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Scaffolding SWMS — Safe Work Method Statement for Scaffold Erection and Dismantling

A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) for scaffolding is a mandatory safety planning document required under the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulation 2025 before any high risk construction work involving the erection, alteration, or dismantling of a scaffold commences on an Australian construction site. Scaffold erection and dismantling is when the majority of serious scaffold injuries occur — before the guardrails are in place, before the platforms are complete, and before the scaffold looks like a scaffold. Workers are literally building the fall protection system they depend on, which means they temporarily work without the very controls that will protect scaffold users later.

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SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.

Legal Requirements

regulation

WHS Regulation 2025 Part 6.1 Division 3 — High Risk Construction Work; Part 4.4 — Falls; Part 4.5 — Plant (structural)

hrcw category

Risk of fall from a height of more than 2 metres; erection, alteration or dismantling of scaffolding from which a person could fall more than 4 metres (WHS Regulation 2025, Schedule 1)

code of practice

Code of Practice: Scaffolds and Scaffolding Work (2021); Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces (2018); Code of Practice: Construction Work (2019)

section 26a binding

Binding under Section 26A — the principal contractor must obtain, review, and keep the SWMS on site for the duration of the HRCW

hrwl required

A licensed scaffolder is required to erect, alter, or dismantle scaffolding from which a person could fall more than 4 metres. Licence classes: Basic Scaffolding (SB) under CPCCLSF2001A for tube and coupler, prefabricated modular, and prefabricated frame scaffolds; Intermediate Scaffolding (SI) under CPCCLSF3001A for cantilevered materials hoists and hung scaffolds; Advanced Scaffolding (SA) under CPCCLSF4001A for cantilevered scaffolds, suspended scaffolds, and mast climbing work platforms. All workers require a construction induction (CPCCWHS1001)

Hazards

HazardConsequenceLikelihood
Falls from a partially erected scaffold before guardrails and edge protection are installedDuring the erection phase workers are exposed to the open edge of each new lift as it is built.Possible (C)
Falls during dismantling as guardrails, platforms and bracing are progressively removedDismantling is the mirror image of erection and carries many of the same risks, compounded by worker fatigue at the end of a job and by the temptation to speed the process.Possible (C)
Complete or partial scaffold collapse from inadequate bracing, missing ties, or under-designed baseA scaffold relies on diagonal bracing, ties to the permanent structure, and a load-bearing base to resist overturning, racking and vertical compression.Unlikely (D)
Overloading of standards, ledgers and transoms beyond the rated duty causing progressive structural failureScaffolds are rated to a specific duty category — light, medium, heavy or special — set by the designer.Possible (C)
Dropped tools and components during erection and dismantling striking workers and public belowTubes, couplers, spanners, boards, ties and fittings handled at height will be dropped occasionally even by careful scaffolders.Likely (B)
Contact between scaffold tubing and overhead electrical power lines causing electrocutionA steel scaffold tube handled vertically can reach 6 metres and brings the scaffolder within range of distribution power lines commonly encountered on Australian building sites.Unlikely (D)
Scaffold erected on unstable, soft, sloping or uncompacted ground causing base failureA scaffold imposes significant compressive load at each standard.Possible (C)
Wind loading on sheeted scaffolds, debris netting, and shade cloth increasing overturning forcesScaffold sheeting, debris netting and shade cloth significantly increase the wind load on the scaffold structure.Possible (C)
Premature access to an incomplete scaffold by trades who bypass the inspection and tagging processA scaffold that is not yet complete — missing boards, incomplete guardrails, missing ties — is not safe for use by trades.Possible (C)
Manual handling injury from repetitive lifting, carrying and positioning of scaffold tubes and boardsA 6 metre steel scaffold tube weighs 15 to 20 kilograms.Likely (B)
Pinch and crush injury to hands and fingers during coupler tightening and component assemblyScaffold couplers, wedge locks and fittings generate pinch points during tightening.Likely (B)

Controls (Hierarchy of Controls)

[Elimination] Eliminate manual scaffold erection where practicable by specifying prefabricated modular systems, proprietary frame scaffolds, and pre-engineered hung scaffold assemblies that reduce tube count and assembly complexity
[Elimination] Eliminate fall exposure during erection by using an advance guardrail system where the guardrail is installed from the completed lift below before workers access the next lift
[Substitution] Substitute tube and coupler scaffolding with a prefabricated modular system where the geometry suits, reducing manual handling and assembly time at height
[Substitution] Substitute heavy steel components with lightweight aluminium equivalents on light-duty scaffolds where the design permits
[Isolation] Establish and maintain an exclusion zone at ground level below the active erection or dismantling area — barricaded and signed, with a minimum clearance of 3 metres or the calculated fall zone plus a safety margin
[Isolation] Physically isolate any energised overhead power line by arranging a shutdown with the network operator, installing insulation tiger tails, or erecting a rigid barrier at the minimum approach distance specified in AS/NZS 4576
[Engineering] Specify and install a scaffold designed to AS/NZS 1576.1 and AS/NZS 1576.3 for the specific duty, with engineered drawings where required for non-standard configurations, cantilevers, or loads above medium duty
[Engineering] Install ties to the permanent structure at the intervals specified in the design and the Code of Practice — typically every second lift and every third bay — to prevent overturning and sway
[Engineering] Provide sole boards on firm level ground at every standard — minimum 220 mm by 220 mm hardwood or equivalent — on compacted base with adequate bearing capacity
[Engineering] Install toe boards of at least 150 mm, top rails between 900 mm and 1100 mm, and mid-rails on every working lift as soon as the platform is placed
+ 12 more controls included in the full template

Recent Prosecutions

SafeWork NSW — scaffolder fall during dismantling (NSW metropolitan)Fines of the order of $280,000

A scaffolder fell 8 metres during dismantling when the guardrails had been removed from the lift before the fall protection system was connected. SafeWork NSW investigated and prosecuted the scaffold contractor for failure to ensure a safe system of work during dismantling and for failing to prepare a SWMS that addressed the specific hazards of the dismantling sequence and the fall protection method at each stage.

2023 — SafeWork NSW Prosecution Register

WorkSafe Victoria — scaffold collapse during erectionFines of the order of $320,000 and an enforceable undertaking

A scaffold collapsed during erection due to inadequate bracing and insufficient ties to the permanent structure. Three workers fell from the scaffold at various heights and two sustained serious injuries including spinal fractures. WorkSafe Victoria prosecuted the scaffold contractor under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 for failures to provide a safe system of work and for failing to comply with the manufacturer and engineered design specifications.

2022 — WorkSafe Victoria Prosecution Register

SafeWork Australia scaffold compliance priorityMultiple improvement and prohibition notices

SafeWork Australia and the state regulators continue to identify scaffold erection and dismantling as a priority for compliance and enforcement activity under their construction falls-from-height programmes. Routine inspection actions target missing ties, inadequate bracing, under-designed bases, premature trade access, incomplete tagging, and non-current licences. Improvement and prohibition notices are routinely issued and prosecutions follow where breaches are serious or recurrent.

2024 — Safe Work Australia and state regulator compliance data

What Your SWMS Must Include

✓A description of the scaffold work including the specific scaffold type, the maximum working height and duty rating, and the expected duration of the erection and dismantling phases
✓Identification of every hazard associated with the scaffold work, assessed using a risk matrix of consequence against likelihood
✓Control measures documented in the order of the hierarchy of controls from elimination through to PPE
✓How each control measure will be implemented, supervised, monitored and reviewed
✓The name and position of the competent scaffold supervisor responsible for the work
✓Evidence of consultation with the scaffold crew and any elected HSR
✓Training and competency requirements including HRWL class and licence expiry for every scaffolder and construction induction for every labourer
✓Emergency procedures including rescue from height, first aid, and notifiable incident reporting
✓PPE requirements specified by type and Australian Standard
✓Plant and equipment including the tube make and condition, couplers, ties, gin wheels and lifting gear
+ 9 more requirements covered in the full template

Build Your Scaffolding SWMS in Minutes

This SWMS template pre-loads scaffold erection and dismantling hazards, advance guardrail controls, HRWL class requirements, and AS/NZS 1576 references so contractors can customise the document for the specific design, site, and crew. Select the activities, review the controls, and produce a site-ready SWMS before the first tube is lifted.

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