Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)

What a SWMS is — and when it's required

A Safe Work Method Statement is a document that identifies the high-risk construction work (HRCW) being carried out, the hazards it creates, and how the risks will be controlled. Under the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must prepare a SWMS before high-risk construction work begins.

There are 18 categories of high-risk construction work. If your work falls into any of them, a SWMS is legally required — and the work must be carried out in accordance with it. The SWMS must be kept on site, be readily accessible, and be reviewed whenever the work or conditions change.

Building a compliant SWMS

A SWMS follows the same logic as any risk assessment — break the job into steps, identify the hazards, rate each risk on a risk matrix, and control it using the hierarchy of controls — but it must be specific to your task and site to be valid. A generic, copy-paste SWMS is one of the most common reasons work is stopped on Australian sites.

RiskForms drafts a task-specific SWMS in seconds: describe the work, pick your state or territory, and it produces the risk-rated method statement with the correct governing law — ready for the PCBU or supervisor to review and sign.

Official guidance & sources

Always confirm the current requirements with the regulator for your region.

• Safe Work Australia — Safe Work Method StatementsWhen a SWMS is required and what it must contain.
• Safe Work Australia — Model WHS lawsThe model WHS Act and Regulations adopted by the states and territories.