Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
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A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is a legally required document in Australia that describes high-risk construction work steps, identifies hazards at each step, and specifies the control measures to manage those risks.
A Safe Work Method Statement is a documented procedure that describes the high-risk construction work to be carried out, the hazards associated with that work, and the control measures that will be implemented to manage those hazards. In Australia, a SWMS is a legal requirement for high risk construction work: regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations lists 18 types, 19 in the ACT and Victoria, including work with a risk of a fall of more than two metres, work on or near energised electrical installations, demolition of load-bearing elements, and work in or near confined spaces. The SWMS must be prepared before the high-risk work commences, must take account of the circumstances at the workplace, and must be readily accessible to the workers carrying out the task. Workers who will do the work should be consulted on it, and many sites ask them to sign it, although the Regulations do not require a signature. A SWMS must be reviewed, and revised as necessary, whenever the relevant control measures are revised. The document typically includes the project and task description, the names and qualifications of workers, a step-by-step breakdown of the work, identified hazards at each step, risk ratings, and the specific control measures to be applied.
What the Regulations require
Regulation 299 of the model WHS Regulations requires a person conducting a business or undertaking that includes high risk construction work to ensure, before that work starts, that a safe work method statement for it has been prepared, by them or by someone else. The SWMS must identify the work that is high risk construction work, specify its hazards and the risks to health and safety, describe the measures that will control those risks, and describe how the control measures will be implemented, monitored and reviewed.
It must also be prepared taking into account the circumstances at the workplace that may affect how the work is carried out and, on a construction project, the WHS management plan for the workplace. It must be set out and expressed in a way that is readily accessible and understandable to the people who use it.
The duties do not end when the document is written. Regulation 300 requires arrangements to make sure the work is carried out in line with the SWMS. If it is not, the work must stop immediately or as soon as it is safe to do so, and resume only in line with the statement. On a construction project, regulation 301 requires a copy to be given to the principal contractor before the work starts, and regulation 312 requires the principal contractor to take all reasonable steps to obtain one.
Victoria is not a model WHS state; its duties sit under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. This page is general information, not legal advice: confirm the detail with your state or territory regulator.
Sources: Safe Work Australia: model WHS Regulations (5 December 2025)
The 18 types of high risk construction work
Regulation 291 defines high risk construction work as construction work in any of the 18 categories below. Only work in one of these categories legally needs a SWMS. Other tasks can still be planned with a JSA or a Take 5, but the Regulations do not name either.
| Regulation 291 | Construction work that |
|---|---|
| (a) | involves a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres |
| (b) | is carried out on a telecommunication tower |
| (c) | involves demolition of an element of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure |
| (d) | involves, or is likely to involve, the disturbance of asbestos |
| (e) | involves structural alterations or repairs that require temporary support to prevent collapse |
| (f) | is carried out in or near a confined space |
| (g) | is carried out in or near a shaft or trench with an excavated depth greater than 1.5 metres, or a tunnel |
| (h) | involves the use of explosives |
| (i) | is carried out on or near pressurised gas distribution mains or piping |
| (j) | is carried out on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines |
| (k) | is carried out on or near energised electrical installations or services |
| (l) | is carried out in an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere |
| (m) | involves tilt-up or precast concrete |
| (n) | is carried out on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor in use by traffic other than pedestrians |
| (o) | is carried out in an area of a workplace where there is any movement of powered mobile plant |
| (p) | is carried out in an area with artificial extremes of temperature |
| (q) | is carried out in or near water or other liquid that involves a risk of drowning |
| (r) | involves diving work |
High risk construction work under regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations (5 December 2025)
Safe Work Australia's SWMS tool puts it plainly: there are only 18 types of high risk construction work, 19 in the ACT and Victoria. It also notes that in some jurisdictions the fall height in the first category is 3 metres rather than 2. Check your own jurisdiction's regulations before relying on either threshold.
Sources: Safe Work Australia: model WHS Regulations (5 December 2025) · Safe Work Australia: SWMS tool, list of 18 high risk construction work activities
Preparing a SWMS, step by step
Each step below comes from the Regulations themselves, so a SWMS built this way can be checked line by line against the regulation that requires it.
| Step | What to do | Regulation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Confirm the trigger | Check whether the task falls into one of the 18 categories of high risk construction work. If it does not, a SWMS is not legally required. | 291 |
| 2. Name the work | Identify the parts of the job that are high risk construction work. | 299(2)(a) |
| 3. List hazards and risks | Specify the hazards relating to that work and the risks to health and safety associated with them. | 299(2)(b) |
| 4. Set the controls | Describe the measures that will control the risks, applying the hierarchy of control. | 299(2)(c), 36 |
| 5. Say how controls are run | Describe how the control measures will be implemented, monitored and reviewed. | 299(2)(d) |
| 6. Fit it to the site | Take into account the circumstances at the workplace and, on a construction project, the WHS management plan. | 299(3)(a) |
| 7. Make it usable | Set it out so the people who use it can readily access and understand it. | 299(3)(b) |
| 8. Hand it over | On a construction project, give a copy to the principal contractor before the work starts. | 301, 312 |
| 9. Work to it | Put arrangements in place so the work follows the SWMS. If it does not, stop the work as soon as it is safe and resume only in line with the statement. | 300 |
| 10. Review it | Review the SWMS, and revise it as necessary, whenever the relevant control measures are revised. | 302, 38 |
| 11. Keep it | Keep a copy until the work is finished, readily accessible to the workers doing it and available for inspection. If a notifiable incident occurs, keep it for at least 2 years after the incident. | 303 |
A SWMS from trigger to record keeping, mapped to the model WHS Regulations
Sources: Safe Work Australia: model WHS Regulations (5 December 2025)
SWMS, JSA or Take 5
Of the three pre-task documents, only the SWMS is named in the model WHS Regulations, and only for high risk construction work. A JSA and a Take 5 are tools a site may require through its own safety system or contracts. The Take 5 entry in this glossary compares all three side by side.
Sources: Safe Work Australia: model WHS Regulations (5 December 2025)
Key facts you can cite
Regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations lists 18 types of high risk construction work; Safe Work Australia notes there are 19 in the ACT and Victoria.
Source: Safe Work Australia, SWMS tool, checked 21 September 2026
A safe work method statement must be prepared before high risk construction work starts, under regulation 299 of the model WHS Regulations.
Source: Safe Work Australia, model WHS Regulations, checked 21 September 2026
If high risk construction work is not carried out in line with its SWMS, regulation 300 requires the work to stop immediately or as soon as it is safe, and to resume only in line with the statement.
Source: Safe Work Australia, model WHS Regulations, checked 21 September 2026
On a construction project, regulation 312 requires the principal contractor to take all reasonable steps to obtain a copy of the SWMS before high risk construction work starts.
Source: Safe Work Australia, model WHS Regulations, checked 21 September 2026
Under regulation 303, a SWMS must be kept until the work it covers is complete, or for at least 2 years after a notifiable incident connected with that work.
Source: Safe Work Australia, model WHS Regulations, checked 21 September 2026
Reuse these lines with attribution: cite the named primary source, and link this page if the summary helped.
Why it matters
The SWMS is one of the most important safe-work documents on any Australian construction site. Failure to have a compliant SWMS before commencing high-risk construction work is a breach of WHS Regulations and can result in enforcement action, improvement notices, or prohibition notices from the regulator. Beyond compliance, a well-written SWMS ensures that every worker understands the hazards they face and the specific steps to control them before they begin the task.
How MapTrack helps
MapTrack provides digital SWMS templates that teams complete on site via mobile devices, linking each SWMS to the relevant asset, equipment, or location and storing signed copies in a searchable compliance register.
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Frequently asked questions
When is a SWMS required in Australia?
A SWMS is required before any of the 18 types of high risk construction work listed in regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations begins, 19 in the ACT and Victoria. These include work where there is a risk of falling more than two metres, work on or near energised electrical installations, work in an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere, tilt-up or precast concrete work, demolition of load-bearing elements, work involving explosives, and work in or near a confined space, among others. The business carrying out the work must ensure the SWMS is prepared before the work starts (regulation 299), and on a construction project the principal contractor must take all reasonable steps to obtain a copy before it starts (regulation 312).
What is the difference between a SWMS and a JSA?
A Job Safety Analysis (JSA) is a general risk assessment tool that breaks a task into steps, identifies hazards at each step, and documents controls. A SWMS serves a similar purpose but is specifically mandated by Australian WHS Regulations for high-risk construction work and has prescribed content requirements. In practice, many organisations use JSAs for non-construction or lower-risk tasks and SWMS for work that meets the high-risk construction work trigger.
Who is responsible for preparing a SWMS?
The person conducting the business or undertaking (PCBU) whose business includes carrying out the high risk construction work must ensure a SWMS is prepared, or has already been prepared by someone else (regulation 299). In practice, the SWMS is often developed by the supervisor or site safety adviser in consultation with the workers who will perform the work. Many principal contractors ask workers to sign on after it has been explained to them; the Regulations require that it be readily accessible to those workers and reviewed when control measures change, not that it be signed.
Related terms
Risk Assessment
A risk assessment is a systematic process of identifying hazards, evaluating the likelihood and severity of harm, and determining control measures that eliminate the risk or, where that is not reasonably practicable, minimise it so far as is reasonably practicable. It follows the hierarchy of controls (elimination; substitution, isolation or engineering controls; administrative controls; PPE) and produces a documented record of identified risks and the measures taken to manage them.
WHS compliance software
WHS compliance software is a digital WHS management system that helps organisations meet Work Health and Safety obligations by managing inspections, incident records, risk assessments, corrective actions, contractor compliance, regulatory reporting and audit trails. It replaces paper registers, spreadsheets and email chains with a searchable system of record that shows what was checked, when it was checked, who completed it, what failed and what evidence was attached.
Hazard Identification
Hazard identification is the systematic process of recognising conditions, activities, materials, or situations in the workplace that have the potential to cause harm. It is the first step in the risk management process defined under Australian WHS legislation. Methods include workplace inspections, task observations, incident and near-miss analysis, consultation with workers, review of safety data sheets, and analysis of equipment manuals and manufacturer guidance.
Competency Management
Competency management is the systematic process of defining, assessing, tracking, and developing the skills, knowledge, qualifications, and experience that workers need to perform their roles safely and effectively. In asset-intensive industries, competency management covers trade licences, equipment-specific certifications (e.g. forklift, crane, elevated work platform), safety inductions, training completions, and ongoing professional development. The process typically involves defining competency requirements for each role, verifying that workers hold the required qualifications, tracking expiry dates for licences and certifications, scheduling refresher training before credentials lapse, and maintaining auditable records. In Australia, WHS Regulations require PCBUs to ensure that workers are competent to perform high-risk work, and licences for specific high-risk work categories are issued by state and territory regulators. A mature competency management system also includes a skills gap analysis that identifies where current workforce capabilities fall short of operational or regulatory requirements, enabling targeted recruitment, training investment, and succession planning for critical operational roles.
Incident Reporting
Incident reporting is the formal process of recording, notifying, and investigating workplace events including injuries, illnesses, near misses, property damage, and environmental releases. In Australia, certain incidents must be notified to the WHS regulator under the notifiable incident provisions of the WHS Act. Effective incident reporting captures what happened, where, when, who was involved, the immediate causes, and contributing factors.
Cite this definition
Writing about this topic? You’re welcome to quote this definition. Here’s the wording to use so your readers can find the original.
A Safe Work Method Statement is a documented procedure that describes the high-risk construction work to be carried out, the hazards associated with that work, and the control measures that will be implemented to manage those hazards.
- Short attribution
- MapTrack Glossary: Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS), https://www.maptrack.com/glossary/swms
- Reference list
- MapTrack. (2026). Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) [Glossary definition]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/glossary/swms
Free to reuse with credit under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. If you’d rather link straight to it, the page is https://www.maptrack.com/glossary/swms.
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