Demolition WHS Documents in South Australia
Written to South Australia legislation · delivered in about 4 minutes · free revision within 24h
Demolitions working in South Australia need a core WHS document set built around a site-specific SWMS for each high risk activity, cited to the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA). In South Australia the regulator is SafeWork SA, and the duty to prepare a SWMS before high risk construction work sits in WHS Regulations 2012 (SA) reg 299. The documents are the same as any state; what must be correct here is the legislation each one cites.
The WHS documents a demolition needs in South Australia
- ✓ A site-specific SWMS for each high risk activity, cited to the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) (WHS Regulations 2012 (SA) reg 299)
- ✓ A SWMS register indexing every document, version and review date
- ✓ High risk work licences and demolition trade licences recognised in South Australia
- ✓ Safety Data Sheets for hazardous chemicals, and a chemical register
- ✓ Site induction record and daily sign-on / SWMS acknowledgement sheets
The SWMS a demolition usually needs
One SWMS per high risk construction work activity. The Trade SWMS Pack generates all of them, cited to South Australia law:
- ✓ Demolition of load-bearing structures
- ✓ Internal strip-out of non-structural elements
- ✓ Service isolation and disconnection before demolition
- ✓ Mechanical demolition with excavator
- ✓ Manual demolition above 2 m
- ✓ Temporary propping and structural support
- ✓ Debris handling, chutes and exclusion zones
- ✓ Work in areas that may contain asbestos (identification and stop-work triggers)
The South Australia law behind it
| Regulator | SafeWork SA |
| Principal Act | Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) |
| Regulations | Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) |
| Duty to prepare a SWMS | WHS Regulations 2012 (SA) reg 299 |
| High risk construction work defined in | WHS Regulations 2012 (SA) reg 291 |
South Australia adopted the harmonised model WHS laws through the WHS Act 2012 (SA), enforced by SafeWork SA, and its Construction Work Code of Practice follows the national model, so an interstate harmonised SWMS transfers with a site-specific review.
South Australia's industrial manslaughter offence commenced on 1 July 2024, adding serious criminal penalties where a PCBU or officer is grossly negligent about conduct that causes a worker's death. That is the enforcement backdrop your WHS document set has to stand up to on a South Australia site.
The hazards these documents have to control
A demolition SWMS in South Australia is judged on whether it names and controls the hazards the trade actually meets:
- ⚠ Unplanned structural collapse
- ⚠ Asbestos-containing materials
- ⚠ Live services (electrical, gas)
- ⚠ Falling debris and exclusion zones
- ⚠ Powered mobile plant
- ⚠ Silica and dust
The high risk work that triggers a demolition's SWMS
- ✓ Demolition of a load-bearing structure
- ✓ Work likely to disturb asbestos
- ✓ Structural alterations or repairs requiring temporary support
- ✓ Work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant
Every SWMS a demolition needs in South Australia, in one go
The Trade SWMS Pack generates all 8 SWMS above from one questionnaire, cited to South Australia law, plus the register, toolbox talks and sign-on sheets, for A$179.
See the Trade SWMS PackKeep exploring
Demolition WHS documents (all states)Demolition SWMS for SASWMS requirements by stateTrade SWMS Pack
Demolition WHS documents in other states: