SWMS requirements in South Australia
In South Australia, a SWMS must be prepared before any high-risk construction work starts. South Australia follows the model WHS laws, and its SWMS duties are in the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA): 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 Act 2012 (SA)
- Regulation
- Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA)
- Regulator
- SafeWork SA
- 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
- Construction project
- $450,000 or more
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 Regulations 2012 (SA) uses the same numbers.
Where South Australia differs from the model
- Since 1 July 2026 the falls trigger is 2 metres, the same as the model. It was 3 metres before then.
High-risk construction work in South Australia
Construction work is high-risk, and needs a SWMS, if it's any of these:
- Risk of a fall of more than 2 metresRoof work, scaffolding, edges of slabs, ladders and EWPs above 2 m.Working at Height SWMS · Roofing SWMS · Scaffolding SWMS
- Work on a telecommunication towerInstalling or maintaining antennas and equipment on a tower.Working at Height SWMS
- Demolishing structural elementsRemoving load-bearing walls, columns, beams or slabs, or anything else that keeps the structure sound.Demolition SWMS
- Disturbing asbestosDrilling, cutting or removing material that contains asbestos.Asbestos SWMS
- Structural alterations needing temporary supportPropping a structure while a wall, beam or footing is altered.Carpentry SWMS · Steel Construction SWMS · Concreting SWMS
- In or near a confined spaceWork in or near tanks, pits, sewers or silos, where the air could be unsafe or material could engulf you.Plumbing SWMS · Civil Works SWMS
- In or near a shaft or trench deeper than 1.5 metres, or a tunnelTrenches for services, footings or pits over 1.5 m, and tunnels.Civil Works SWMS · Earthmoving & Mobile Plant SWMS · Plumbing SWMS
- Use of explosivesBlasting rock or demolishing with explosives.Civil Works SWMS · Demolition SWMS
- On or near pressurised gas mains or pipingExcavating or connecting near gas mains and pipework.Plumbing SWMS · Civil Works SWMS
- On or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant linesPlant rooms, fuel lines and refrigeration or air conditioning lines.Electrical - HVAC - Solar SWMS · Plumbing SWMS
- On or near energised electrical installations or servicesWork near live switchboards, cables or overhead power lines.Electrical - HVAC - Solar SWMS
- Contaminated or flammable atmosphereAreas with fumes, solvents, fuel vapour or contaminated soil.Painting SWMS · Flooring SWMS
- Tilt-up or precast concreteLifting, propping and fixing tilt-up or precast panels.Concreting SWMS · Crane & Lifting Equipment SWMS
- On or next to a road, railway or other traffic corridor in useRoadworks, footpath work beside traffic, rail corridors.Civil Works SWMS · Transport & Warehousing SWMS
- Where powered mobile plant is movingSites with excavators, forklifts, rollers or trucks moving.Earthmoving & Mobile Plant SWMS · Civil Works SWMS
- Artificial extremes of temperatureCold rooms, freezers, furnaces and other artificially hot or cold areas.Electrical - HVAC - Solar SWMS · Shop Fitting SWMS
- In or near water or liquid with a risk of drowningPools, waterways, wharves, flooded excavations and tanks.Swimming Pool SWMS · Civil Works SWMS
- Diving workConstruction diving, such as underwater inspection or repairs.Civil Works SWMS
Check your job
Tick everything the work involves. The answer shows as you go.
Model WHS Regulations, as adopted in South Australia. Regulator: SafeWork SA
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
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Common questions
- Do I need a SWMS in South Australia?
- Yes, before any high-risk construction work starts. South Australia follows the model WHS laws, so the list of high-risk construction work and the SWMS duties are in its Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA).
- Who is the work health and safety regulator in South Australia?
- SafeWork SA.
- When do principal contractor duties apply in South Australia?
- On a construction project. In South Australia, that's $450,000 or more.
SWMS requirements in other states and territories
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- Queensland
- Western Australia
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Australian Capital Territory
- Compare every state
This is a summary for planning, not legal advice. Check the current law with your regulator, especially before relying on a recent change.