EWP / Boom Lift / Scissor Lift Operation SWMS

Operation of elevating work platforms (EWPs) — including boom lifts, scissor lifts, vertical mast lifts and truck-mounted units — involves lifting workers to height on powered mobile plant to perform installation, maintenance, façade, electrical, mechanical or finishing work. The task combines two of the most consistently fatal hazards on Australian construction sites: falls from height and interaction with moving powered plant. Ejection from the basket, catapult during boom recovery, entrapment against overhead structure, contact with live overhead powerlines, uneven-ground overturn, and struck-by events involving persons on the ground all recur in SafeWork NSW incident data.

Under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW), section 291 classifies work with a risk of a fall greater than 2 metres and work involving movement of powered mobile plant as high risk construction work. Section 299 therefore requires a SWMS be prepared before the work commences, kept available for inspection, and complied with on site. Controls follow the hierarchy in section 36, with elimination through ground-level or pre-fabricated alternatives preferred over reliance on harnesses and administrative measures.

Hazards identified

12 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

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

1. 1Eliminate work at height where practicable by pre-fabricating, pre-installing or completing the task at ground level before lifting the assembly into position.
2. 2Substitute boom lifts for scissor lifts where reach permits, or select a vertical mast lift for tight interior work, to reduce catapult and reach-related risk.
3. 3Select and set up the EWP in accordance with AS 2550.10 (safe use of MEWPs) and the manufacturer's operator manual, including ground bearing checks, outrigger deployment on load-rated pads, and confirmation of maximum slope and wind rating for the model.
4. 4Maintain minimum approach distances to overhead electrical assets in accordance with SafeWork NSW guidance and the Code of Practice for Work Near Overhead Power Lines; where the No Go Zone cannot be maintained, isolate the line through the network operator or engage an accredited spotter under a permit.
5. 5Establish an exclusion zone beneath and around the EWP travel and swing path using hard barriers, bunting and signage; deploy a trained ground observer/spotter in radio contact with the operator when travelling near pedestrians or plant.
6. 6Fit and use a secondary guarding/anti-entrapment device on boom lifts (e.g. proximity bar or pressure-sensing system) and ensure the emergency stop, tilt alarm and descent override are function-tested at pre-start.
7. 7Occupants of boom-type EWPs shall wear a compliant full-body harness with an adjustable lanyard attached to the manufacturer's designated anchor, in accordance with AS/NZS 1891.1 and AS/NZS 1891.4; harnesses are not required in scissor lifts unless specified by the manufacturer or risk assessment.
8. 8Verify current EWP logbook, pre-start checklist, annual inspection and 10-year major inspection records; remove from service any unit with defects, expired inspection or damaged decals.
9. 9Confirm operator competency: WorkCover/SafeWork NSW WP high risk work licence for boom-type EWPs with boom length ≥ 11 m; documented familiarisation and yard assessment for scissor lifts and sub-11 m booms; site-specific induction covering rescue plan.
10. 10Prepare and rehearse a documented ground rescue plan before work commences, including access to ground controls, key location, and emergency lowering procedure; do not commence work until a competent rescuer is on site.
11. 11Monitor wind speed with an anemometer at platform height and cease elevated work if forecast or measured wind exceeds the manufacturer's stated maximum; kick-boards and tool lanyards to prevent dropped objects.
12. 12All operators and site personnel to hold CPCCWHS1001 (White Card); conduct pre-start consultation under section 47 of the WHS Act, sign-on to the SWMS, and review the SWMS under section 302 whenever plant, location, personnel or method changes, or after any incident.

Applicable Codes of Practice

High-Risk Construction Work triggered

Worked example

A commercial fit-out contractor in Parramatta is engaged to install ceiling-mounted services in a warehouse conversion. The scope requires an 18 m diesel/electric articulating boom lift operating internally at 12 m platform height, with a second 10 m scissor lift used by the electrical crew. The site coordinator confirms both units are HRCW under section 291(a) and (o) and prepares this SWMS. The boom operator holds a current WP high risk work licence; the scissor operator has documented site familiarisation. Before each shift the operators complete the logbook pre-start, verify ground bearing on the concrete slab (checked against slab drawings for point loads), and confirm no overhead services within the swing envelope. A ground spotter with UHF radio manages the exclusion zone during travel. Boom occupants wear AS/NZS 1891.1 harnesses anchored to the designated point. A rehearsed rescue plan nominates the site supervisor as ground rescuer with key access. Pre-start toolbox talks are recorded under section 47, and the SWMS is reissued under section 302 when the crew later relocates to an external loading dock with sloped pavement.

Related legislation

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) — sections 19, 31, 32, 47
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — sections 36, 78, 213–228 (plant), 291, 299, 302
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW) — Schedule 3 (High Risk Work Licences, WP class)
• Electricity Supply (Safety and Network Management) Regulation 2014 (NSW) — work near overhead lines
• State Environmental Planning Policy (Industry and Employment) — construction site controls
• SafeWork NSW Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces

Frequently asked questions