Working on and near telecommunications towers SWMS, drafted for your job
Tower and rooftop antenna work combines exposed climbing with radiofrequency sources that may remain active on another network, plus lifting and rescue at awkward positions. Describe the job and site so your SWMS reflects the work, then review the draft 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
Working on and near telecommunications towers
Site Your site address
Law Your state
High-risk construction work
- Work where someone could fall from height
- Work on a telecommunication tower
- Work on or near energised electrical installations
Job steps, hazards and controls
| 1 | Coordinate access with network operators | Unknown transmitters and supply sources | High | Confirm RF zones, isolations and work boundaries |
| 2 | Check climbing and rescue systems | Unprotected transfers and failed rescue access | High | Inspect access systems; brief and equip the rescue team |
| 3 | Climb and establish the work position | Falls and dropped fittings | High | Maintain planned fall protection; close and secure the drop zone |
| 4 | Lift and service telecoms equipment | Swinging antenna and live power | High | Follow the lift plan; verify isolation before service work |
| 5 | Descend and restore the site | Loose gear and premature re-energisation | High | Account for people and tools before agreed restoration |
Illustrative first page. Yours carries your business name only.
What you get
What your working on and near telecommunications towers 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 a telecommunication tower
- 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 working on and near telecommunications towers 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
Falls climbing tower ladders and moving onto antenna mounts
High- Use the tower's protected access and a fall protection system suited to each transfer
- Inspect equipment and connections before climbing; do not bypass unprotected sections
- 2
Radiofrequency exposure beside active tower and rooftop antennas
High- Identify all transmitters affecting the work area and arrange isolation through their operators
- Verify the agreed safe work zone before access and use monitoring specified by the access plan
- 3
Dropped telecoms tools striking the ground crew
High- Close the drop zone around the tower base and rooftop access below
- Secure tools and loose fittings; lift equipment in restrained containers
- 4
Stranded climber suspended below a telecoms work position
High- Have a position-specific rescue plan, equipment and capable team ready before climbing
- Keep communication working and check the rescue route as the work position changes
- 5
Shock from tower power feeds and backup battery systems
High- Identify mains, DC and backup sources and arrange isolation before electrical work
- Have isolation verified and protect adjacent supplies that remain energised
- 6
Antenna load swinging into tower steel and climbers
High- Use a planned lift with attachment points assessed for the equipment and load
- Keep climbers out of the load path and guide from a protected position
- 7
Storms or gusts catching exposed tower workers
High- Check weather and set stop and descent arrangements before climbing
- Stop early enough to descend before conditions prevent controlled access or rescue
How the job usually runs
- 1Coordinate access with network operatorsUnknown transmitters and supply sources → Confirm RF zones, isolations and work boundaries
- 2Check climbing and rescue systemsUnprotected transfers and failed rescue access → Inspect access systems; brief and equip the rescue team
- 3Climb and establish the work positionFalls and dropped fittings → Maintain planned fall protection; close and secure the drop zone
- 4Lift and service telecoms equipmentSwinging antenna and live power → Follow the lift plan; verify isolation before service work
- 5Descend and restore the siteLoose gear and premature re-energisation → Account for people and tools before agreed restoration
PPE for this job
- Tower climbing harness
- Safety helmet with chin strap
- Safety boots
- Work gloves suited to climbing
- Safety glasses
- Electrical task protection selected for the 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
Working on and near telecommunications towers 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 antennas on rooftops as well as towers?
Yes. Describe the structure, access and nearby transmitters. The draft covers protected access, radiofrequency work zones, lifting and rescue; review the rooftop edges and any other operators' antennas before starting.
What if another network keeps transmitting during tower work?
Every transmitter affecting the work area needs to be considered. The draft covers coordination with operators, verified work zones and stopping if isolation or separation cannot be maintained; check those arrangements before climbing.
How much does a working on and near telecommunications towers 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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