Solar · Australia

SWMS for commercial solar installation

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

Yes. Commercial solar installation usually includes high risk construction work (risk of a person falling more than 2 metres; work on or near energised electrical installations or services), 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 a roof edge, falling through a fragile roof or skylight, falling through a floor opening or void and electric shock from live wiring.

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SWMS example: commercial solar installation

This is a complete SWMS for commercial solar installation, 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)

Commercial flat roof solar installation · Solar · Example

Document SWMS-001 · Rev 1

High risk construction work covered

Risk of a person falling more than 2 metresWork on or near energised electrical installations or servicesWork in an area with movement of powered mobile plant

Job steps, hazards and controls

#	Job step	Hazards	Risk before	Controls	Risk after
1	Install edge protection and guard skylights	Falling from a roof edge Falling through a fragile roof or skylight Falling through a floor opening or void	Extreme	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 Work from underneath or from an EWP so nobody stands on the fragile roof. Eliminate Cover or guard every skylight and fragile sheet with a fixed, marked cover or mesh before work starts. Isolate Install safety mesh under new roof sheeting, and use crawl boards or staging to spread the load on fragile surfaces. Engineering Use fall arrest on rated anchors when working near fragile areas. Engineering Treat all roof sheets as fragile until a competent person confirms they are not. Old fibre cement and plastic sheets are fragile. Administrative Cover every hole and penetration with a fixed, secured cover marked "HOLE" or "DANGER". Isolate Put guardrails with toe boards around stairwells, lift shafts, voids and open edges. Isolate Install stairs early and fit temporary handrails as soon as they go in. Engineering Never remove a cover or guardrail without approval. Put it back straight away. Administrative Inspect covers and barriers daily and after other trades have been through. Administrative	Medium
2	Crane panels onto the roof with an exclusion zone below	Crane and lifting failure Falling tools and materials Public entering the work area	High	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 Barricade and sign the drop zone under overhead work so nobody walks beneath. Isolate Fit toe boards, kick plates and mesh screens on scaffolds and edges. Engineering Use catch fans, debris netting or covered walkways where people pass below. Engineering Tether hand tools when working at height. Engineering Keep platforms tidy. Do not stack materials near edges or above toe board height. Administrative 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	Medium
3	Spread loads so the roof is not overloaded	Structural collapse during alterations	High	Get an engineer to check before removing any wall, beam, post or bracing that may be load-bearing. Eliminate Keep everyone clear of the area under and next to the work. Isolate Install temporary props, needles or shoring as designed before removing any support. Engineering Follow the engineer's sequence. Do not change it without approval. Administrative Check props daily. Do not remove them until the permanent support is in and approved. Administrative Install temporary support to the engineer's or temporary works design before any load bearing element is altered. Administrative Wear a hard hat and safety boots. PPE	Medium
4	Fit frames and panels	Lifting and carrying heavy loads Strong wind and storms Cuts from sharp edges	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 Check the forecast each morning and plan work at height and lifting around the weather. Eliminate Tie down or weigh down loose sheets, panels, boards and rubbish at the end of each shift. Engineering Set wind limits for roof work, platforms and cranes, using the manufacturer's limits, and stop when they are reached. Administrative Stop work and get down in lightning. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back up. Administrative Check scaffold, fencing and edge protection after strong wind before anyone uses them. Administrative 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	Medium
5	Cable and connect, treating DC as live	Electric shock from live wiring	Extreme	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 If live work cannot be avoided, use a permit, a safety observer and insulated tools. Administrative Wear insulated gloves, arc-rated clothing and a face shield when testing or working near live parts. PPE	Medium
6	Test, commission and clear the roof	Heat stress Poor housekeeping and waste	High	Schedule heavy work for the cooler part of the day. Eliminate Provide shade over work and rest areas, and fans or cooling in roof spaces. Engineering Supply cool drinking water close by and drink a cup every 15 to 20 minutes. Administrative Take regular rest breaks in the shade, more often as it gets hotter. Administrative Let new and returning workers build up to full work in the heat over about a week. Administrative Watch each other for dizziness, headache, confusion or stopping sweating. Stop work, cool down and get help. Administrative Have a hot weather plan, including when work stops. Administrative Wear light, loose, long-sleeved clothing, a hat or brim, and sunscreen. PPE 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	Medium

PPE

Steel cap bootsSafety harness and lanyardHard hatHi-vis shirt or vestCut-resistant glovesSun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+)Work glovesSafety glassesInsulated electrical glovesArc-rated clothing and face shield

Plant and equipment

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 viewMaterials hoist: High Risk Work Licence HM for a materials hoistPower drillElectrical test equipmentHand tools

Permits and plans

Roof access permitWorking at heights permitLift planElectrical isolation permit

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 commercial solar 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 commercial solar 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
Edge protection installed and checked before anyone works above 2 m
Fragile roof areas and skylights covered or barricaded
Openings, voids and penetrations covered and marked
Isolation, lockout and test for dead done before work starts
Exclusion zone below the work and public kept out
Weather checked: water, shade and rest breaks planned
Wind and weather checked; stop work limits agreed
First aider, first aid kit and emergency number (000) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: steel cap boots, safety harness and lanyard, hard hat, hi-vis shirt or vest

The safe sequence of work

Install edge protection and guard skylights
Crane panels onto the roof with an exclusion zone below
Spread loads so the roof is not overloaded
Fit frames and panels
Cable and connect, treating DC as live
Test, commission and clear the roof

Hazards to watch on commercial solar installation

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

Step 1Falling through a fragile roof or skylightA worker steps on a skylight, clear sheet or old fibre cement roof and falls through to the floor below.

Step 2Crane and lifting failureA load falls or swings, or the crane tips, crushing workers under or near the lift.

Step 4Strong wind and stormsWind blows sheets, panels and people off roofs and scaffolds, and storms and lightning make work at height and lifting unsafe.

Step 1Falling from a roof edgeA worker slips or walks off the edge of a roof or gutter line and falls to the ground.

Step 6Heat stressHard work in hot weather or hot roof spaces causes heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can kill.

Step 3Structural collapse during alterationsRemoving a wall, beam, post or bracing makes part of the building fall on workers.

Highest risk on commercial solar installation: 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?
Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?
Will you use an EWP (scissor lift or boom lift)?

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 on or near energised electrical installations or services
Work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant

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

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
Materials hoist: High Risk Work Licence HM for a materials hoist

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 4.4 Falls; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.5 High risk work and Part 5.1 Plant; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 3.2 (falling objects); WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.2 Hazardous manual tasks; 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 commercial solar 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 commercial solar installation?

Usually Steel cap boots, Safety harness and lanyard, Hard hat, Hi-vis shirt or vest, Cut-resistant gloves, Sun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+), Work gloves, Safety glasses, Insulated electrical gloves, Arc-rated clothing and face shield. 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)