Decking Pergolas and Outdoor Timber SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers decking, pergola and outdoor timber work from planning and site preparation to installation, finishing and handover. It supports work planning and risk management for materials, structural elements, elevated work, tools and site conditions.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Review the design, existing conditions and work area
• Establish the site and exclusion zones
• Unload materials and position plant
• Prepare deck and veranda surfaces
• Set out and excavate footings
• Install footings and support posts
• Repair structural veranda elements
• Install bearers, joists and decking boards
• Provide elevated work access and edge protection
• Construct pergola roof framing
• Treat timber and apply finishes
• Install stairs and handrails, then clean up and hand over

Who is this for?

Suitable for contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out decking, pergola and outdoor timber work.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template includes references relevant to the documented work, including:

• Applicable Commonwealth, state or territory WHS/OHS legislation and regulations, including duties to manage construction, plant, falls, hazardous chemicals, electrical and manual-handling risks.
• Model Code of Practice: Construction Work, November 2024, as guidance only and subject to adoption in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls in Housing Construction, as guidance only and subject to adoption in the relevant jurisdiction; relevant to ancillary buildings including gazebos and to scaffold platform controls.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces, as guidance only and subject to adoption in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace, as guidance only and subject to adoption in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work, as guidance only and subject to adoption in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Safe Handling of Timber Preservatives and Recently Treated Timber Code of Practice, as guidance only and subject to adoption in the relevant jurisdiction; consult SDS, prevent skin and dust exposure, and maintain treated-timber product information.
• AS 1684 series Residential timber-framed construction; AS 1720.1 Timber structures; AS/NZS 1604 series Preservative-treated wood-based products; AS 3959 Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas where applicable.
• AS/NZS 4576 Guidelines for scaffolding; AS/NZS 1576 series Scaffolding; AS/NZS 1891 series Industrial fall-arrest systems; AS/NZS 5532 Manufacturing requirements for single-point anchor device used for harness-based work at heights.
• AS/NZS 3012 Electrical installations—Construction and demolition sites; AS/NZS 3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment; AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716 respiratory protection guidance and equipment.
• National Construction Code and relevant local building approval requirements. Technical standards and model Codes are guidance unless adopted or otherwise made applicable in the relevant jurisdiction.

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Standard SWMS Features (Click to Expand)

• Task-specific job steps, hazards and control measures
• Initial and residual risk ratings
• Assigned responsible persons for each job step
• Plant, equipment and PPE requirements where applicable
• Permits, qualifications and high-risk construction work details where applicable
• Worker consultation, sign-off and review sections