arborist operations, wood-chipper and mulcher operation, compact excavator use for landscaping earthwork, retaining-wall construction in timber, block, and boulder, herbicide and pesticide application, tree removal and felling, turf laying and ground preparation, and irrigation-system installation. It is written for landscape contractors, landscape labourers, qualified arborists, and subcontractors engaged on soft and hard landscaping packages.
Landscaping work triggers high-risk construction work categories under Schedule 1 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW). Category 13 — use of powered mobile plant and powered tools — applies to excavators, chainsaws, chippers, and tractors. Category 14 — trench or shaft deeper than 1.5 metres — applies to deep irrigation trenches and retaining-wall footings. Tree felling near structures, powerlines, and on-slope terrain is inherently high-risk work requiring qualified arborists. Section 299 of the WHS Regulation requires a SWMS before HRCW commences.
Hazards identified
10 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Severe laceration, amputation, and fatal head or chest injury from chainsaw kickback into the operator, bar contact with ground, or cross-operator strike during team felling.
Fatal entrapment and dismemberment when clothing, hand, or arm is drawn into the in-feed chute during material loading — a defining fatal hazard of landscaping equipment.
Fatal crush or strike from a tree falling on the operator, bystanders, structures, or powerlines when hinge cut, wedge, or pull direction fails.
Electrocution, flood, or gas release from excavator or post-hole contact with unidentified electrical, water, or gas services during landscaping earthwork.
Acute organophosphate toxicity, chronic endocrine effects, and chronic dermatitis from direct contact, spray drift, or ingestion of glyphosate, paraquat-like, and synthetic pyrethroid products.
Fatal crush from excavator slew, bobcat reverse, or tractor movement in shared working zones without segregation or spotter control.
Lumbar disc injury and shoulder strain from handling 40-80 kg timber sleepers, natural-stone boulders, and 20-30 kg paver cartons.
Fatal crush from an unbraced retaining wall failing under backfill compaction or saturated soil load; unengineered walls over 1 metre are a recurring fatality mechanism.
Leptospirosis, tetanus, hepatitis, and fungal infection from soil-borne pathogens; Legionella from compost and garden mulch during handling.
Permanent hearing loss and hand-arm or whole-body vibration syndrome from sustained operation of chainsaws, chippers, and tractors.
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Eliminate tree-felling hazards by engaging qualified arborists for any tree over 5 metres, any tree within its own height of structures or powerlines, or any tree on a slope greater than 10 percent. Chainsaw work on such trees is not landscaping scope.
- 2Chainsaw operator training per AQF Certificate II in Arboriculture or equivalent. Minimum PPE: chainsaw trousers or chaps (AS/NZS 4453.4), helmet with face screen and ear defenders, cut-resistant gloves, and safety footwear. Chain brake verified before each start.
- 3Wood-chipper controls per manufacturer and AS 1418.19: long material fed butt-end first, no branches longer than the in-feed throat, operator positioned to the side of the chute, emergency stop bar accessible, and no clothing, long hair, or loose PPE near the chute. Two-person operation for larger units.
- 4Before any excavation or post-hole digging, complete a Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) lookup. Hand-pothole service crossings before mechanical auguring or excavation.
- 5Herbicide and pesticide controls: SDS review before use; licensed operator where the product requires a ChemCert ticket under the Pesticides Act 1999 (NSW); nitrile or neoprene gloves, chemical coveralls, and respiratory protection per the product label; buffer zone for spray drift and a no-drift threshold.
- 6Plant-pedestrian segregation: traffic management plan with physical separation on multi-plant sites, spotters for every plant movement where ground workers are nearby, and reverse alarms on all plant.
- 7Tree-felling technique per the WorkCover QLD Tree Work Code of Practice and AS 2717.1: felling cut, bore cut, hinge formation, and pull direction all planned before the cut. Exclusion zone of 1.5 tree lengths during felling.
- 8Retaining walls over 1 metre require engineer-stamped design. Drainage behind the wall per the engineer's specification. Backfill compaction in lifts, not dumped. Any wall over 1 metre in a public area also requires council approval under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW).
- 9Manual handling: mechanical aids for materials over 25 kg — sleeper lifters, stone tongs, paver clamps, and boulder grabs. Two-person lifts for sleepers and larger boulders. Materials placed close to the working location.
- 10Biological-hazard controls: tetanus vaccination currency, wash-up before eating, and moist-wound first aid for any cut in soil or compost. Long sleeves and gloves during mulch handling to reduce Legionella aerosol exposure.
- 11PPE baseline: safety glasses, hearing protection (Class 5 near chainsaws and chippers), cut-resistant gloves, safety footwear (AS/NZS 2210.3), sun protection and hydration for outdoor work, and chemical PPE for herbicide application.
- 12All landscapers hold a valid White Card (CPCCWHS1001) where working on a construction site. Excavator operators hold the LE ticket. ChemCert certification for pesticide application. Apprentices work under direct supervision.
- 13Psychosocial controls per WHS Regulation 2025 r55A-55D: realistic daily targets, scheduled hydration breaks in heat, and a documented stop-work right for unsafe tree, ground, or weather conditions.
- 14Conduct a daily pre-start toolbox talk covering scope, plant schedule, identified services, and weather. Record attendance.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Baseline for HRCW categorisation, SWMS content, and principal contractor interaction on construction-adjacent landscaping.
Governs herbicide and pesticide SDS management, PPE, and storage.
Applies to sleeper, boulder, and paver handling.
Applies to excavation for retaining walls, footings, and irrigation trenches.
Applies to chainsaw, chipper, and tractor operation which exceeds the daily exposure standard.
Technical standard for wood-chipper design and safe-operation requirements.
Referenced for pruning technique and tree-work practice.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Compact excavators, bobcats, tractors, chainsaws, and chippers are core to the scope.
Deep irrigation trenching and retaining-wall footings routinely exceed 1.5 metres.
Where landscaping work triggers HRCW categories, Section 299 of the WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) requires the SWMS to be prepared before work commences, kept available on site for inspection, reviewed and updated if the work changes, and provided to the Principal Contractor on request. Failure by a PCBU to prepare or maintain a current SWMS for HRCW is an offence under Section 300; maximum penalty for a body corporate is $36,000 per offence and $7,200 for an individual. Pesticide application in NSW additionally attracts licensing and record-keeping duties under the Pesticides Act 1999.
Who this is for
- →Landscape contractors and landscape labourers engaged on residential, commercial, and council projects.
- →Qualified arborists and chainsaw operators working on tree removal and pruning.
- →Retaining-wall installers working on timber, block, and boulder walls.
- →Pesticide applicators holding ChemCert or equivalent certification.
- →Site supervisors and WHS leads reviewing landscaping subcontractor SWMS during pre-start.
What you receive
- ✓Editable Microsoft Word document (.docx, Word 2016 or newer compatible).
- ✓Title page with PCBU name, ABN, site address, project, and revision date fields.
- ✓Signed approval block for PCBU, Principal Contractor, and nominated landscape supervisor.
- ✓Hazard register with the 10 hazards above, each with consequence, inherent risk, controls, and residual risk scored on a 5x5 matrix.
- ✓Hierarchy-of-control measures cross-referenced to WHS Regulation sections and applicable Codes of Practice.
- ✓Chainsaw, chipper, and tree-felling safe operating procedure pages.
- ✓Pesticide register template aligned to the Pesticides Act 1999 (NSW).
- ✓Worker sign-on register for daily acknowledgement with space for ChemCert and arborist certifications.
- ✓Legislation schedule pre-populated for NSW with variance table for VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, NT, ACT.
- ✓Emergency contacts and review-and-update log.
Worked example
A three-person landscaping crew — one qualified arborist, one landscape tradesperson, and one labourer — is subcontracted to clear and re-landscape a 1200 m² rear yard in Mosman. The scope is removal of two mature eucalypts near a boundary shed, construction of 22 m of 900 mm sleeper retaining wall, and installation of irrigation and turf. The arborist completes this SWMS: tree felling triggers a dedicated felling plan with 1.5 tree-length exclusion zone and a controlled-pull sequence; retaining-wall excavation triggers a BYDA service check (one Sydney Water main identified in the zone); chipper operation triggers two-person feed and no-loose-clothing control. The SWMS is signed, the BYDA plans are posted, and the crew acknowledges. On day two a larger-than-expected limb causes a partial pull failure; the arborist re-cuts and the SWMS review captures the failed pull for learning.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) — Section 19 primary duty; Section 27 officer due diligence; Section 47 worker consultation.
- WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) — r. 298-300 (SWMS); r. 304-306 (excavation); r. 49-51 (WES/WEL); r. 55A-55D (psychosocial).
- Pesticides Act 1999 (NSW) — licensing and record keeping of herbicide application.
- Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) — landscaping and retaining walls as regulated building work.
- Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) — green-waste and chemical waste.
Frequently asked questions
Does this SWMS cover arborist tree work?
Yes for ground-based chainsaw and controlled-pull felling of amenity trees. Rope-access and climbing arborist work requires an additional project-specific SWMS aligned to AS 4373 and the AQF Certificate III in Arboriculture. Tree work within powerline easements requires separate ElectraNet or equivalent network-operator permits.
Does the SWMS cover pesticide application?
Yes. Herbicide and pesticide hazards, SDS management, ChemCert certification, and spray-drift buffers are included. The NSW Pesticides Act 1999 requires a record of application for every commercial pesticide use.
Can I use this SWMS in Victoria?
You can use it as a starting point. Victoria operates under the OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017, and pesticides under the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Control of Use) Act 1992 (Vic). Update the legislation schedule and cite WorkSafe Victoria Compliance Codes in place of SafeWork Australia Codes of Practice.
Does the SWMS cover retaining walls over 1 metre?
It sets the baseline controls. Retaining walls over 1 metre require engineer-stamped design regardless of the SWMS, and walls over 1 metre in a public area may require council approval. The SWMS references these requirements and includes drainage and compaction sequencing.
How often does this SWMS need to be reviewed?
Review whenever the work, plant, or hazards change materially, after an incident, or when a worker raises a concern. At minimum, every 12 months and at the start of each project.
Is this SWMS compliant with the 1 July 2026 Section 26A changes?
Yes. From 1 July 2026, 34 approved Codes of Practice become legally binding under Section 26A of the amended WHS Act. This SWMS cites the currently-approved Codes that will become binding — Construction Work, Hazardous Chemicals, Hazardous Manual Tasks, Excavation Work, and Managing Noise.
Document details
Other SWMS Templates
Need something custom?
Build a site-specific SWMS from scratch using the SWMS Builder. Select your trade, add your site details, and generate a compliant document in minutes.
Open SWMS Builder →