Solar · Australia

SWMS for solar panel cleaning

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

Yes. Solar panel cleaning 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, electric shock from live wiring, falling from a ladder and glass handling and breakage.

Make this SWMS now Word template PDF

SWMS example: solar panel cleaning

This is a complete SWMS for solar panel cleaning, 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)

Solar panel cleaning · 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 services

Job steps, hazards and controls

#	Job step	Hazards	Risk before	Controls	Risk after
1	Set up roof access and edge protection or harness	Falling from a roof edge Falling from a ladder	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 Stop roof work in strong wind or rain, and when the roof is wet, icy or covered in dust or frost. Administrative Have a written emergency and rescue plan, tested before work starts, for any worker using a harness (WHS Regulations r.80). Administrative Wear a harness clipped to a rated anchor when using restraint or fall arrest, and soft-soled non-slip boots. PPE Use a platform ladder, mobile scaffold or EWP for longer jobs instead of a straight ladder. Substitute Use industrial-rated ladders (AS/NZS 1892, 120 kg or more) in good condition. Remove any damaged ladder from site. Engineering Set extension ladders at a 4 to 1 angle on firm, level ground, tied or footed, and reaching 1 metre above the landing. Engineering Use ladders only for short, light work. Do not carry heavy or awkward loads up a ladder. Administrative Keep three points of contact and your belt buckle between the stiles. Do not overreach. Administrative Do not stand on the top three rungs of an extension ladder or the top step of a stepladder. Administrative Check the ladder before each use: feet, rungs, stiles and locks. Administrative Wear non-slip safety boots with clean soles. PPE	Medium
2	Never stand on panels and watch for wet slippery surfaces	Slips and trips Glass handling and breakage	High	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 Wear safety boots with good grip, laced up. 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 Wear cut-resistant gloves, arm guards, safety glasses and safety boots. PPE	Medium
3	Check for damaged panels or cables before cleaning	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
4	Clean with low pressure water and soft brushes	High pressure water jetting Electric shock from live wiring	Extreme	Set an exclusion zone around the jetting area. Isolate Use a dead man's trigger that stops the jet when released, and check hoses and fittings before use. Engineering Only trained operators use high pressure jetting gear. Administrative Never point the lance at anyone or put a hand in front of it. Administrative Treat any jetting injury as serious and go to hospital, even if it looks small. Administrative Wear a face shield, waterproof clothing, gloves, hearing protection and safety boots. PPE Electric shock from live wiring: see step 3 for the full controls Administrative	Medium
5	Watch for birds, nests and wasps under panels	Bites and stings	Medium	Check work areas before starting, and get pest control to remove nests. Eliminate Look before you reach into dark spaces. Administrative Ask owners to keep pets away from the work area. Administrative Know who has allergies and keep their medication, such as an adrenaline auto-injector, close by. Administrative Know snake bite first aid: pressure immobilisation bandage, keep still and call 000. Administrative Wear gloves, long sleeves and boots. Use insect repellent outdoors. PPE	Medium
6	Clean up and remove access	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 lanyardWork glovesSun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+)Hard hatCut-resistant glovesSafety glassesInsulated electrical glovesArc-rated clothing and face shieldFace shieldOverallsHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)

Plant and equipment

Extension ladderPressure cleanerHand tools

Permits and plans

Roof access permitWorking at heights permitElectrical 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 solar panel cleaning

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 solar panel cleaning

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
Ladder inspected, secured and extending 1 m above the landing
Isolation, lockout and test for dead done before work starts
Weather checked: water, shade and rest breaks planned
First aider, first aid kit and emergency number (000) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: steel cap boots, safety harness and lanyard, work gloves, sun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+)

The safe sequence of work

Set up roof access and edge protection or harness
Never stand on panels and watch for wet slippery surfaces
Check for damaged panels or cables before cleaning
Clean with low pressure water and soft brushes
Watch for birds, nests and wasps under panels
Clean up and remove access

Hazards to watch on solar panel cleaning

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

Step 4High pressure water jettingHigh pressure water cuts through skin and injects water and dirt into the body, or the hose whips.

Step 5Bites and stingsSnakes, spiders, wasps and bees in roof spaces, under floors and in long grass bite or sting workers.

Step 2Glass handling and breakageGlass panes break while being moved or fitted, causing deep cuts, or heavy panels fall and crush.

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 1Falling from a ladderThe ladder slips or tips, or the worker overreaches, and they fall onto a hard surface.

Highest risk on solar panel cleaning: 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 work on a roof?
Is there a skylight, clear sheet, fibro or other fragile roofing?
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

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 4.7 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 solar panel cleaning?

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 solar panel cleaning?

Usually Steel cap boots, Safety harness and lanyard, Work gloves, Sun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+), Hard hat, Cut-resistant gloves, Safety glasses, Insulated electrical gloves, Arc-rated clothing and face shield, Face shield, Overalls, Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs). The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More solar SWMS

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Related jobs in other trades

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Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkLadder Safety Toolbox talkManual Handling and Back Safety Toolbox talkHeat Stress Toolbox talkSlips, Trips and Falls

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