This Stage and Platform Construction (Audio Visual) SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement) is pre-filled and covers building, using and dismantling modular stages, risers and platforms for events and productions. It covers 32 activities, from stage design certification and floor loading to bump-out and emergency response, 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
Staging and event production companies
Audio visual and lighting hire businesses
Concert, festival and corporate event crews
Venue operators and in-house technical crews
Theatre and touring production companies
A SWMS isn't only for building sites. Plenty of event and production businesses use one as the written risk assessment for a build, the same way others use a JSA or Safe Work Procedure.
Use it to
Show clients, insurers and auditors how you manage the risks
Apply for tenders, contracts and supplier panels
Get through prequalification with Avetta, Cm3 and other contractor portals
Induct new workers and train them in the task
What this SWMS covers
Certified stage design, approvals and venue floor or ground loading
Overhead powerlines, buried services and exclusion zones from the public and other trades
Unloading staging stock and manual handling of decks, legs and road cases
Pre-use inspection of decks, legs, pins and bracing
Levelling, bracing, ballast, anchoring and laying decks without crushed hands
Leading edges over 2 m, work beneath the deck, guardrails, gaps and openings
Stairs, ramps, risers, thrusts and multi-level platforms
Ground support towers, truss, chain hoists, ladders, mobile towers and EWPs
Outdoor stage roofs, wind loading, weather and heat
Fixing screens and speakers, drilling concrete, power, cabling and fire risk from drapes
Sign-off before use, show conditions and crowd surge at the stage front
Bump-out, fatigue and emergency response to falls, collapse or crush injury
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, materials and inspection of decks, rigging gear and plant
Relevant Australian Standards, including AS/NZS 1576.1 for scaffolding and AS/NZS 1170.2 for wind actions
Licence requirements for rigging, dogging, forklift and boom-type EWP work, and stage sign-off by a competent person
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 stage and platform construction?
Only if the work is high risk construction work, for example building a deck where someone could fall more than 2 metres from the leading edge, or working where forklifts, telehandlers and EWPs are moving. 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. Venues, event organisers and prequalification portals often ask for one either way.
Does it cover the stage once the show is running?
Yes. It covers the stage in use during rehearsal and performance, including crowd surge against the stage front, patrons climbing onto or under the stage, and crew or performers falling from an edge in show conditions.
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.
