General building · Australia

SWMS for new home construction

By Safety PaperworkBuilt from Safe Work Australia and state regulator guidance · How we write and check theseUpdated 9 November 2026

Yes. New home construction usually includes high risk construction work (risk of a person falling more than 2 metres; work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant), so a SWMS is required by law before work starts.

It must list the hazards, the controls and how they will be put in place, monitored and reviewed, and the workers must be consulted and sign before starting. The main hazards are falling from height, falling from a roof edge, silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles and being hit by mobile plant.

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SWMS example: new home construction

This is a complete SWMS for new home construction, with 6 job steps. Open it in the builder to add your site, crew and signatures, change anything, and download a PDF. Or download the free Word template below and fill it in by hand.

Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)

New home construction · General building · Example

Document SWMS-001 · Rev 1

High risk construction work covered

Risk of a person falling more than 2 metresWork in an area with movement of powered mobile plant

Job steps, hazards and controls

#	Job step	Hazards	Risk before	Controls	Risk after
1	Set up the site: fencing, signs, toilets, power and induction	Public entering the work area Electric shock from leads and power tools	High	Fence off the site with secure temporary fencing and lock the gates when you leave. Isolate Give pedestrians a safe, marked path around the work, with ramps for prams and wheelchairs. Isolate Use hoarding, covered walkways or catch fans where work is above public areas. Engineering Put signs at each entry: site name, contact number and "No unauthorised entry". Administrative Make the site safe at the end of each day: cover holes, lower plant, remove ladders and lock tools away. Administrative Use a spotter when moving plant or materials across public paths. Administrative Use battery-powered tools where you can. Substitute Plug all tools into an RCD-protected outlet or a portable RCD. Engineering Keep leads off the ground and out of water, using lead stands or hooks. Engineering Check leads, plugs and tools before every use. Tag out and remove anything damaged. Administrative Test and tag leads, tools and RCDs at the intervals in AS/NZS 3012 (every 3 months on construction sites). Push-button test portable RCDs before each use. Administrative Do not use tools in rain or wet areas unless they are rated for it. Administrative Wear safety boots and dry gloves. PPE	Low
2	Site cut, footings and slab	Being hit by mobile plant Hitting underground services Trench or excavation collapse Wet concrete and cement burns	Extreme	Separate people and plant with barriers, exclusion zones and marked walkways. Isolate Use plant with working reversing alarms, cameras and lights. Engineering Have a traffic management plan showing plant routes, loading areas and pedestrian paths. Administrative Use a spotter when reversing or working near people. Administrative Keep machine buckets well clear of marked services and use a spotter. Isolate Scan the area with a cable locator before digging and mark services on the ground. Engineering Hand dig or vacuum excavate to expose services before using a machine near them. Engineering Lodge a free BYDA (Before You Dig Australia) request and get the plans before any digging. Administrative Use methods that keep people out of the trench, such as directional boring or working from the surface. Eliminate Barricade or cover the excavation so people and plant cannot fall in. Isolate Shore, bench or batter the walls of any trench 1.5 metres deep or more before anyone goes in, unless a geotechnical engineer advises in writing that the sides are safe. Engineering Keep spoil, materials and plant at least 1 metre back from the edge. Engineering Inspect the excavation at the start of each shift and after rain or anything that could weaken it. Record it. Administrative Use long-handled tools and pumps to cut down contact. Engineering Wash concrete off skin straight away with clean water. Administrative Have clean water and eye wash at the pour. Administrative Wear waterproof gloves, long sleeves and gumboots with trousers worn over the top. PPE	Medium
3	Frame and roof with scaffold and edge protection	Falling from height Falling from a roof edge Crane and lifting failure	Extreme	Do the work from the ground where you can, for example pre-assemble on the ground or use extension poles. Eliminate Install guardrails or edge protection on all open edges before work starts. Isolate Use a scaffold, mobile work platform or EWP instead of working off a ladder. Engineering Where edge protection is not practical, use a fall restraint or fall arrest system on a rated anchor point. Engineering Everyone working at height holds a White Card and has been briefed on this SWMS before going up. Administrative Have a written emergency and rescue plan, tested before work starts, so a worker hanging in a harness can be brought down within minutes (WHS Regulations r.80). Administrative Do what you can from the ground or from a scaffold at the gutter line, for example pre-assemble parts on the ground. Eliminate Install edge protection or guardrails on all open roof edges before work starts. Isolate Use a perimeter scaffold with handrails and toe boards along the eaves where practical. Engineering Where guardrails cannot be fitted, use fall restraint on certified roof anchors so workers cannot reach the edge. Engineering Only workers briefed on this SWMS go on the roof. Stop and review the SWMS if the roof, weather or method changes. Administrative Use one safe, controlled access point and keep others off the roof. Administrative Have a written emergency and rescue plan, tested before work starts, for any worker using a harness (WHS Regulations r.80). Administrative Barricade the lift zone and keep everyone out from under the load. Isolate Use a crane rated for the load at the radius, set up on firm ground with outrigger pads. Engineering Check slings, chains, shackles and hooks before use. Remove anything damaged or not tagged. Engineering Plan the lift: weight, radius, ground, path and landing area. Use a written lift plan for complex lifts. Administrative Crane operators and doggers or riggers hold the right High Risk Work Licence. Administrative	Medium
4	Lock up: brick, windows and roof covering	Lifting and carrying heavy loads Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles Glass handling and breakage	Extreme	Plan to avoid carrying: have materials delivered, and old items picked up, as close as possible to where they are used. Eliminate Use lighter or smaller loads: order smaller bags and shorter lengths, and drain or break down old items before moving them. Substitute Use trolleys, pallet jacks, hoists, vacuum lifters or plant instead of carrying by hand. Engineering Use a two-person lift for anything heavy, long or awkward. Plan the route first and clear it. Administrative Keep the load close, back straight and no twisting. Turn with your feet. Administrative If the job involves engineered stone: do not supply, fabricate or install engineered stone benchtops, panels or slabs (banned since 1 July 2024). Removing, repairing or making minor changes to existing engineered stone is only allowed with water suppression or on-tool extraction, a fitted respirator, and written notice to the regulator before the work starts. Eliminate Order materials cut to size, or use low-dust methods such as score and snap or a block splitter. Substitute Cut outdoors or in a separate area, with other people well away and upwind. Isolate Use water on the blade or on-tool dust extraction connected to an H-class vacuum. Engineering Clean up with a vacuum or wet methods. Never dry sweep or use compressed air. Administrative If the cutting, grinding or drilling is high risk, prepare a silica risk control plan (or include the r.529CA assessment in this SWMS), train workers in silica risks and give them the plan before work starts. Administrative Wear a fit-tested P2 (or better) respirator. PPE Use suction lifters, glass trolleys or a glazing robot for large panes. Engineering Store glass upright on racks and secure it. Never lay it flat or lean it loosely. Engineering Use two or more people for large panes, and clear the carry route first. Administrative Mark new glass with tape or stickers so nobody walks into it. Administrative Clean up broken glass straight away into a marked container. Administrative	Medium
5	Fit out with all trades, managing who works where	Slips and trips Electric shock from live wiring General dust	Extreme	Plan walkways and keep them clear of materials, hoses and leads. Eliminate Run leads and hoses overhead on hooks or stands, or along walls, not across walkways. Engineering Fill or cover holes, and lay boards or mats on muddy access paths. Engineering Clean up offcuts, packaging and spills as you go, not at the end of the day. Administrative Keep work areas, stairs and access paths well lit. Administrative Isolate the power before any work. Do not do live work except in the limited cases the WHS Regulations allow (r.157; in Qld, the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013). Eliminate Lock out and tag the isolation point with your own personal lock and danger tag. Isolate Test before you touch: prove dead at the point of work with a voltage tester, proving the tester on a known live source before and after (AS/NZS 4836). Engineering Only licensed electricians do electrical work. Administrative Check for back feeds from solar, batteries and generators that can keep a circuit live after the main switch is off. Administrative Use low-dust products, such as dust-reduced or pre-mixed compounds. Substitute Seal off the work area with plastic sheeting in occupied buildings. Isolate Use tools with dust extraction and a vacuum for clean up. Engineering Lightly mist the area with water to keep dust down, away from anything electrical. Engineering Never dry sweep or blow dust off with compressed air. Administrative	Medium
6	Final clean, remove the site fence and hand over	Poor housekeeping and waste	Medium	Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Eliminate Put skip bins and waste chutes close to the work. Engineering Clean as you go, and do a full clean up at the end of each day. Administrative Keep exits, stairs and walkways clear at all times. Administrative Stack materials neatly on level ground, away from edges. Administrative Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE	Low

PPE

Steel cap bootsHi-vis shirt or vestHard hatSafety glassesHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Work glovesSafety harness and lanyardSun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+)Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile)Safety gogglesKnee padsHalf-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters)Cut-resistant glovesP2 dust mask

Plant and equipment

Excavator: Verification of competency (VOC) for the machineConcrete pump (boom or line): High Risk Work Licence PB for truck-mounted concrete placing booms (not needed for line pumps)Crane (Franna or mobile): HRWL for the crane class (e.g. C2, CN, C6), plus Dogging licence (DG) where slinging needs judgement or the load is out of the operator's viewFixed scaffold: Scaffolding HRWL (SB, SI or SA) to erect, alter or dismantle where a fall of more than 4 m is possibleNail gunCircular sawTelehandler: 3 t or less: trained and assessed (VOC). Over 3 t with a jib, hook or winch: High Risk Work Licence CN (non-slewing mobile crane). Slewing telehandlers: slewing crane licence (C2, C6 and up). Victoria: any non-slewing telehandler over 3 t needs CN or the Victorian telehandler licence

Permits and plans

Roof access permitWorking at heights permitLift plan

Emergency

Call 000. Add the nearest hospital, the assembly point and the first aider for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this SWMS.

Free SWMS template for new home construction

Word (.docx) and PDF, A4 landscape, no email needed. Fill in your site details, then print or send it.

Word template (.docx)PDF template

Make yours in 2 minutes

Same document, filled in for your job. Answer a few yes or no questions, the crew signs on the phone, and you send the PDF.

Start this SWMS

Pre-start checklist for new home construction

Tick these off before work starts. They come from the hazards, permits and equipment in this job.

SWMS read, explained and signed by everyone on the job
Edge protection installed and checked before anyone works above 2 m
BYDA plans on site and services located
Trench support, benching or battering in place; spoil kept back from the edge
Water suppression or on-tool extraction fitted; respirators fit tested
Exclusion zone and spotter set up for plant and traffic
Exclusion zone below the work and public kept out
First aider, first aid kit and emergency number (000) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: steel cap boots, hi-vis shirt or vest, hard hat, safety glasses

The safe sequence of work

Set up the site: fencing, signs, toilets, power and induction
Site cut, footings and slab
Frame and roof with scaffold and edge protection
Lock up: brick, windows and roof covering
Fit out with all trades, managing who works where
Final clean, remove the site fence and hand over

Hazards to watch on new home construction

The hazards most specific to this job, and the step where each one comes up.

Step 2Trench or excavation collapseThe trench walls cave in and bury or crush a worker. Trenches 1.5 metres deep or more must be shored, benched or battered unless a geotechnical engineer advises in writing that the sides are safe.

Step 3Crane and lifting failureA load falls or swings, or the crane tips, crushing workers under or near the lift.

Step 4Glass handling and breakageGlass panes break while being moved or fitted, causing deep cuts, or heavy panels fall and crush.

Step 1Electric shock from leads and power toolsDamaged leads, plugs or tools, or water near power, give the user an electric shock.

Step 2Wet concrete and cement burnsWet concrete, mortar and cement burn skin and eyes. Burns can be deep and are often not felt until later.

Step 3Falling from a roof edgeA worker slips or walks off the edge of a roof or gutter line and falls to the ground.

Highest risk on new home construction: Extreme before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Australia 5 by 5 risk matrix (likely and catastrophic becomes unlikely and major).

What changes on your site

This example covers the job itself. Your site may add more. Add controls for any of these that apply (the builder asks you these as yes or no questions):

Will anyone work more than 2 metres off the ground?
Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
Will anyone work on a roof?
Is there a skylight, clear sheet, fibro or other fragile roofing?
Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?

Licences and legal requirements in Australia

This task can involve these high risk construction work categories under the WHS Regulations:

Risk of a person falling more than 2 metres
Work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant

Equipment on this job that needs a licence, ticket or training:

Excavator: Verification of competency (VOC) for the machine
Concrete pump (boom or line): High Risk Work Licence PB for truck-mounted concrete placing booms (not needed for line pumps)
Crane (Franna or mobile): HRWL for the crane class (e.g. C2, CN, C6), plus Dogging licence (DG) where slinging needs judgement or the load is out of the operator's view
Fixed scaffold: Scaffolding HRWL (SB, SI or SA) to erect, alter or dismantle where a fall of more than 4 m is possible
Telehandler: 3 t or less: trained and assessed (VOC). Over 3 t with a jib, hook or winch: High Risk Work Licence CN (non-slewing mobile crane). Slewing telehandlers: slewing crane licence (C2, C6 and up). Victoria: any non-slewing telehandler over 3 t needs CN or the Victorian telehandler licence

A SWMS must be prepared before any high risk construction work starts. It must list the high risk work, the hazards and risks, the control measures, and how those controls will be put in place, monitored and reviewed. It must be easy for the workers to read and understand.

Rules that apply: WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.7 and AS/NZS 3012; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 5.1 Plant; WHS Regulations, Part 6.3 Division 3 (Excavation work, r.304 to 306); WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.4 Falls; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.5 High risk work and Part 5.1 Plant; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.2 Hazardous manual tasks; WHS Regulations, Chapter 8A (Crystalline silica substances and engineered stone); WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.7 General electrical safety.

Each state has its own regulator and some extra rules: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Australian Capital Territory.

Why SWMS get rejected

Principal contractors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

It is generic: another site address, tasks that are not on this job, or no sign it was reviewed for this site. WorkSafe WA says a generic SWMS may not meet the regulations unless it is reviewed and amended for the workplace.
The HRCW boxes are not ticked, or the ticks do not match the tasks (for example a roof job with no falls box ticked).
Falls are controlled only by "be careful", training or a harness, with no edge protection or scaffold and no reason why higher controls are not reasonably practicable.
Workers will clip on to a harness but there is no rescue plan for someone left hanging.
The "how controls are implemented, monitored and reviewed" part is missing, or it says the same thing on every row.
No worker sign-on, no person responsible for compliance, or a date given to the principal contractor that is before they actually received it.
Licence or White Card details are missing for workers operating plant or doing licensed high risk work.

Questions

Do I need a SWMS for new home construction?

Who signs the SWMS?

The person conducting the business (PCBU) or their supervisor prepares it with the workers, and every worker doing the high risk work signs to show they were consulted and understand it. Give a copy to the principal contractor before work starts.

How long do I keep it?

Keep this SWMS, and every revised version, until the high risk construction work is finished, where workers and inspectors can see it on site. If a notifiable incident happens during the work, keep it for at least 2 years after the incident.

What PPE is needed for new home construction?

Usually Steel cap boots, Hi-vis shirt or vest, Hard hat, Safety glasses, Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs), Work gloves, Safety harness and lanyard, Sun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+), Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile), Safety goggles, Knee pads, Half-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters), Cut-resistant gloves, P2 dust mask. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

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Blank SWMS template: free SWMS templates. Also for other countries: United Kingdom (RAMS) · United States (JHA) · Canada (FLHA)