Electricity Meter Replacement SWMS
Replacement of single-phase and three-phase electricity meters at switchboards on the customer side of the network point of supply. Includes Level 2 / authorised supply-side work, fuse pull, meter swap and re-energisation.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Electricity meter replacement at customer switchboards involves Level 2 Authorised Service Provider (ASP) or equivalent licensed work on the supply side of the point of attachment, including service fuse withdrawal, neutral link removal, meter exchange and re-energisation of single-phase or three-phase installations. The task exposes workers to live conductors at network voltages (230/400 V AC), prospective fault currents frequently exceeding 10 kA at the service position, and confined working spaces inside meter panels and switchboard cubicles. Under WHS Regulation 2025 Part 4.4, work on or near energised electrical installations is High Risk Construction Work (Schedule 1, Category 9) and a Safe Work Method Statement must be prepared, consulted on with workers, signed before commencement, and held on site for the duration of the work. The SWMS must identify hazards, document hierarchy-based controls, name the PCBU, and be reviewed if controls fail or conditions change. Re-energisation without a compliant SWMS exposes the PCBU and individual electrical worker to enforceable undertakings, improvement notices and prosecution.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Electrocution, cardiac arrest, severe internal burns, fatality and Category 1 WHS prosecution of the PCBU and worker
Third-degree burns, blast injury, permanent vision loss, fatality and notifiable incident under WHS Act s38
Unexpected re-energisation causing electric shock to worker assumed to be isolated, leading to electrocution and serious injury
Inhalation of asbestos fibres causing mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer with long-latency occupational disease liability
Falls from ladder or platform causing fractures, head injury, spinal damage and notifiable incident reporting obligation
Damage to customer equipment, dangerous touch voltages on exposed metalwork, electric shock to occupants and consequential property claims
Inadvertent tool or finger contact causing phase-to-phase or phase-to-earth fault, arc burns and hospitalisation
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Where network operator permits, request supply-side isolation at the pillar or pole fuse via the DNSP outage process to fully de-energise the meter position before work commences.
- 2Elimination — Disconnect and lock off all customer-side embedded generation (solar PV DC isolator, battery AC isolator, generator changeover) and verify zero backfeed before approaching meter terminals.
- 3Substitution — Replace traditional bolted fuse-pull procedure with insulated fuse-pulling tool rated to the prospective fault current and IEC 60900 1000 V class where supply-side isolation is unavailable.
- 4Engineering — Install temporary insulating shrouds, phase barriers and arc-rated blankets over adjacent live busbars and incoming service cables in accordance with AS/NZS 4836 before commencing meter exchange.
- 5Engineering — Use approved test-before-touch sequence with a two-pole voltage tester proven on a known live source immediately before and after testing the dead conductors at the meter base.
- 6Administrative — Confirm Level 2 ASP authorisation, network operator notification, and complete the Service & Installation Rules (SIR) Notice of Service Work prior to attending site and re-energisation.
- 7Administrative — Conduct pre-start SWMS briefing at the switchboard, sign on all workers, identify the nominated rescuer trained in low-voltage rescue and CPR, and post emergency contact details.
- 8Administrative — Implement an exclusion zone of minimum 1.5 m around the open switchboard with barriers and signage to prevent public or other trades approach during live work.
- 9PPE — Wear arc-rated coveralls minimum ATPV 8 cal/cm² to AS/NZS 4836, Class 0 insulating gloves with leather overgloves tested within 6 months, arc-rated face shield, and safety glasses.
- 10PPE — Use insulated, non-conductive footwear, hearing protection during fuse operation, and a P2 respirator where pre-1990 bakelite or fibre-cement meter panel material may be disturbed.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates risk assessment, test-before-touch, PPE selection and live work justification — directly governs meter exchange where supply-side isolation is unavailable.
Clause 2.3 and Section 8 verification requirements apply to reconnection, polarity, earth continuity and insulation resistance testing before re-energisation of the installation.
Defines Level 2 ASP authorisation scope, metering work categories, notification obligations and acceptable practices at the network point of supply.
Sets the regulator's expected standard for de-energisation, testing, isolation, lock-out and competent person requirements under WHS Regulation 2025 Chapter 4 Part 4.7.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Meter exchange routinely occurs with the supply-side service fuse live and customer mains energised, placing workers within unsafe approach distances of exposed conductors.
PCBU must prepare, consult, sign and retain the SWMS for the duration of the work and for at least 2 years after a notifiable incident; non-compliance penalties are substantial and indexed, with current maximums following the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Level 2 Authorised Service Providers on metering work
- →Licensed electrical contractors performing meter family upgrades
- →Smart meter rollout subcontractors to retail energy providers
- →Solar PV installers replacing meters for net metering
What you receive
- ✓Editable DOCX template — Microsoft Word compatible
- ✓State-specific WHS legislation schedule (NSW/VIC/QLD/SA/WA/TAS/NT/ACT)
- ✓Hazard register with risk ratings + hierarchy-of-control mapping
- ✓Worker sign-on register, pre-start checklist, and incident escalation flow
Worked example
On a Tuesday morning a Level 2 ASP crew of two arrives at a suburban single-storey dwelling to replace an ageing single-phase accumulation meter with a Type 4A smart meter for a retail energy provider. At the front lawn, the lead electrician opens the SWMS on a tablet and runs the pre-start brief at the switchboard. Working through the hazard register, the offsider identifies a rooftop solar PV array not flagged on the work order — triggering the backfeed control. Both workers walk to the rooftop DC isolator and the AC solar supply main switch, lock them off with personal danger tags, and verify zero export at the inverter display. Returning to the meter panel, they note the substrate is cream bakelite consistent with 1970s construction; the SWMS asbestos control is applied and P2 respirators are donned. Arc-rated coveralls, Class 0 gloves and face shields are fitted, the 1.5 m exclusion zone is barricaded, and the customer is asked to remain inside. The lead pulls the service fuse with an insulated fuse-puller, applies the two-pole tester to a known live point then the meter terminals to confirm dead, and proceeds with the swap. Mid-task, the offsider notices a neighbour's child approaching the barrier; work pauses, the exclusion zone is reinforced, and the SWMS is annotated. After polarity, earth continuity and insulation resistance testing per AS/NZS 3000 Section 8, the fuse is re-inserted and both workers sign off the completed SWMS.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- AS/NZS 3000 — Electrical installations