This Suspended Ceiling and Bulkhead Installation SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement) is pre-filled and covers installing grid ceilings, plasterboard ceilings and bulkheads, including work at height and inside ceiling voids. It covers 34 activities, from the pre-start briefing and hazardous material check to handover 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
Ceiling fixers and suspended ceiling contractors
Plasterers and plasterboard installers
Commercial fit-out and shopfitting contractors
Builders managing interior fit-outs
Acoustic ceiling and partition installers
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
Permits, and asbestos and lead paint checks before opening an existing ceiling
Ceiling void assessment, service isolation and protecting fire and mechanical services
Exclusion zones, deliveries and getting materials to the work level
Platform ladders, trestles, mobile scaffold and scissor lifts
Set-out, overhead drilling and silica dust when fixing wall angle
Powder-actuated tools, and striking concealed services or tendons
Installing hangers, rods and grid, and cutting steel and plasterboard
Laying in tiles and insulation clear of light fittings and flues
Overhead sheeting, bulkhead framing, jointing, sanding and adhesives
Ceiling load limits, bracing and fire-rated penetrations
Moving in the ceiling void, heat illness and working in occupied premises
Handover checks and emergency response to falls, electric shock or fire
What's included
Hazards and control measures for 34 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 schedules for tools, scaffold and harnesses
Relevant Australian Standards, including AS/NZS 2785 for suspended ceilings and AS/NZS 1576.1 for scaffolding
Competency requirements for powder-actuated tools, scissor lifts and confined space void entry
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 suspended ceiling installation?
A SWMS is legally required when the job is high risk construction work, for example working where someone could fall more than 2 metres, near energised electrical services above the ceiling, or where asbestos in an existing ceiling may be disturbed. 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. Head contractors and prequalification portals often ask for one either way.
Does it cover work inside the ceiling void?
Yes. It covers the pre-entry assessment, falling through a ceiling lining when stepping off a joist or batten, heat illness in a hot unventilated void, and the confined space competency needed where the void meets the definition.
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.
