Air conditioning and refrigeration · Australia

SWMS for air conditioning servicing

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

Yes. Air conditioning servicing usually includes high risk construction work (risk of a person falling more than 2 metres; work on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines), so a SWMS is required by law before work starts.

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 falling from a roof edge, electric shock from live wiring, falling from a ladder and mould and droppings.

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SWMS example: air conditioning servicing

This is a complete SWMS for air conditioning servicing, 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)

HVAC service and maintenance · Air conditioning and refrigeration · Example

Document SWMS-001 · Rev 1

High risk construction work covered

Risk of a person falling more than 2 metresWork on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant linesWork on or near energised electrical installations or services

Job steps, hazards and controls

#	Job step	Hazards	Risk before	Controls	Risk after
1	Isolate the unit, lock out and danger tag, and prove dead	Electric shock from live wiring Stored energy	Extreme	Isolate the power before any work. Do not do live work except in the limited cases the WHS Regulations allow (r.157; in Qld, the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013). Eliminate Lock out and tag the isolation point with your own personal lock and danger tag. Isolate Test before you touch: prove dead at the point of work with a voltage tester, proving the tester on a known live source before and after (AS/NZS 4836). Engineering Only licensed electricians do electrical work. Administrative Check for back feeds from solar, batteries and generators that can keep a circuit live after the main switch is off. Administrative If live work cannot be avoided, use a permit, a safety observer and insulated tools. Administrative Wear insulated gloves, arc-rated clothing and a face shield when testing or working near live parts. PPE Release or block all stored energy before work: release the pressure in pipes, tanks and hoses, bleed hydraulics, release springs, lower loads. Eliminate Lock out and tag all energy sources with personal locks. Isolate Put mechanical blocks or props under raised parts like buckets, tipper bodies and doors. Engineering Test that the system is dead and nothing can move before you start. Administrative Follow the maker's procedure, for example for garage door and roller door springs. Administrative Wear safety glasses and gloves. PPE	Medium
2	Access units safely, from a ladder or roof with edge protection	Falling from a ladder Falling from a roof edge	Extreme	Use a platform ladder, mobile scaffold or EWP for longer jobs instead of a straight ladder. Substitute Use industrial-rated ladders (AS/NZS 1892, 120 kg or more) in good condition. Remove any damaged ladder from site. Engineering Set extension ladders at a 4 to 1 angle on firm, level ground, tied or footed, and reaching 1 metre above the landing. Engineering Use ladders only for short, light work. Do not carry heavy or awkward loads up a ladder. Administrative Keep three points of contact and your belt buckle between the stiles. Do not overreach. Administrative Do not stand on the top three rungs of an extension ladder or the top step of a stepladder. Administrative Check the ladder before each use: feet, rungs, stiles and locks. Administrative Wear non-slip safety boots with clean soles. PPE Do what you can from the ground or from a scaffold at the gutter line, for example pre-assemble parts on the ground. Eliminate Install edge protection or guardrails on all open roof edges before work starts. Isolate Use a perimeter scaffold with handrails and toe boards along the eaves where practical. Engineering Where guardrails cannot be fitted, use fall restraint on certified roof anchors so workers cannot reach the edge. Engineering Only workers briefed on this SWMS go on the roof. Stop and review the SWMS if the roof, weather or method changes. Administrative Use one safe, controlled access point and keep others off the roof. Administrative Stop roof work in strong wind or rain, and when the roof is wet, icy or covered in dust or frost. Administrative Have a written emergency and rescue plan, tested before work starts, for any worker using a harness (WHS Regulations r.80). Administrative Wear a harness clipped to a rated anchor when using restraint or fall arrest, and soft-soled non-slip boots. PPE	Medium
3	Clean filters and coils, wearing a mask for mould and dust	Mould and droppings General dust Hazardous chemicals	Medium	Fix the water leak and dry the area before removing mould. Eliminate Seal off the area with plastic sheeting and keep occupants out. Isolate Clean up with an H-class vacuum and wet wipes. Never dry sweep. Engineering Bag mouldy material on site and remove it promptly. Administrative Wash hands and face before eating and at the end of each shift. Administrative Use low-dust products, such as dust-reduced or pre-mixed compounds. Substitute Seal off the work area with plastic sheeting in occupied buildings. Isolate Use tools with dust extraction and a vacuum for clean up. Engineering Lightly mist the area with water to keep dust down, away from anything electrical. Engineering Never dry sweep or blow dust off with compressed air. Administrative Choose the least harmful product that does the job, for example water-based instead of solvent-based. Substitute Use chemicals in well-ventilated areas, or use fans and extraction in closed rooms. Engineering Read the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before use and keep a register of hazardous chemicals on site. Administrative Keep chemicals in labelled containers. Never decant into drink bottles. Administrative Store chemicals away from heat, food and drink, and keep products that react with each other apart. Administrative	Medium
4	Check refrigerant pressures with gauges	Refrigerant leaks Pressure testing	Medium	Recover refrigerant into an approved cylinder before opening the system. Never vent it. Isolate Ventilate closed spaces and use a leak detector during the work. Engineering Only holders of a refrigerant handling licence (ARCtick) work on refrigerant systems. Administrative Check the licence covers the job: the restricted split licence only covers single-head splits under 18 kW, and adding refrigerant needs an ARC Refrigerant Trading Authorisation (RTA) for the business. Administrative With flammable refrigerants (such as R32 or R290), remove ignition sources and use spark-free tools. Administrative Wear cold-rated gloves and safety glasses or a face shield. PPE Test with water instead of air or gas where the system allows it. Never put water in refrigerant pipework, which is tested with dry nitrogen. Substitute Keep people out of the test area with signs and barriers. Isolate Use a calibrated gauge and a relief valve set to protect the system. Engineering Test to the pressure the system calls for and hold it for the set time. Never go over. Administrative Release the pressure fully before tightening anything or fixing leaks. Administrative Wear safety glasses or a face shield. PPE	Low
5	Restore power, test and record	Electric shock from live wiring Poor housekeeping and waste	Extreme	Electric shock from live wiring: see step 1 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 glassesWork glovesP2 dust maskInsulated electrical glovesArc-rated clothing and face shieldHard hatSafety harness and lanyardSun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+)Half-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters)Safety gogglesOverallsChemical-resistant gloves (nitrile)Face shield

Plant and equipment

Hand toolsElectrical test equipmentPlatform ladderPressure cleaner

Permits and plans

Electrical isolation permitRoof access permitWorking at heights permit

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 air conditioning servicing

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 air conditioning servicing

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
Edge protection installed and checked before anyone works above 2 m
Ladder inspected, secured and extending 1 m above the landing
Isolation, lockout and test for dead done before work starts
First aider, first aid kit and emergency number (000) confirmed
PPE checked and worn: steel cap boots, safety glasses, work gloves, P2 dust mask

The safe sequence of work

Isolate the unit, lock out and danger tag, and prove dead
Access units safely, from a ladder or roof with edge protection
Clean filters and coils, wearing a mask for mould and dust
Check refrigerant pressures with gauges
Restore power, test and record

Hazards to watch on air conditioning servicing

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

Step 4Refrigerant leaksRefrigerant gas causes frostbite, pushes oxygen out of small rooms, and some types catch fire.

Step 3Mould and droppingsWater-damaged buildings, bird and rat droppings and dead animals hold mould and germs that cause breathing problems and infections.

Step 4Pressure testingA pipe, fitting or cap fails under test pressure and blows apart, hitting people nearby.

Step 1Stored energyEnergy left in springs, hydraulics, compressed gas, raised loads or capacitors releases suddenly and crushes or injures workers.

Step 2Falling from a roof edgeA worker slips or walks off the edge of a roof or gutter line and falls to the ground.

Step 3General dustDust from plasterboard, filler, cement and clean up irritates eyes and lungs and makes it hard to see.

Highest risk on air conditioning servicing: Extreme before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Australia 5 by 5 risk matrix (likely and catastrophic 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 work on a roof?
Is there a skylight, clear sheet, fibro or other fragile roofing?
Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?
Will you use an EWP (scissor lift or boom lift)?

Licences and legal requirements in Australia

This task can involve these high risk construction work categories under the WHS Regulations:

Risk of a person falling more than 2 metres
Work on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines
Work on or near energised electrical installations or services

A SWMS must be prepared before any high risk construction work starts. It must list the high risk work, the hazards and risks, the control measures, and how those controls will be put in place, monitored and reviewed. It must be easy for the workers to read and understand.

Rules that apply: WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.7 General electrical safety; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.4 Falls; WHS Regulation 2011, Chapter 7 Hazardous chemicals; Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989.

Each state has its own regulator and some extra rules: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Australian Capital Territory.

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 air conditioning servicing?

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 air conditioning servicing?

Usually Steel cap boots, Safety glasses, Work gloves, P2 dust mask, Insulated electrical gloves, Arc-rated clothing and face shield, Hard hat, Safety harness and lanyard, Sun protection (brim hat, long sleeves, SPF 50+), Half-face respirator (P2 or P3 filters), Safety goggles, Overalls, Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile), Face shield. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

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Toolbox talks for this job

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