Solar Farm Electrical Testing and Energisation SWMS

For electrical contractors, commissioning engineers and solar farm owners who test and energise a solar farm: PV strings, combiner boxes, inverters, the low voltage AC side and the high voltage connection. It follows the work in order: commissioning plan and authorisation, inspection, isolation and proving dead, de-energised tests, energised string tests, energising the power conversion equipment, high voltage switching, arc flash controls, weather and remote conditions, handover and emergency response. Live work on other energised equipment, such as repairs, is covered by a separate SWMS.

Commissioning and testing are construction work (WHS Regulation s 289), and testing or energising a solar farm is work on or near an energised electrical installation, so item 10 is ticked. Tick other items that apply: powered mobile plant (item 14), a fall of more than 2 metres (item 0) or a road in use (item 13). Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 sections 195 to 204 also set rules for electrical work on or near energised equipment: complete the risk assessment and the job details in this document for each use, and use the separate energised electrical work SWMS for any live work beyond testing.

New to SWMS? Read What Is A Safe Work Method Statement?

What Is Covered In Our Solar Farm Electrical Testing and Energisation SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the commissioning, authorise the work and arrange permits” to “Respond to electric shock, arc flash or fire”. The hazards and controls include:

• Live PV strings and modules, even in low light
• DC arc flash and series arcs
• Arc flash at inverters, switchgear and combiner boxes
• Circuits re-energised during de-energised work
• Wrong isolation point or breaking DC under load
• Test voltage and instrument faults
• High voltage switching errors
• Step and touch voltage and earth faults
• Back-feed from other sources
• Overhead and underground line exclusion zones
• Lightning, storms and wet connections
• Heat, snakes and remote emergency response
• Rescue after shock, arc flash or fire
• Equipment energised without test records

High Risk Construction Work

These high risk construction work items (WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) s 291) are already ticked because they are part of this work. Tick any others that apply to your job:

• Is carried out on or near energised electrical installations or services

Licences, Training and Competency

• Electrical work licence that authorises the work: testing and energising are electrical work (Electrical Safety Act 2002 s 55); the employer holds an electrical contractor licence (s 56)
• High voltage work only by licensed electrical workers verified as trained and competent for it (Construction and Operation of Solar Farms Code of Practice 2024 section 3.5.7)
• Competent person to record the risk assessment and to test whether equipment is energised (Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 ss 196 and 199)
• Safety observer who is competent to implement control measures in an emergency or to avoid one, and to rescue and resuscitate a worker carrying out the work if necessary, and who has been assessed in the previous 12 months as competent to rescue and resuscitate a person (Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 schedule 10, definition of safety observer)
• Competence in rescue and resuscitation for every worker who does, or helps with, electrical work (Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 s 211)
• Training in the test instruments, the maker’s commissioning method, DC arc and arc flash hazards, and the network or asset owner’s switching and permit rules for anyone who operates high voltage equipment
• Unlicensed assistants work only under direct supervision and never touch energised equipment (Electrical Safety Act 2002 s 18(2)(g))
• General construction induction training card (white card) for construction work, and a site induction
• Workers trained in first aid, including remote first aid, or access to trained persons (WHS Regulation s 42)

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) ss 289, 291 and 299: construction work (which includes commissioning and testing), high risk construction work and safe work method statements
• WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) ss 40 to 43 and 48: facilities and drinking water, first aid, emergency plan and remote or isolated work
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld): ss 18, 55, 56 and 57AA (electrical work, electrical work licence, electrical contractor licence and appropriately licensed workers)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): part 8, division 3 (electrical work on or near energised electrical equipment), ss 193 to 204
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): ss 207 and 208 (testing and certificate of testing and safety), s 210 (equipment with a serious defect) and s 211 (rescue and resuscitation training)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): s 221 (high voltage electrical installation not to be connected without inspection by an accredited auditor)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): ss 10 to 15 and schedule 2 (overhead and underground electric lines)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): ss 292 and 296 (serious electrical incidents and dangerous electrical events)
• Construction and Operation of Solar Farms Code of Practice 2024
• Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2021 – Managing electrical risks in the workplace
• Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2020 – Working near overhead and underground electric lines
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• AS/NZS 3000 (Electrical installations, known as the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules), as named in the Electrical Safety Regulation 2026
• AS 1319 (Safety signs for the occupational environment), as named in the Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 s 198
• AS 2067 (Substations and high voltage installations exceeding 1 kV a.c.), as named in the Construction and Operation of Solar Farms Code of Practice 2024
• AS 61010.1 (Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use – General requirements) and AS/NZS 3017 (Electrical installations – Verification by inspection and testing), as named in the Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2021
• IEC 62446:2016 (Grid connected photovoltaic systems – Minimum requirements for system documentation, commissioning tests and inspection), as named in the Construction and Operation of Solar Farms Code of Practice 2024

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (16 A4 landscape pages). Type your business, client and job details once and they fill in on every page, with a space for your logo
• 11 job steps for this work, each with its hazards, controls, initial and residual risk scores and the person responsible
• PPE listed for this job: insulated gloves rated for the highest voltage expected, inspected and tested before use
• Emergency arrangements for: electric shock or arc flash, fire at a string, combiner box or inverter and serious electrical incident or dangerous electrical event
• Plus the parts every Work Safety QLD SWMS shares, from the s 291 checklist to the worker sign-on sheet (see the layout in our free SWMS template)

Adjust it for your site, plant and crew, and talk it through with your workers before work starts. Please make sure you read our Disclaimer before downloading this SWMS.

Checked against the Queensland laws and codes of practice listed above. Last reviewed November 2026.