Glazing · Australia

SWMS for sliding door installation

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

A SWMS is required by law if sliding door installation includes any high risk construction work, such as working where someone could fall more than 2 metres. Many principal contractors ask for one either way.

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 glass handling and breakage, lifting and carrying heavy loads, injury from power tools and repetitive work and awkward postures.

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SWMS example: sliding door installation

This is a complete SWMS for sliding door installation, with 5 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)

Sliding glass door installation · Glazing · Example

Document SWMS-001 · Rev 1

High risk construction work covered

None for this task on its own. Tick any that apply on your site.

Job steps, hazards and controls

#	Job step	Hazards	Risk before	Controls	Risk after
1	Remove the old door, wearing cut gloves	Glass handling and breakage Cuts from sharp edges	High	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 Wear cut-resistant gloves, arm guards, safety glasses and safety boots. PPE Deburr or cover sharp edges, and fit edge protectors on exposed sheet metal. Engineering Use knives with retractable or self-retracting blades. Engineering Cut away from your body and keep your other hand clear. Administrative Put used blades in a blade bin or sharps container. Administrative Use two people to handle large sheets of metal or glass. Administrative Wear cut-resistant gloves and long sleeves. PPE	Medium
2	Carry panels with enough people or a glass trolley	Lifting and carrying heavy loads	High	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 Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Administrative Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE	Medium
3	Fit and level the frame	Injury from power tools Repetitive work and awkward postures	Medium	Keep all guards fitted and working. Never tie back or remove a guard. Engineering Clamp or secure the work piece. Do not hold it by hand. Engineering Only trained, competent people use power tools, following the maker's instructions. Administrative Check tools before use. Unplug or remove the battery before changing blades or bits. Administrative No loose clothing, jewellery or long hair near spinning parts. Administrative Wear safety glasses and hearing protection. Do not wear loose gloves on drills or other rotating tools. PPE Use tools that cut the effort: powered screwdrivers, long-handled tools and extension poles for overhead work. Substitute Set work up at waist height on benches or trestles where you can. Engineering Use light tools with good grips, and keep blades and bits sharp. Engineering Rotate tasks and take short breaks every hour on repetitive work. Administrative Warm up before heavy physical work and report aches and pains early. Administrative Wear knee pads for kneeling work and gloves for grip. PPE	Medium
4	Install panels and test the door	Glass handling and breakage Lifting and carrying heavy loads	High	Glass handling and breakage: see step 1 for the full controls Administrative Lifting and carrying heavy loads: see step 2 for the full controls Administrative	Medium
5	Clean up	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

Cut-resistant glovesSafety glassesSteel cap bootsWork glovesHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Knee pads

Plant and equipment

Power drillHand tools

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 sliding door installation

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 sliding door installation

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
First aider, first aid kit and emergency number (000) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: cut-resistant gloves, safety glasses, steel cap boots, work gloves

The safe sequence of work

Remove the old door, wearing cut gloves
Carry panels with enough people or a glass trolley
Fit and level the frame
Install panels and test the door
Clean up

Hazards to watch on sliding door installation

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

Step 1, 4Glass handling and breakageGlass panes break while being moved or fitted, causing deep cuts, or heavy panels fall and crush.

Step 3Injury from power toolsDrills, saws, routers and sanders kick back, catch clothing or throw debris, causing cuts, broken bones and eye injuries.

Step 3Repetitive work and awkward posturesDoing the same movement for hours, kneeling or working overhead causes long-term damage to joints, muscles and tendons.

Step 1Cuts from sharp edgesSheet metal, glass, blades, cable tray and offcuts cut hands and arms.

Step 2, 4Lifting and carrying heavy loadsLifting, carrying, pushing or twisting with heavy or awkward loads strains the back, shoulders or knees.

Step 5Poor housekeeping and wasteRubbish, offcuts and materials left lying around cause trips, cuts and fires, and block exits.

Highest risk on sliding door installation: High before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Australia 5 by 5 risk matrix (possible and major 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?

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 sliding door installation?

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 sliding door installation?

Usually Cut-resistant gloves, Safety glasses, Steel cap boots, Work gloves, Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs), Knee pads. 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)