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SWMS requirements in Northern Territory

In Northern Territory, a SWMS must be prepared before any high-risk construction work starts. Northern Territory follows the model WHS laws, and its SWMS duties are in the Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Regulations 2011 (NT): Regulations 299 to 303 (prepare, follow, give the principal contractor a copy, review, keep) and 312 (principal contractor obtains it).

We check these laws every week. Last reviewed against each official legislation site on 12 November 2026.

At a glance

Act
Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011 (NT)
Regulation
Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Regulations 2011 (NT)
Regulator
NT WorkSafe
SWMS duties
Regulations 299 to 303 (prepare, follow, give the principal contractor a copy, review, keep) and 312 (principal contractor obtains it)
High-risk construction work
Regulation 291: the model's 18 kinds, with a 3-metre falls trigger for residential work
Construction project
$1,000,000 or more (since 28 May 2026)

What the law requires

  • Prepare a SWMS before the high-risk construction work starts (regulation 299).
  • It must identify the high-risk work, the hazards and risks, the control measures, and how they will be put in place, monitored and reviewed, in a way the workers who use it can understand (regulation 299).
  • Make sure the work is done the way the SWMS says, and stop it if it isn't, as soon as it's safe to (regulation 300).
  • On a construction project, give the principal contractor a copy before the work starts (regulation 301). The principal contractor must take reasonable steps to get one (regulation 312).
  • Review the SWMS, and revise it as needed, whenever its control measures change (regulation 302).
  • Keep a copy until the work is finished, and for at least 2 years after any notifiable incident connected with it (regulation 303).

These are the model WHS Regulations' duties. The Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Regulations 2011 (NT) uses the same numbers.

Where Northern Territory differs from the model

  • Since 17 July 2026, residential construction work (houses, and attached or adjacent garages, carports and sheds) is high-risk for falls only above 3 metres. Other construction work keeps the 2-metre trigger.

High-risk construction work in Northern Territory

Construction work is high-risk, and needs a SWMS, if it's any of these:

Check your job

Tick everything the work involves. The answer shows as you go.

Model WHS Regulations, as adopted in Northern Territory. Regulator: NT WorkSafe

High-risk construction work

Tick the work your job involves to see the answer.

General information, not legal adviceLaw checked weekly · last reviewed 12 Nov 2026WHS Regulations r291Report a problem

Popular SWMS templates

Common questions

Do I need a SWMS in Northern Territory?
Yes, before any high-risk construction work starts. Northern Territory follows the model WHS laws, so the list of high-risk construction work and the SWMS duties are in its Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Regulations 2011 (NT).
Who is the work health and safety regulator in Northern Territory?
NT WorkSafe.
When do principal contractor duties apply in Northern Territory?
On a construction project. In Northern Territory, that's $1,000,000 or more (since 28 May 2026).

SWMS requirements in other states and territories

This is a summary for planning, not legal advice. Check the current law with your regulator, especially before relying on a recent change.