Carpentry · Australia

SWMS for door installation

By Safety PaperworkBuilt from Safe Work Australia and state regulator guidance · How we write and check theseUpdated 9 November 2026

A SWMS is required by law if door installation includes any high risk construction work, such as working where someone could fall more than 2 metres. Many principal contractors ask for one either way.

It must list the hazards, the controls and how they will be put in place, monitored and reviewed, and the workers must be consulted and sign before starting. The main hazards are lead paint dust and fumes, lifting and carrying heavy loads, saw cuts and kickback and wood and MDF dust.

Make this SWMS now Word template PDF

SWMS example: door installation

This is a complete SWMS for door installation, with 5 job steps. Open it in the builder to add your site, crew and signatures, change anything, and download a PDF. Or download the free Word template below and fill it in by hand.

Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)

Hang doors and fit hardware · Carpentry · Example

Document SWMS-001 · Rev 1

High risk construction work covered

None for this task on its own. Tick any that apply on your site.

Job steps, hazards and controls

#	Job step	Hazards	Risk before	Controls	Risk after
1	Set up a work area away from occupants and walkways	Working in an occupied home or building Slips and trips	Medium	Plan noisy, dusty or risky work for when the building is empty. Eliminate Close off the work area with barriers, plastic sheeting or locked doors, and put up signs. Isolate Keep fire exits and paths clear at all times. Administrative Tell occupants before you turn off power, water or gas, and before noisy or dusty work. Administrative Lock away tools, chemicals and materials each day, out of reach of children. Administrative Clean up dust and debris at the end of each day. Administrative Plan walkways and keep them clear of materials, hoses and leads. Eliminate Run leads and hoses overhead on hooks or stands, or along walls, not across walkways. Engineering Fill or cover holes, and lay boards or mats on muddy access paths. Engineering Clean up offcuts, packaging and spills as you go, not at the end of the day. Administrative Keep work areas, stairs and access paths well lit. Administrative Wear safety boots with good grip, laced up. PPE	Low
2	Remove old doors and frames, checking old paint for lead	Lead paint dust and fumes Lifting and carrying heavy loads	High	Test old paint for lead before you sand, scrape, cut or heat it. Eliminate Use wet scraping, chemical strippers or shrouded tools with extraction instead of dry sanding. Never burn off lead paint with an open flame. Substitute Seal off the work area with plastic sheeting and keep residents, children and pets out. Isolate Clean up with an H-class vacuum and wet wipes. Never dry sweep. Engineering Wash hands and face before eating, drinking or smoking. Change out of dusty clothes before going home. Administrative Wear a P2 (or better) respirator, disposable coveralls and gloves. PPE Plan to avoid carrying: have materials delivered, and old items picked up, as close as possible to where they are used. Eliminate Use lighter or smaller loads: order smaller bags and shorter lengths, and drain or break down old items before moving them. Substitute Lifting and carrying heavy loads: see step 4 for the full controls Administrative	Medium
3	Trim doors to size and rout hinges with dust extraction	Saw cuts and kickback Wood and MDF dust Injury from power tools Loud noise	High	Keep blade guards fitted and working, and use the riving knife on table saws. Engineering Use push sticks and clamps, and support long pieces so they do not pinch the blade. Engineering Use a sharp, undamaged blade made for the material. Administrative Stand to one side of the blade line, out of the kickback path. Administrative Buy pre-cut or pre-finished timber where you can. Substitute Cut outdoors or in a well-ventilated area away from others. Isolate Use saws and sanders with dust extraction connected to an M-class (or better) vacuum. Engineering Clean up with a vacuum, not a broom or compressed air. Administrative Keep all guards fitted and working. Never tie back or remove a guard. Engineering Clamp or secure the work piece. Do not hold it by hand. Engineering Only trained, competent people use power tools, following the maker's instructions. Administrative Check tools before use. Unplug or remove the battery before changing blades or bits. Administrative Use quieter tools and methods, such as cut-to-size materials, low-noise machines and battery tools. Substitute Keep noisy plant away from work areas, and use screens or distance between the noise and people. Isolate Keep tools maintained and use mufflers on compressors and generators. Engineering Limit time on noisy tools and rotate workers. Administrative Keep exposure below 85 dB(A) over 8 hours. Give hearing tests to workers who often need hearing protection. Administrative	Medium
4	Hang the door with help, as solid and fire doors are heavy	Lifting and carrying heavy loads Repetitive work and awkward postures	High	Plan to avoid carrying: have materials delivered, and old items picked up, as close as possible to where they are used. Eliminate Use lighter or smaller loads: order smaller bags and shorter lengths, and drain or break down old items before moving them. Substitute Use trolleys, pallet jacks, hoists, vacuum lifters or plant instead of carrying by hand. Engineering Use a two-person lift for anything heavy, long or awkward. Plan the route first and clear it. Administrative Keep the load close, back straight and no twisting. Turn with your feet. Administrative Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Administrative Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE Use tools that cut the effort: powered screwdrivers, long-handled tools and extension poles for overhead work. Substitute Set work up at waist height on benches or trestles where you can. Engineering Use light tools with good grips, and keep blades and bits sharp. Engineering Rotate tasks and take short breaks every hour on repetitive work. Administrative Warm up before heavy physical work and report aches and pains early. Administrative Wear knee pads for kneeling work and gloves for grip. PPE	Medium
5	Fit locks and closers, test operation and clean up	Injury from power tools Poor housekeeping and waste	Medium	No loose clothing, jewellery or long hair near spinning parts. Administrative Wear safety glasses and hearing protection. Do not wear loose gloves on drills or other rotating tools. PPE Injury from power tools: see step 3 for the full controls Administrative Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Eliminate Put skip bins and waste chutes close to the work. Engineering Clean as you go, and do a full clean up at the end of each day. Administrative Keep exits, stairs and walkways clear at all times. Administrative Stack materials neatly on level ground, away from edges. Administrative Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE	Medium

PPE

Steel cap bootsSafety glassesP2 dust maskHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Half-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters)OverallsWork glovesKnee pads

Plant and equipment

Power drillRouterCircular sawHand tools

Emergency

Call 000. Add the nearest hospital, the assembly point and the first aider for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this SWMS.

Free SWMS template for door installation

Word (.docx) and PDF, A4 landscape, no email needed. Fill in your site details, then print or send it.

Word template (.docx)PDF template

Make yours in 2 minutes

Same document, filled in for your job. Answer a few yes or no questions, the crew signs on the phone, and you send the PDF.

Start this SWMS

Pre-start checklist for door installation

Tick these off before work starts. They come from the hazards, permits and equipment in this job.

SWMS read, explained and signed by everyone on the job
First aider, first aid kit and emergency number (000) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: steel cap boots, safety glasses, P2 dust mask, hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)

The safe sequence of work

Set up a work area away from occupants and walkways
Remove old doors and frames, checking old paint for lead
Trim doors to size and rout hinges with dust extraction
Hang the door with help, as solid and fire doors are heavy
Fit locks and closers, test operation and clean up

Hazards to watch on door installation

The hazards most specific to this job, and the step where each one comes up.

Step 3Wood and MDF dustSawing and sanding timber, MDF and treated wood makes fine dust that causes asthma, skin problems and some cancers.

Step 2Lead paint dust and fumesPaint on buildings built before 1970 is likely to contain lead, and anything before 1997 may. Sanding, scraping or heating it releases dust or fumes that poison workers and families, especially children.

Step 1Working in an occupied home or buildingResidents, staff or children wander into the work area and get hurt, or the work blocks exits or cuts off power or water while people are inside.

Step 3Saw cuts and kickbackCircular saws, drop saws and table saws cut fingers and hands or throw material back at the user.

Step 3, 5Injury from power toolsDrills, saws, routers and sanders kick back, catch clothing or throw debris, causing cuts, broken bones and eye injuries.

Step 4Repetitive work and awkward posturesDoing the same movement for hours, kneeling or working overhead causes long-term damage to joints, muscles and tendons.

Highest risk on door installation: High before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Australia 5 by 5 risk matrix (possible and major becomes unlikely and major).

What changes on your site

This example covers the job itself. Your site may add more. Add controls for any of these that apply (the builder asks you these as yes or no questions):

Will anyone work more than 2 metres off the ground?
Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
Will anyone work on a roof?
Is there a skylight, clear sheet, fibro or other fragile roofing?
Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?

Why SWMS get rejected

Principal contractors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

It is generic: another site address, tasks that are not on this job, or no sign it was reviewed for this site. WorkSafe WA says a generic SWMS may not meet the regulations unless it is reviewed and amended for the workplace.
The HRCW boxes are not ticked, or the ticks do not match the tasks (for example a roof job with no falls box ticked).
Falls are controlled only by "be careful", training or a harness, with no edge protection or scaffold and no reason why higher controls are not reasonably practicable.
Workers will clip on to a harness but there is no rescue plan for someone left hanging.
The "how controls are implemented, monitored and reviewed" part is missing, or it says the same thing on every row.
No worker sign-on, no person responsible for compliance, or a date given to the principal contractor that is before they actually received it.
Licence or White Card details are missing for workers operating plant or doing licensed high risk work.

Questions

Do I need a SWMS for door installation?

Who signs the SWMS?

The person conducting the business (PCBU) or their supervisor prepares it with the workers, and every worker doing the high risk work signs to show they were consulted and understand it. Give a copy to the principal contractor before work starts.

How long do I keep it?

Keep this SWMS, and every revised version, until the high risk construction work is finished, where workers and inspectors can see it on site. If a notifiable incident happens during the work, keep it for at least 2 years after the incident.

What PPE is needed for door installation?

Usually Steel cap boots, Safety glasses, P2 dust mask, Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs), Half-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters), Overalls, Work gloves, Knee pads. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More carpentry SWMS

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Related jobs in other trades

ConcretingConcrete Cutting and Core DrillingAlso involves working in an occupied home or building RoofingGutter ReplacementAlso involves lead paint dust and fumes ElectricalSwitchboard UpgradeAlso involves working in an occupied home or building ConcretingConcrete Slab PourAlso involves repetitive work and awkward postures ConcretingFormworkAlso involves saw cuts and kickback DemolitionInternal Strip OutAlso involves lead paint dust and fumes

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkWorking at Heights Toolbox talkOverhead Power Lines Toolbox talkExtension Leads and Power Tools Toolbox talkLead Paint Safety

Blank SWMS template: free SWMS templates. Also for other countries: United Kingdom (RAMS) · United States (JHA) · Canada (FLHA)