This Fire Alarm and Detection System Commissioning SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement) is pre-filled and covers installing, programming, testing and commissioning fire detection and alarm systems in new and occupied buildings. It covers 32 activities, from work planning and permits to final handover and documentation, with the hazards, control measures and risk ratings before and after controls for each. It's written by WHS specialists, aligned to Australian WHS legislation, and fully editable in Microsoft Word.
Who it's for
Fire protection contractors and fire alarm technicians
Electrical contractors installing detection and warning systems
Fire services commissioning and testing teams
Building services contractors working in occupied buildings
Use it to
Hand clients and principal contractors the SWMS they ask for
Apply for tenders and new jobs with your safety paperwork ready
Get through prequalification with Avetta, Cm3 and other contractor portals
Induct new workers and run toolbox talks on the task
What this SWMS covers
Work planning, permits, site induction and fitness for work
Approved isolation of the detection system and a compensating fire watch
Asbestos checks before drilling or cutting in older buildings
Delivery and moving panels, cable drums and access equipment through occupied buildings
Ladders, mobile scaffolds and EWP work at height
Ceiling spaces, risers, lift shafts and plant rooms, including bites and sharps
Drilling and coring with service strike and silica dust controls
Cable hauling, containment and fire-stopping penetrations
Working inside a live fire indicator panel and replacing standby batteries
Programming, cause and effect, and testing detectors, sounders and strobes
Occupant egress, working alone and after-hours access
Reinstating and proving the system, handover and emergency response to a fall, shock or real alarm
What's included
Hazards and control measures for 32 work activities
Risk ratings before and after controls, with a 5x5 risk matrix and the hierarchy of controls
PPE requirements checklist and high risk construction work checklist
Plant and equipment list, including test equipment, proving units and dust extraction, with maintenance checks
Relevant Australian Standards, including AS 1670.1 for system design and commissioning and AS 1851 for routine service
Training in zone isolation, brigade signal reinstatement, EWP rescue and fire watch duties
Site specific hazards section for anything unique to your job
Worker sign-off sheet and worker consultation record
Why use this template
Saves hours compared with writing a SWMS from a blank page
Covers the most common hazards and control measures for this work, ready to use out of the box
Fully editable, so you can add, remove or change anything to suit your site and how your team works
Helps your business stay compliant, with risk ratings, worker sign-off and consultation records already set up
How it works
Buy online and download straight away. You'll also get an email with your link.
Add your logo, ABN, project and site details.
Check it suits your site and task, edit anything you need to, and consult your workers before you finalise it.
Brief your team and collect signatures.
Common questions
Do I need a SWMS for fire alarm commissioning?
Only if the work is high risk construction work, for example working from an EWP where someone could fall more than 2 metres, drilling where asbestos may be disturbed, or working near energised electrical installations at the panel. Outside those situations a SWMS isn't mandatory, but you still have to manage the risks, and a SWMS is a sound way to record how. Builders, building owners and prequalification portals often ask for one.
Does it cover isolating the system and the brigade signal?
Yes. It covers approval and isolation of the detection and alarm system, a compensating fire watch while detection is reduced, and reinstating and proving the system so the building isn't left without detection.
Can I change it?
Yes. It's a Microsoft Word file, so you can add, remove or change any hazard, control or rating, and add your own logo and details.
Does it suit my state?
Yes. It's written to the model WHS laws and suits all states and territories, including Victoria under the OHS Act and Regulations.
What if it doesn't suit my work?
You're covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee if it isn't fit for purpose.
