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Roof Installation and Tiling SWMS

Roof Installation and Tiling SWMS

  • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
  • Pre-filled Content – Ready to Deploy Immediately
  • Customisable – Easily Add Your Logo & Site Details
  • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

Roof Installation and Tiling SWMS

Product Overview

This Roof Installation and Tiling Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is designed to identify, control, and minimise risks associated with roofing works, ensuring safe installation, maintenance, and reroofing activities on Australian worksites. It is a comprehensive, ready-to-use document that covers multiple aspects of roof construction, tiling, and sheet installation to support WHS compliance and effective management of High Risk Construction Work.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

  • Application of roll roofing systems, including surface preparation, handling, and secure fixing methods
  • Cutting and shaping of roofing iron for awnings, with controls for sharp edges, noise, and flying debris
  • Safe driving and installation of roofing screws to prevent over-tensioning, stripping, and fall hazards
  • Heat welding of roofing materials, including hot air and torch welding, with fire prevention measures
  • Hot mop tar roof installation, including handling of hot bitumen and controls for burns and fumes
  • Laying new roofing materials (tiles, metal sheets, shingles) with attention to manual handling and fall prevention
  • Melting tar for torch-down applications, including safe use of burners, cylinders, and hot works permits
  • Moving sidings and roofing materials across the roof while maintaining edge protection and safe access routes
  • Nailing ridge cap shingles and other capping components, including secure footing and tool control
  • Operation of roofing cutters and power tools, including guarding, kickback control, and electrical safety
  • Performing roof sprays (sealants, coatings, treatments) with controls for overspray, slips, and chemical exposure
  • Placing and fixing battens, including working around trusses, temporary platforms, and fall-through risks
  • Positioning and securing drip edges and flashings to manage water run-off without compromising roof safety
  • Refastening loose shingles and roof components during maintenance and repair works
  • General reroofing activities, including removal of old roofing, waste management, and staged installation

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for roof tilers, metal roofers, waterproofing contractors, builders, and site supervisors responsible for managing roof installation, reroofing, and roof maintenance activities.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Job Step / Activity Potential Hazards
Site assessment and planning
  • • Unstable ground conditions
  • • Overhead electrical services
  • • Undocumented asbestos materials
  • • Unauthorised public access
  • • Vehicle and plant interaction
  • • Adverse weather conditions
Roof access and edge protection
  • • Falls from height
  • • Ladder instability
  • • Inadequate roof edge protection
  • • Falling objects to persons below
  • • Fragile roofing surfaces
Material delivery and manual handling
  • • Crushing by shifting loads
  • • Musculoskeletal strain
  • • Uncontrolled crane or hoist load
  • • Falling materials from height
  • • Hand cuts from sharp edges
Roof structure and battens placement
  • • Falls through open framing
  • • Collapse of incomplete structure
  • • Impact from power tools
  • • Incorrect batten spacing
  • • Noise exposure
Cutting and shaping roofing materials
  • • Contact with rotating blades
  • • Flying metal swarf
  • • Inhalation of dust and fumes
  • • Fire from hot works
  • • Noise and vibration exposure
Laying new roofing and sheeting
  • • Slips on loose materials
  • • Falls from roof edges
  • • Sheeting uplift in wind
  • • Incorrect sheet placement
  • • Working at height while tiling
Fixing sheets, tiles and ridge caps
  • • Hand and finger injury
  • • Penetration from fasteners
  • • Repetitive strain injury
  • • Falling ridge cap materials
  • • Exposure to UV radiation
Torch‑down and hot tar applications
  • • Fire and explosion
  • • Burns from hot bitumen
  • • Toxic fume inhalation
  • • Cylinder rupture or leak
  • • Slips on molten material
Applying roll, foam and rubber roofing
  • • Chemical exposure from adhesives
  • • Vapour ignition
  • • Skin and eye irritation
  • • Manual handling of rolls
  • • Trip hazards from loose membranes
Spraying, sealing and roof treatments
  • • Inhalation of overspray
  • • Skin contact with coatings
  • • Slip on wet coatings
  • • Overspray drift to public
  • • Noise from compressors
Reroofing and removal of existing materials
  • • Unstable existing roof
  • • Hidden services under roof
  • • Falling debris from removal
  • • Asbestos‑containing materials
  • • Exposure to mould or bird droppings
Trimming, detailing and finishing
  • • Lacerations from sharp edges
  • • Trips on offcuts and tools
  • • Eye injury from flying fragments
  • • Exposure to hand‑arm vibration
Housekeeping and demobilisation
  • • Residual sharp debris
  • • Unsecured access equipment
  • • Uncontrolled public access
  • • Environmental contamination

Need to add specific site requirements?

Don't worry if a specific job step isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom job steps at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the hazards and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Code of Practice: Construction Work – Guidance on managing risks associated with construction, including roofing activities
  • Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls in Housing Construction – Specific controls for working at heights on residential roofs
  • Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces – Requirements for edge protection, fall arrest systems, and safe access
  • Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks – Controls for lifting, carrying, and handling roofing materials
  • Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work – Guidance for noisy roofing tools and cutting equipment
  • Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace – Applicable to adhesives, sealants, coatings, and hot bitumen
  • AS/NZS 1891 Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices (series) – Selection, use, and maintenance of fall-arrest equipment
  • AS/NZS 1576 Scaffolding (series) – Requirements for scaffolds used to access and work on roofs
  • AS/NZS 4994 Temporary edge protection (series) – Edge protection systems for working on roofs and elevated surfaces
  • AS 4389 Roof safety systems – Roof anchor devices – Requirements for permanent and temporary roof anchor points
  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017

Standard SWMS Features (Click to Expand)
  • Operational guidelines, with a step-by-step approach to safe work
  • Possible hazards that may be encountered
  • Step-by-step safety procedures to follow
  • Before work starts – Guidelines and Checks
  • Safety measures and guides
  • Operational Safety Checks
  • Before and After Risk Ratings
  • Risk Assessment Matrix
  • High Risk Work Involved
  • Emergency Evacuation Procedure
  • Plant and Equipment
  • Qualifications and Permits
  • Specific Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Company Personnel Sign-off form

$96.8

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