Roof edge protection SWMS, drafted for your job
Roof edge rails only protect the crew once they are fixed to sound support. Installing, altering and removing them can expose the installer to the very edge the system is meant to guard. Describe the job and site so the draft reflects your work, then check the SWMS with the crew before starting.
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
Roof edge protection
Site Your site address
Law Your state
High-risk construction work
- Work where someone could fall from height
Job steps, hazards and controls
| 1 | Check roof and system design | Weak supports and unsuitable attachments | High | Verify substrate, roof pitch and the planned barrier layout |
| 2 | Set access and ground exclusion | Exposed installer and falling parts | High | Use guarded access and close the area below |
| 3 | Fit posts, rails and access gates | Incomplete barriers and loose brackets | High | Follow system design and check attachments as work progresses |
| 4 | Inspect and hand over barriers | Gaps and displaced counterweights | High | Check complete runs and explain alteration controls |
| 5 | Alter or dismantle protection | Exposed edges during removal | High | Provide replacement fall controls before removing any barrier section |
Illustrative first page. Yours carries your business name only.
What you get
What your roof edge protection 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
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 roof edge protection 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
Installer falling while fitting the first roof edge post
High- Install from the ground or a guarded access platform where practicable
- Plan separate fall protection and rescue for any remaining exposed installation work
- 2
Edge protection brackets pulling free of weak roof structure
High- Verify the supporting structure against the system design before fixing
- Use specified attachments and stop if the substrate differs from the design
- 3
Roof workers falling through gaps at corners and access gates
High- Use system components designed for corners, roof pitch and access points
- Check the complete barrier run and gate closures before handover
- 4
Freestanding roof edge posts moving after weights are disturbed
High- Use the designed counterweight layout on a suitable roof surface
- Keep weights secured and inspect after nearby materials or equipment are moved
- 5
Rail sections falling onto people below the eaves
High- Close the area beneath installation and removal work
- Secure components during handling and lower them with suitable equipment
- 6
Unprotected roof edge after another trade removes a rail
High- Control alterations through the person responsible for the barrier system
- Provide replacement protection before opening a section and inspect it before reuse
- 7
Falls through fragile roof sheets while carrying barrier rails
High- Plan access from guarded platforms without stepping on fragile roof sheets
- Identify roof openings and fragile areas; provide suitable covers or protected walkways
How the job usually runs
- 1Check roof and system designWeak supports and unsuitable attachments → Verify substrate, roof pitch and the planned barrier layout
- 2Set access and ground exclusionExposed installer and falling parts → Use guarded access and close the area below
- 3Fit posts, rails and access gatesIncomplete barriers and loose brackets → Follow system design and check attachments as work progresses
- 4Inspect and hand over barriersGaps and displaced counterweights → Check complete runs and explain alteration controls
- 5Alter or dismantle protectionExposed edges during removal → Provide replacement fall controls before removing any barrier section
PPE for this job
- Safety boots with suitable grip
- Safety helmet with chin strap
- Handling gloves
- Safety glasses
- Harness for the planned personal fall system
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
Roof edge protection 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 this cover removing rails for material deliveries?
Yes. Describe how the opening will be used. The draft covers controlling the alteration, protecting workers while the section is open and checking the restored barrier before roof work continues.
Is roof mesh enough while the edge rails are installed?
No. Mesh addresses falls through roof material and does not guard an open roof edge. The draft covers a protected installation method and separate controls for edges, openings and fragile roofing.
How much does a roof edge protection 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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