Roof Work SWMS Templates

Roof work is classified as high risk construction work (HRCW) under WHS Regulation 2025 whenever there is a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres. This captures almost all pitched residential and commercial roof work. A SWMS must be prepared before work starts and reviewed if controls change. Even on low-set roofs under 2 metres, the model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls still requires risk assessment and control of fall hazards, fragile surfaces, and roof-edge work.

Yes — solar PV installation on roofs involves both working at heights HRCW and electrical HRCW once DC strings are connected. A combined SWMS should address fall protection per AS/NZS 1891, electrical isolation, panel handling, manual task risks, and roof penetration sealing. Many PCBUs maintain a dedicated rooftop solar SWMS separate from generic roof work documents because the electrical exposure and racking-specific hazards differ materially from standard roof plumbing or recladding tasks.

The hierarchy of controls in the model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls requires elimination first, then passive controls like guardrails or scaffold to AS/NZS 4994.1, then work positioning systems, then fall-arrest systems to AS/NZS 1891. Roof safety mesh to AS/NZS 4389 may be used during installation. Travel restraint is preferred over fall arrest. Administrative controls and PPE alone are not acceptable as the sole control for roof-edge work.

No. A SWMS is a legally required document under WHS Regulation 2025 for high risk construction work, including roof work above 2 metres, and must identify hazards, controls, and how controls will be implemented, monitored, and reviewed. A JSA (Job Safety Analysis) is a general risk assessment tool with no specific legal status under the WHS Regulations. SWMS must be kept on site and accessible to the regulator; JSAs are an internal planning aid only.

The model WHS Regulations are harmonised across most Australian jurisdictions, so a well-drafted roof work SWMS aligned with WHS Regulation 2025 and the model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls is broadly applicable. However, Victoria operates under the OHS Act 2004 and Regulations 2017, and Western Australia has its own WHS Act 2020 with specific provisions. Site-specific customisation — addressing the actual roof type, pitch, height, and access — is required regardless of jurisdiction.