Tower crane SWMS, drafted for your job
A tower crane lifts over the whole site and sometimes the street beyond it; a load or jib in the wrong place puts people at risk who never see it coming. Describe your work area and method when you start. Your SWMS is drafted for those details, then checked against the site before work begins.
A$39per job
However many high-risk activities it covers.
- However many high-risk activities it covers.
- 3 for A$99
- 10 for A$249
- Yearly A$129 for 120
- Monthly A$60 for 10
You review it on site before work starts.
Your Business
Safe Work Method Statement
Version 1
Draft
Tower crane
Site Your site address
Law Your state
High-risk construction work
- Work where someone could fall from height
- Work on or near energised electrical installations
Job steps, hazards and controls
| 1 | Check crane and lifting gear | Faulty brakes and worn rigging | High | Inspect before the first lift of the day |
| 2 | Plan and brief the lift | Load over people or past limits | High | Agree path, weight and signals first |
| 3 | Rig and test the load | Poor rigging and shifting load | High | Dogger checks; lift short and settle |
| 4 | Slew and place the load | Load entering exclusion zones | High | Respect slew zones; keep the path clear |
| 5 | Land and release | Crush points at landing | High | Land on supports; hands clear to unhook |
Illustrative first page. Yours carries your business name only.
What you get
What your tower crane SWMS will contain
An A4 document your crew can read on site, a PDF for the builder and a sign-on register.
- Job and site detailsYour business, the site, the principal contractor, the dates.
- High-risk construction workThe categories your job involves, ticked.
- Step-by-step methodEach step with its hazards, risk rating and controls.
- How controls are checkedWho puts each control in place, monitors and reviews it.
- PPE, plant and permitsEquipment and training the job needs.
- Emergency planAssembly point, first aid, nearest hospital to confirm on site.
- Consultation and reviewWho was consulted, when it is reviewed.
- Sign-on registerYour crew signs by QR or on paper.
High-risk construction work
Categories this task often involves
You tick the ones your job involves. Each ticked category gets its own steps and controls, in your state's wording.
- Work where someone could fall from height
- Work on or near energised electrical installations
State notes
Rules depend on your state
Pick your state when you start. Your state's regulator publishes the rules and guidance for this work.
Hazards and controls
What goes wrong on a tower crane job, and how the SWMS controls it
These rows are written for this task. Your draft adds the ones your site and method need.
- 1
Load slewing over workers or the public
High- Set slew zones so loads cannot pass over occupied or public areas
- Keep the area under every lift clear and stop if someone enters it
- 2
Jib or load contacting overhead powerlines
High- Plan crane position and slew limits clear of the line exclusion
- Arrange supply isolation where the lift envelope cannot stay clear
- 3
Dropped load from failed rigging or lifting gear
High- Check load weight and radius against the crane capacity; select and inspect suitable rigging
- Make a controlled test lift to check balance before moving the load
- 4
Collision with another tower crane sharing airspace
High- Keep cranes at agreed heights and sectors and use the anti-collision system
- Coordinate lift sequences between operators before crossing envelopes
- 5
Wind catching a large load or the jib
High- Follow the crane maker's operating restrictions and the lift plan; stop earlier if load control deteriorates
- Follow the crane-specific out-of-service procedure and inspect after severe weather
- 6
Falls during mast climbing, erection and dismantling
High- Follow the crane-specific erection and climbing plan with foundation, ties and temporary stability checked
- Use protected access and fall protection with a rescue plan for mast work
- Close the erection zone and keep people clear of suspended crane components
- 7
Rigger struck by a swinging load at landing
High- Guide the load with tag lines from outside its swing path
- Keep hands clear until the load is landed and stable
How the job usually runs
- 1Check crane and lifting gearFaulty brakes and worn rigging → Inspect before the first lift of the day
- 2Plan and brief the liftLoad over people or past limits → Agree path, weight and signals first
- 3Rig and test the loadPoor rigging and shifting load → Dogger checks; lift short and settle
- 4Slew and place the loadLoad entering exclusion zones → Respect slew zones; keep the path clear
- 5Land and releaseCrush points at landing → Land on supports; hands clear to unhook
- 6Stand down for weatherUncontrolled slew in wind → Follow the weathervane shutdown procedure
PPE for this job
- Safety helmet
- Safety boots
- High-visibility clothing
- Rigging gloves
- Harness for mast work
Your draft lists the PPE your site and method need.
After you finalise
Brief your crew and send it to your builder
Crew signs by QR
Send to my builder
PDF and register
Builder sent it back?
Make their changes and re-issue the same job free. Workers re-sign the new version.
Questions
Tower crane SWMS questions
- Last reviewed
- 21 October 2026
- How
- Hazard rows checked against the task; no legal line is stated unless it is logged from primary text.
- Next review
- Every six months, or when the method or rules change
Does it cover lifts over a public street?
The draft keeps loads off public areas by zoning the slew and planning the lift path. If a lift cannot avoid the street, describe it so protection and an alternative method can be arranged.
Does it cover two tower cranes on one site?
Yes. Describe both cranes and their overlap. The draft covers agreed heights and sectors, the anti-collision system and coordinating lifts where the envelopes cross.
When do we stop lifting for wind?
The crane maker's restrictions and lift plan set the stopping point, with an earlier stop if load control deteriorates. The draft covers weather checks, crane-specific shutdown and inspection after severe weather.
How much does a tower crane SWMS cost?
One job uses 1 SWMS when you finalise: A$39 for one, however many high-risk activities it covers. AI drafting needs a SWMS pack or plan. Packs and Yearly cost less per SWMS.
Is this a template?
No. You describe the job and the site, and the SWMS is drafted for them. You edit anything, then finalise it.
Who checks the SWMS?
You do, with your crew, on site before work starts. The draft gives you a strong starting point; the person running the work makes sure it matches the site.
My builder sent it back. What now?
Open it, make the changes they asked for and re-issue it. Corrections to the same job are free.
How does my crew sign it?
Show the QR code on your phone or print the A4 sign-on sheet. Workers read and sign on their own phones without an account.
Does it work in my state?
Yes. You choose the state before drafting, and the document names the law that applies there. Victoria uses its OHS Regulations.
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