SWMS template: a safe work method statement you can fill in today
A complete safe work method statement layout: company and job details, the high-risk construction work list, PPE, work steps with hazards and controls, crew sign-on and a revision table. Word and PDF, emailed to you.
Word and PDF. Emailed to you, no sales call.
What it is for
A safe work method statement (SWMS) sets out how a high-risk construction task will be done: the steps, the hazards in each step, the controls, and who is responsible. Principal contractors ask for it before the work starts, and the crew signs it to say they have read it and will follow it.
This template is the general version, built to be tailored per job. Fill in the company and job details once, tick the high-risk work categories that apply, list the plant and PPE, and break the work into steps. Keep the revision table current: every change to the method is a new revision, and the crew signs the current one.
What is in the template
- Company and job details: ABN, principal contractor, site supervisor, start date and SWMS number.
- The high-risk construction work checklist so the categories that apply are ticked, not assumed.
- Plant and equipment, licences and permits, and a PPE checklist.
- A work activity table: step, hazards, initial risk, control measures, residual risk, responsible person.
- A crew sign-on sheet with name, signature and date, and a revision table.
How to use it well
- Write the steps in the order the crew will do them, in plain words. A SWMS the crew cannot follow is not a SWMS.
- Make the controls specific to this site: the actual edge protection, the actual exclusion zone, the actual anchor points.
- When the method changes, raise a revision and get the crew to sign again. Old signatures on a new method are worth nothing.
Further reading
- Safe work method statement for high risk construction work: information sheet, Safe Work Australia
- Model Code of Practice: Construction work, Safe Work Australia
- SWMS for high risk construction work, SafeWork SA
Before you use it
This template is a general starting point only. It is not advice, it was not prepared for your workplace, and it does not take account of your sites, your work or the requirements that apply to you. You are responsible for checking it, adapting it and deciding whether it is suitable before you use it. AREESA accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss, injury or damage arising from its use.
When the paper version stops scaling
In AREESA you build the SWMS once and tailor it per job. Sign-off is requested from the whole crew in one hit or by a QR code on the job, a change creates a new revision and clears the old signatures, and every revision stays on record with who signed which version.
Questions
What has to be in a SWMS?
The high-risk construction work being done, the hazards and risks in each step, the control measures and how they will be put in place and checked, who is responsible, and the crew's sign-on. This template has a place for each.
Is one SWMS enough for the whole job?
One SWMS per high-risk activity. A job with roofing, excavation and electrical work usually needs three. Start each from this template and tailor it.
What is the difference between a SWMS and a JSA?
A SWMS is the document used for high-risk construction work and is shared with the principal contractor. A JSA is a lighter step-by-step analysis any crew can use for any task. Same bones, different purpose.
Can I add my company logo?
Yes. The Word version is fully editable. Drop your logo into the header, change the company details, and save it as your own master.
See the SWMS template running in AREESA.
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