Signage Installation at Height — Safe Work Method Statement
Safe Work Method Statement for installing, replacing and removing building fascia signs, pylon signs and illuminated signage at height using EWPs, scaffolds or crane lifts.
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Installing signage on shopfronts, building facades, awnings and pylon structures usually puts workers more than 2 metres above the ground, which makes it high-risk construction work (HRCW). Many jobs also trigger other HRCW categories: working from the footpath or road reserve next to live traffic, using an EWP or crane in an area with other mobile plant, and working near overhead power lines that often run close to pylon signs and facades. A SWMS is required before work starts.
Signage work has its own hazards beyond the fall. Signs are large, flat and light for their size, so they act like sails: wind can rip a panel out of hands or swing it on a crane hook well below the crane's wind limit. Fixings into masonry, concrete or old facade substrates may not hold the design load. Drilling generates respirable crystalline silica dust. Existing illuminated signs are connected to mains power, and removing or replacing them means working near energised conductors, which only a licensed electrician may isolate and reconnect.
Structural signs, such as pylons, large fascia boxes and signs projecting over the footpath, should have engineering design or certification for wind loading and fixings, and many require council approval. Check this with the client before the job, not on the day. Workers using a boom-type EWP with a boom of 11 metres or more need a high-risk work licence, and crane lifts need a licensed operator and usually a licensed dogman. Check your state or territory regulator for traffic control accreditation and electrical licensing requirements.
The SWMS must cover the access method, how the sign will be lifted and held while it is fixed, the exclusion zone on the footpath or road, the wind stop limit, isolation of power to existing signs, and dust control when drilling.
Customise this template with the site address and sign location, the sign dimensions and weight, the access and lifting method (EWP, scaffold or crane), the fixing type and engineering certificate, the traffic management plan or footpath closure, the electrical isolation arrangements and the licensed electrician's details, and the wind limit for this sign.
Personal Protective Equipment
High Risk Construction Work Types
- •Risk of a person falling more than 2 metres
- •Work on or near energised electrical installations or services
- •Work on, in or adjacent to a road, railway or other traffic corridor in use by traffic
- •Work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant
Risk Assessment
1.Pre-job planning and approvals
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sign or fixings failing because the substrate or structure is inadequate | Catastrophic | Obtain the sign drawings and engineering certification for structural, projecting and pylon signs before installation. Check the substrate (brick, block, concrete, cladding or steel) matches the fixing design, and inspect old facades for cracking or deterioration. If the substrate does not match the design, stop and get advice from the engineer. | Low | Project Manager / Installer |
| Overhead power lines near the sign location | Catastrophic | Identify overhead lines and service lines on the site visit. Keep the EWP, crane, sign and people outside the approach distance set by your state or territory electrical safety regulator. If that is not possible, arrange de-energising or shrouding with the network operator before the job. | Low | Project Manager / Supervisor |
2.Setting up traffic management and the exclusion zone
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedestrians or vehicles entering the work area | High | Implement the approved traffic management plan or footpath closure, using accredited traffic controllers where required by your state. Barricade the area under the work, extending at least 2 m beyond the sign footprint, with a safe pedestrian detour. Keep the EWP or crane outriggers inside the barricaded zone. | Low | Supervisor / Traffic Controller |
3.Isolating power to existing signs
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric shock from existing illuminated signage or wiring | Catastrophic | A licensed electrician isolates, locks out and tests the sign circuit as de-energised before anyone works on it. Treat all sign wiring as live until it is tested. Lighting transformers and LED drivers may hold charge, so follow the electrician's instructions. Only the licensed electrician may disconnect or reconnect. | Low | Licensed Electrician |
4.Accessing the work position
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall from the EWP, scaffold or ladder while working on the sign | Catastrophic | Use an EWP or scaffold, not a ladder, for sign installation. In a boom-type EWP, wear a harness clipped to the basket anchor point. Keep the EWP basket positioned so the work is within easy reach. Never climb out onto awnings, sign frames or parapets unless edge protection or a rated anchor and restraint system is in place. | Moderate | EWP Operator / Installer |
5.Lifting and positioning the sign
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind catching the sign panel and pulling workers off balance or swinging the load | High | Set a wind stop limit for the sign size in the SWMS and check the wind before each lift. Large panels need a lower limit than the crane's limit. Use tag lines on all crane lifts. Never carry large panels in an EWP basket unless the manufacturer allows it and the panel is within the basket's rated load and side load. | Moderate | Supervisor / Crane Operator |
| Load dropped onto people below | Catastrophic | Crane lifts are rigged and directed by a licensed dogman. Keep everyone out from under the load. Hold the sign on the crane until enough permanent fixings are installed to carry it, as set by the installation drawings. | Low | Dogman / Crane Operator |
6.Drilling and fixing
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inhaling silica dust from drilling masonry or concrete | High | Use drills with on-tool dust extraction (H-class vacuum) or wet methods. Wear a fit-tested P2 respirator. Do not dry sweep. Clean up with an H-class vacuum. | Low | Installer |
| Fixings not achieving their design hold | High | Install anchors to the manufacturer's edge distance, embedment and torque requirements. Allow chemical anchors their full cure time before loading. Do not release the crane or support until the fixings shown on the drawings are complete. | Low | Installer |
| Dropped tools and fixings | Moderate | Tether tools and keep fixings in a closed bag or container in the basket. Keep the exclusion zone in place below. | Low | Installer |
7.Electrical connection, testing and pack-up
| Hazard / Risk | Initial Risk | Control Measures | Residual Risk | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incorrect connection causing shock or fire | High | Only a licensed electrician connects and tests illuminated signs. Remove the electrician's lock only after testing is complete and everyone is clear. Remove the barricades only after the EWP or crane is stowed and all materials are cleared. | Low | Licensed Electrician / Supervisor |
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.