SWMS template · Electrical Work
Electrical Rough-In and Fit-Off — Safe Work Method Statement
Safe Work Method Statement for residential electrical rough-in and fit-off on new homes, extensions and renovations, covering roof space and wall cavity cabling, switchboard work, fitting off accessories, testing and connection to supply.
- Category
- Electrical Work
- HRCW
- 2 categories
- Job steps
- 6
- Hazards rated
- 15
- PPE items
- 9
Rough-in and fit-off is the bread-and-butter work of a domestic electrician, and it is High Risk Construction Work for two reasons. On renovations and extensions you are working on or near an existing installation that is energised, often with old cabling that nobody has mapped. And on most homes you will at some point work where a person could fall more than 2 metres: through a ceiling from the roof space, off a ladder in a double-height void or stairwell, or from the upper floor slab edge of a two-storey frame. A SWMS is required before the work starts, and builders on new home sites will ask for one anyway.
The hazards change between the two stages. At rough-in the frame is open, so the risks are drilling and cabling through studs and noggings, walking on joists in the roof space, heat stress under a metal or tiled roof in summer, sharp roofing screws and nail plates, and working around other trades on an unfinished site. At fit-off the plasterboard is up, the switchboard is being terminated and circuits are about to go live, so the risk shifts to energised work, correct terminations and making sure nobody else on site can be hurt when you liven up. On renovations the existing installation adds old rubber or TPS cabling that crumbles when moved, unknown alterations, asbestos-containing meter panels in older homes, and solar PV cabling that stays live in daylight even with the main switch off.
All of this work must be done by a licensed electrician, or an apprentice under the level of supervision your state requires. Work must comply with AS/NZS 3000 (Wiring Rules), including RCD protection, cable selection and derating where cables are covered by thermal insulation, and clearances around recessed downlights. Before connection, the installation must be verified by inspection and testing (AS/NZS 3017 describes the methods), and you must issue the compliance certificate your state requires. Service and installation rules, notice-of-work requirements and who connects to the network differ between distributors and states, so check with your local network operator and your state or territory regulator.
The SWMS must cover how you isolate and prove dead on existing circuits, how roof space work is controlled (isolating at the main switch, solar shutdown, crawl boards, heat), how falls are prevented, how asbestos is identified before you drill or cut a meter board, and how the switchboard is controlled while it is being terminated.
Customise this template with: the site address and builder; new build or renovation; the age of the existing installation and any known asbestos; whether solar PV or a battery is present; the switchboard location and isolation points; roof type and access to the roof space; the test instrument and calibration date; the supervising licence holder for any apprentices; and the network operator for the connection.
Important: This SWMS template is a starting point only. Review and customise it for your workplace and task. The PCBU remains responsible for ensuring the SWMS is suitable for the work. Not legal advice.
High Risk Construction Work Types
- Work on or near energised electrical installations or services
- Risk of a person falling more than 2 metres
Personal Protective Equipment
- Safety boots with electrical hazard rated soles
- Safety glasses for drilling and overhead work
- Insulating gloves rated for low voltage, with leather outers, for testing and switchboard work
- Long-sleeved cotton or arc-rated clothing for switchboard work
- Hard hat on construction sites where required by the builder
- Knee pads for roof space and floor work
- P2 disposable respirator for roof space dust, insulation fibres and drilling
- Hearing protection for drilling through masonry and steel
- Cut-resistant gloves for handling roofing, nail plates and metal studs
Risk Assessment
RatingsCatastrophicHighModerateLow
Step 1Site arrival, induction and checking the existing installation
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown live circuits or alterations in an existing home | High | Before starting, inspect the switchboard, identify every circuit and look for signs of unlicensed work, old rubber or VIR cabling and missing RCDs. Ask the owner about past alterations, solar PV, batteries and generators. Mark the circuits affected by the job. Treat all existing cabling as live until proven dead. | Moderate | Licensed Electrician |
| Disturbing asbestos in an older meter panel or building materials | High | For homes built before 1990, assume the meter panel and some wall and eave linings may contain asbestos unless an asbestos register or test result says otherwise. Do not drill, cut or break an asbestos meter board. Use the network's or a licensed removalist's process to replace it, and plan cable entry around suspect linings. Stop work if suspect material is found during the job. | Low | Licensed Electrician / Builder |
| Struck by plant or tripping on an unfinished building site | Moderate | Complete the builder's site induction. Park clear of excavator and delivery access. Keep cable drums and offcuts out of walkways. Wear high-visibility clothing where plant is operating. | Low | Licensed Electrician / Apprentice |
Step 2Isolation before work on existing circuits and in the roof space
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric shock from existing cabling in walls or the roof space | Catastrophic | Before entering the roof space of an existing home, switch off the main switch and lock and tag it. Prove dead with a tested voltage indicator (test the tester, test the circuit, test the tester again). Where power must stay on for part of the house, isolate and lock out every circuit that runs through the work area and treat any cable you cannot trace as live. | Low | Licensed Electrician |
| Solar PV or battery cabling still energised after the main switch is off | Catastrophic | Follow the system's shutdown procedure on the inverter and battery, isolate the DC and AC isolators, and lock and tag them. Remember PV array cabling stays live in daylight up to the array isolator. Do not cut, move or open any DC cabling or isolators unless you are competent and authorised for that system. | Low | Licensed Electrician |
| Someone else re-energises the circuit while you are working | Catastrophic | Every worker fits their own lock to the isolation point. Fit a danger tag with name, date and phone number. Tell the owner and other trades that the power is off and why. Only the person who fitted the lock removes it. | Low | Licensed Electrician |
Step 3Rough-in: drilling, cabling and roof space work
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falling through the ceiling or off joists in the roof space | High | Walk only on ceiling joists or bottom chords, never on plasterboard. Use crawl boards or a temporary walkway where you need to move along the roof space. Work with adequate lighting. On open frames, use edge protection or scaffold the builder provides for upper floor and void edges and do not remove it. | Moderate | Licensed Electrician / Apprentice |
| Heat stress in the roof space | High | Schedule roof space work for early morning in hot weather. Limit time in the roof space and take breaks in shade with water. Work in pairs or keep in regular contact with someone outside. Stop if you feel dizzy, nauseous or stop sweating. | Moderate | Licensed Electrician / Supervisor |
| Drilling into hidden pipes, cables or structural members | High | Use a cable and pipe detector before drilling existing walls and floors. Keep holes within the limits for the stud or joist size and away from bracing and lintels. Fit nail plates or keep cables the required distance from the face of studs where plaster screws or nails may hit them. Do not notch engineered beams or trusses. | Low | Licensed Electrician / Apprentice |
| Strain and cuts from pulling cables and drilling overhead | Moderate | Use cable reels or a drum stand rather than pulling from coils. Use a right-angle drill with a clutch and side handle, braced correctly. Work from a platform ladder rather than overreaching. Wear cut-resistant gloves near metal studs and roof sheeting. | Low | Licensed Electrician / Apprentice |
Step 4Ladder and platform work in voids and stairwells
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falling from a ladder in a double-height void or stairwell | High | Use a platform ladder or mobile scaffold for work above about 2 metres, set on level ground or a stair-specific platform, never on a step ladder balanced on stair treads. Maintain three points of contact. Where a fall of more than 2 metres exists, use the builder's scaffold or an EWP operated by a trained operator. | Moderate | Licensed Electrician |
Step 5Fit-off: switchboard termination and accessories
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with live parts in the switchboard during termination | Catastrophic | Terminate the switchboard with the incoming supply isolated. Where consumer mains are already live, cover the live side with insulating barriers and work only on the de-energised side. Keep the board covered or locked when unattended so other trades cannot touch exposed terminals. | Low | Licensed Electrician |
| Overheating or fire from loose terminations or cables in insulation | High | Torque terminations to the manufacturer's values. Derate cables that are surrounded by thermal insulation as AS/NZS 3000 requires. Fit downlights rated for contact with insulation, or keep the required clearance, and fit covers or guards where specified. | Low | Licensed Electrician |
Step 6Testing, livening and handover
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shock to the electrician or other trades when circuits are first energised | Catastrophic | Complete visual inspection and the dead tests before energising: earth continuity, insulation resistance, polarity and correct circuit connections. Warn everyone on site before livening. Then complete live tests including earth fault loop impedance and RCD operation using a calibrated instrument. Do not leave a circuit energised with any open terminations. | Low | Licensed Electrician |
| Installation connected or handed over without the required paperwork | Moderate | Lodge the notice of work and connection request the network operator requires. Issue the electrical safety or compliance certificate your state requires and give a copy to the owner or builder. Label the switchboard circuits and RCDs. | Low | Licensed Electrician |
Relevant Codes of Practice
Worker Acknowledgement
By signing below, I confirm that I have read, understood and agree to comply with this Safe Work Method Statement.
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