1. Identification and control
- Document number and title identify the job and the trade.
- Revision and date are present, and this is the current revision.
- The business that will do the work is named, not just the head contractor.
- There is one controlled copy and you can tell where it lives.
2. Scope
- The work described is the work being done this week, on this part of the job.
- The scope boundary is clear — what this SWMS covers and what it does not.
- Any work excluded from the scope is covered by something else.
3. Steps and sequence
- Steps are in the order the work will be done.
- Set-up and pack-down appear, not only the productive work.
- Each step is small enough that a single control set makes sense for it.
4. High-risk construction work
- Every high-risk element present in the work appears as its own step.
- Each has hazards and controls specific to it.
- Nothing high-risk is folded into a general line.
5. Controls
- Higher-order controls have been considered before administrative ones and PPE.
- Each control is specific enough to verify from the deck.
- Each control can physically be implemented on this site.
- Nothing relies solely on a worker remembering.
6. Site specificity
- Access, egress and material handling for this location.
- Plant named, and where it operates.
- Adjacent and overhead work identified.
- Emergency arrangements for this location.
7. Consultation and competency
- Evidence the workers doing the job were involved in preparing or reviewing it.
- Licences and competencies required by the work are identified.
- There is a record of the SWMS being communicated, not just signed.
8. Verification
- It is clear who verifies the controls are in place, and how often.
- There is a trigger for review — a change in method, plant, crew, sequence or conditions.
- The SWMS reconciles with the permit, the ITP and any other document covering the same work.
Common questions
How often should a SWMS be reviewed?
Whenever the work, the method, the plant, the crew or the site conditions change, and as a matter of routine before the work is mobilised rather than at pre-qualification only.
What should be recorded after a SWMS review?
What was reviewed, which revision, by whom, when, what was found and what was required before acceptance. Without the revision, the record cannot be tied to a document.
Where we work. Standard service area: Gold Coast, Logan, Brisbane, Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast. Outside this area, contact Obras for availability and a tailored quote — additional travel and site attendance costs may apply.
General information only. This guide describes common construction practice. It is not legal advice and it is not a substitute for the WHS legislation applying in your jurisdiction, which differs between states and territories. Obras does not certify or guarantee compliance — nobody honestly can. Your officers keep every duty under the WHS Act.