Product Overview

This Elevator Installation SWMS is a site-ready Safe Work Method Statement designed to identify hazards, implement controls, and support safe elevator installation activities from initial setup through to commissioning. It is a comprehensive, all-in-one document that covers multiple aspects of elevator installation safety and supports ongoing WHS compliance on Australian worksites.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Anchoring of elevator frames to structural elements to maintain stability and prevent collapse or movement
• Assembly of elevator shafts, including handling of prefabricated sections and alignment with building structure
• Commissioning of new elevator installations, including testing, fault-finding, and verification of safety systems
• Installation of elevator cars, including lifting, positioning, securing, and connection of services
• Installation and alignment of elevator guide rails to ensure smooth, safe, and compliant car travel
• Installation and adjustment of rope grippers and safety gear to prevent uncontrolled movement or free fall
• Installation of screw rod lifts, including guarding of rotating components and control of pinch/crush points
• Marrying-up elevator sections within the shaft, including accurate alignment and secure bolting or welding
• Scaffoldless lift installation methods, including use of temporary platforms, fall arrest systems, and engineered supports
• Upgrading and modernising old elevators, including isolation of existing services and management of legacy equipment risks
• Manual handling and mechanical lifting of heavy elevator components to minimise musculoskeletal injuries
• Electrical isolation, lockout/tagout, and testing procedures during installation and commissioning activities
• Work at heights within shafts and on landings, including fall prevention, edge protection, and rescue considerations
• Housekeeping, exclusion zones, and dropped-object controls within and around elevator shafts
• Emergency response planning for entrapment, falls, electrical incidents, and structural failures during installation

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for elevator installers, lift technicians, electrical contractors, builders, principal contractors, and site supervisors involved in the installation, upgrade, or commissioning of elevators on Australian construction sites.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Model Code of Practice: Construction Work – Guidance on managing risks associated with construction activities, including plant and structural work.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces – Requirements and controls for work at heights in and around elevator shafts.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace – Risk management for elevator machinery, lifting equipment, and associated plant.
• Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks – Framework for identifying hazards, assessing risks, and implementing controls.
• AS 1735 Lifts, Escalators and Moving Walks (series) – Technical requirements for the design, installation, and safe operation of lifts.
• AS/NZS 3000 Electrical Installations (Wiring Rules) – Electrical safety requirements for elevator power, controls, and associated circuits.
• AS/NZS 1891 Industrial Fall-Arrest Systems and Devices (series) – Standards for harnesses, lanyards, and fall-arrest systems used during shaft work.
• AS 2550 Cranes, Hoists and Winches – Safe Use (where temporary lifting devices are used) – Guidance on safe use of lifting equipment for elevator components.
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017