Do I need a scaffolding SWMS template?

Yes when the work involves a risk of a fall greater than 2 m or falling objects onto workers or the public — which erecting and dismantling almost always does. High-risk licences still need a SWMS for the job, not just a ticket in the wallet.

Is there a free scaffolding SWMS download?

Generate one in the trial and download the PDF. No card. Don’t photocopy this Paddington example onto a tower scaffold in a warehouse.

Can the painter’s JSA cover the scaffold?

No. The crew who erect and dismantle need a SWMS for that work. The painter working from a completed, tagged scaffold on the ground-floor lift might be on a JSA — only if their fall is not greater than 2 m. First-floor pointing is still heights HRCW.

Is this valid in NSW, VIC, QLD and WA?

State-aware citations: WHS Act/Regulation in NSW, QLD, WA; OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017 in Victoria. Scaffold high-risk work licences and the relevant code of practice still apply in each state.

Scaffolding SWMS Template Australia | Erect, Alter, Dismantle

Three-storey brick terrace, narrow footpath, residents still using the front door. Facade pointing next week — this SWMS is the erect, a mid-job hop-up alter, and the dismantle. Not the pointing itself.

Job / task: Erect, alter and dismantle independent scaffold for facade pointing
Site: Three-storey terrace, Paddington NSW 2021
Document: SWMS · HRCW: fall > 2 m / falling objects · example only
PPE: Hard hat, hi-vis, steel-caps, gloves, glasses, harness when required by the system of work

Example layout. Public protection on a Paddington footpath is part of the job, not an extra. Licensed scaffolders still need this SWMS. Heights work from the finished scaffold: working at heights SWMS.

Step	Hazards	Controls	5×5 risk
1. Check ground bearing, underground services and overhead power before base-out Responsible: Supervisor	Cellar lights and weak footpath slabs Unknown services under the pavement Low overhead service to the terrace	Sole boards; don’t base out on cellar covers; confirm with the builder DBYD / before-you-dig and visual check of pits before standards go down Spotter for the service; plan the first lift so standards stay clear	InitialL3×C4 = 12 High ResidualL2×C3 = 6 Medium
2. Base out, build the first lift, fit ties and falling-object protection Responsible: Scaffolder	Fall from the first lift while fitting ledgers Frames and boards dropped onto the footpath Residents walking through the bay	Build to design; ties as specified before the next lift Mesh, toe boards, and a hoarding / exclusion on the footpath; spotter at the door Do not throw boards; use a gin wheel or pass hand-to-hand	InitialL4×C5 = 20 Critical ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
3. Build upper lifts, hop-ups for the pointers, tag the scaffold Responsible: Leading hand	Fall from incomplete upper lifts Overloading hop-ups with pointing gear later Unauthorised use before the tag is on	Guardrails on every lift before it is a working platform Note load class on the tag; brief the pointing contractor Handover certificate and scafftag before anyone else climbs	InitialL3×C5 = 15 High ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High
4. Alter for a window bay, then dismantle in reverse at the end of the job Responsible: Scaffolder	Fall during alter when a rail is temporarily off Falling components during dismantle Traffic on the lane when the truck is loaded	Exclusion while a rail is off; don’t leave an open edge overnight Dismantle top-down; lower gear, don’t bomb it into the truck Spotter on the lane; stack on the truck from the footpath side	InitialL3×C5 = 15 High ResidualL2×C5 = 10 High

Scaffolding SWMS template Australia

When a scaffolding SWMS is the right document

Filled example: independent scaffold, Paddington NSW

Frequently asked questions

Generate a scaffolding SWMS for this structure