SWMS and safety docs for electricians
Do electricians need a SWMS?
Yes, for a lot of your work. Working on or near energised electrical installations is high risk construction work in its own right, and so is ceiling and roof work with a fall of more than 2 metres, trenching deeper than 1.5 metres, and switchboard work in older buildings where asbestos may be disturbed.
High risk work that comes up for electricians
These are the high risk construction work categories electricians run into most. If a job includes any of them, a SWMS is needed before the work starts.
| High risk construction work | Where it comes up |
|---|---|
| Energised electrical installations Work that is carried out on or near energised electrical installations or services. | Any work on or near live installations or services. |
| Falls of more than 2 metres Work that involves a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres. | High ceilings, roof spaces, external lights and solar. |
| Disturbing asbestos Work that involves, or is likely to involve, the disturbance of asbestos. | Older switchboards and the walls and ceilings you cut into. |
| Trenches or shafts deeper than 1.5 metres, or tunnels Work that is carried out in or near a shaft or trench with an excavated depth greater than 1.5 metres, or a tunnel. | Underground supply and consumer mains trenches. |
| Next to roads or other traffic Work that is carried out on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor that is in use by traffic other than pedestrians. | Street lighting and pit work next to live roads. |
What we would put in your Trade Pack
The Trade Pack is 5 SWMS covering the jobs you do most: $299 Ready to Go, or $795 Fully Custom, including GST. For electricians, these five are a common starting point. Swap any of them for the work you do most.
- Testing and fault finding on energised equipment
- Working near energised installations and overhead lines
- Switchboard upgrades in older buildings
- Ladders, mobile scaffold and EWP work
- Trenching for underground cabling
Other docs electricians ask for
- SOPs for test and tag, isolation and lock-out
- An induction pack for apprentices
- A staff handbook once you take on a second sparky
Worth knowing
Under WHS laws, electrical work on energised equipment is not allowed except in a few set situations, such as testing, and a risk assessment has to come first. A SWMS does not change those rules. It records how the work you are allowed to do will be done safely.
Prices
| Doc | Ready to Go | Fully Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Single SWMS: One high risk task or job | $79 | $195 |
| Trade Pack: 5 SWMS covering the jobs you do most | $299 | $795 |
| WHS Starter Kit: Safety policy, risk register, incident forms, toolbox talk template | $299 | $895 |
| Single SOP: One process, step by step | $59 | $95 |
| SOP Manual: Up to 10 SOPs: quoting, onboarding, equipment checks and more | $449 | $995 |
| Induction Pack: Induction checklist, sign-off sheet and site rules | $59 | $195 |
| Staff Handbook: Policies, expectations and the way you do things | $359 | $495 |
| Safety Checklist Pack: Site inspection, vehicle and plant pre-start and end-of-day pack-up checklists | $49 | $195 |
| Onsite Safety Audit: We look at how the work is done, check it against your paperwork and give you a written list of what to fix | Not offered | $495 |
Prices include GST.
Other trades
Builders and carpenters, Plumbers and gasfitters, Painters, Landscapers, Roofers, Concreters, Cleaning businesses