Free demolition swms template
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Free demolition SWMS template (PDF-ready). Covers collapse, asbestos, services, dust and plant controls for high-risk work.
Commercial Director
Key takeaways
- Demolishing a load-bearing element is high risk construction work, so a SWMS is required before the work starts.
- An engineer-reviewed top-down sequence keeps the remaining structure stable through every stage.
- Survey for asbestos and remove it with a licensed removalist before structures are broken up.
- Locate and disconnect electricity, gas and water before demolition, using the supply authority where needed.
- Demolition can be notifiable: tell the regulator at least five days before six-metre, suspended-floor or explosive work.
Updated 9 June 2026
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What is a demolition swms template?
A demolition safe work method statement (SWMS) is a written document that identifies the demolition activities being carried out, the hazards arising from each activity, the control measures that will be used, and how those controls will be implemented, monitored and reviewed on site. Under the WHS Regulations 2011, Regulation 291, demolishing an element of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure is high risk construction work, and Regulation 299 requires the SWMS to be prepared before that work starts. A signature control sits at the centre of the document: an engineer-reviewed demolition sequence, generally top-down and in the reverse order of construction, so the remaining structure stays stable at every stage.
Demolition concentrates several of the most serious construction hazards into one job: uncontrolled or premature structural collapse, asbestos and other hazardous materials, respirable crystalline silica and nuisance dust, services that have not been isolated, falling debris, and struck-by risk from demolition plant. The SWMS ties these to concrete controls drawn from AS 2601 and the Demolition Work Code of Practice, including a pre-demolition hazardous materials survey, located and disconnected services, exclusion zones and perimeter hoarding, dust suppression and spotters. It is the practical reference the supervisor and crew work to, not a document filed and forgotten, and it must be available to every worker on the demolition before they start.
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Benefits of using this demolition swms template
- Collapse prevention: an engineer-reviewed top-down sequence keeps the remaining structure stable at every stage of the demolition.
- Asbestos exposure control: a pre-demolition survey identifies asbestos so it can be removed by a licensed removalist before structures are broken up.
- Regulatory compliance: the SWMS satisfies the high risk construction work duty under WHS Regulations 2011 Regulations 291 and 299.
- Services isolation: documenting located and disconnected electricity, gas and water removes a leading cause of serious demolition incidents.
- Public and worker protection: exclusion zones, hoarding and spotters keep people clear of falling debris and moving demolition plant.
- Dust and silica reduction: planned wet methods and suppression keep respirable crystalline silica below the workplace exposure standard.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you move your procedures from paper to MapTrack, you get:
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- Maintain an auditable safety register that satisfies WHS regulator requests.
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What to include in a demolition swms template
This demolition swms template covers 9 key areas:
- Project and structure details: site address, principal contractor, demolition contractor, structure type, height, construction era and the demolition method selected.
- Hazardous materials survey: asbestos register or survey result, lead paint, synthetic mineral fibre, contaminated soil, and the licensed removal arranged where present.
- Services located and isolated: electricity, gas, water, sewerage and telecommunications confirmed located, disconnected or made safe by a competent person or supply authority.
- Demolition sequence: the engineer-reviewed step order, generally top-down and reverse of construction, with temporary propping and stability checks at each stage.
- Plant and equipment: excavators, processors, attachments, cranes and their exclusion zones, ground-bearing checks, spotters and traffic separation.
- Exclusion zones and public protection: perimeter hoarding, overhead protection, drop zones, signage, road or footpath management and access control.
- Dust, noise and vibration controls: wet methods, water carts, screening, monitoring and respiratory protection for respirable crystalline silica and nuisance dust.
- High risk activity controls: fall protection above two metres, confined space entry, structural propping, and work near energised services where applicable.
- Responsibilities, competencies and review: named supervisor, demolition licence and high risk work licences, sign-on register, and the trigger points for reviewing the SWMS.
How to use this demolition swms template
- Commission a hazardous materials survey and locate all services before planning the work.: Engage a competent person to survey the structure for asbestos, lead paint and synthetic mineral fibre, and review the asbestos register where one exists. Arrange a licensed removalist for any asbestos. Confirm electricity, gas, water, sewerage and telecommunications are located and that disconnection or isolation by the supply authority or a competent person is arranged.
- Have a competent person plan the demolition sequence and stability controls.: Work with an engineer or competent person to set the demolition sequence in line with AS 2601, generally top-down and in the reverse order of construction. Identify load paths, elements that need temporary propping, and the points where stability of the remaining structure must be checked before the next stage proceeds.
- Identify hazards for each activity and assign control measures.: Break the job into activities such as soft strip, mechanical demolition, processing and load-out. For each activity, record the hazards, including collapse, falls, dust, noise and struck-by risk from plant, then assign controls using the hierarchy and reference the relevant code or standard against each one.
- Establish exclusion zones, plant controls and dust suppression on site.: Set up perimeter hoarding at least two metres high, overhead protection and drop zones, and keep people clear of demolition plant using spotters and physical separation. Set up wet methods and water carts to keep respirable crystalline silica and nuisance dust suppressed, and confirm monitoring and respiratory protection where required.
- Brief the crew, sign on and review the SWMS when conditions change.: Walk the crew through the SWMS before work starts, confirm every worker holds the required demolition and high risk work licences, and have them sign on. Review and revise the SWMS whenever the sequence changes, an unexpected material is found, plant is substituted, or an incident or near miss occurs on the demolition.
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A demolition SWMS is prepared for a specific structure and job, before the high risk construction work starts, rather than on a calendar cycle. It is not a generic document reused unchanged: each structure has a different construction, condition, hazardous material profile and demolition sequence, so the SWMS is built for that site and reviewed against actual conditions before the crew begins. Keep a copy on site for the duration of the work and make it available to every worker, the principal contractor and the regulator on request.
Review and revise the SWMS whenever the work or the conditions change. Triggers include a change to the demolition sequence or method, discovery of asbestos or other hazardous material that was not in the survey, substitution of plant, a structural element behaving differently than expected, or any incident or near miss. Remember that demolition can be notifiable: written notice to the regulator at least five days before work commences is required where the load-bearing structure is at least six metres high, where load-shifting machinery operates on a suspended floor, or where explosives are used. In MapTrack, attach the SWMS as a required form on the demolition work order so it is reviewed, signed and version-controlled rather than sitting in a folder.
Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:
- WHS Regulations 2011, Regulation 291 - Meaning of high risk construction work (includes demolition of a load-bearing element or an element related to the physical integrity of a structure)
- WHS Regulations 2011, Regulation 299 - Safe work method statement required for high risk construction work
- AS 2601 - The demolition of structures
- Safe Work Australia - Demolition Work Code of Practice
- Safe Work Australia - How to safely remove asbestos and How to manage and control asbestos in the workplace Codes of Practice
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