Cable Tray and Ladder Rack Installation SWMS

Suits electrical, communications and services contractors installing cable trays, ladder racks and conduit supports in commercial and industrial buildings. It follows the job from planning and set-up through overhead drilling, hanging supports and lifting and fixing tray lengths to cutting, finishing and handover. Cable pulling, termination and EWP operation are covered by separate SWMS.

The high risk construction work box for a risk of a fall of more than 2 m is ticked, because overhead tray work at commercial ceiling height is normally done from elevating work platforms, towers or ladders where a fall of more than 2 m is possible. The fall threshold in s 291(a) is 2 metres for all construction work; the 3 metre figure for housing in ss 306C and 306D only changes the fall-prevention rules. Tick any other box that applies, such as asbestos or energised electrical installations within reach of the work. Bonding and earthing of tray is left to a licensed electrical worker.

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

What Is Covered In Our Cable Tray and Ladder Rack Installation SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the job and survey the installation area” to “Pack up, clean up and hand over”. The hazards and controls include:

• Falls from EWPs, ladders and towers
• Objects dropped onto people below
• Silica dust from overhead drilling
• Drilling into reinforcement and hidden services
• Heavy and awkward tray lengths
• Supports and rods falling or failing under load
• Sharp edges, swarf and cut rod ends
• Sparks and fire from cutting and grinding
• Work near energised switchboards and busbars
• Asbestos in old ceilings and penetrations
• Crush between the EWP basket and the ceiling
• Damage to fire barriers and sprinkler pipes

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:

• Involves a risk of a person falling more than 2m

Licences, Training and Competency

• General construction induction training card (white card) for construction work, and site induction
• Operator licence or verification of competency for the elevating work platform; a high risk work licence for a boom-type EWP with a boom length of 11 m or more (WHS Regulation Sch 3 item 21)
• Training in working at heights, ladders and fall protection
• Licensed electrical worker for bonding, earthing and any work near energised parts (Electrical Safety Act 2002 s 55); an electrical worker supervises tray work where s 18(2)(e) is relied on
• Asbestos training (WHS Regulation s 445) for workers who may do asbestos-related work
• Crystalline silica training where the dust assessment finds drilling or cutting high risk (WHS Regulation s 529CD)
• Rigging or crane licence class where a crane is used (separate SWMS)

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 306A to 306O (falls, ladders and platforms in construction work)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 315B to 315M (falling objects)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 56, 57 and 60 (noise, hazardous manual tasks), ss 419, 422, 445 and 450 to 451 (asbestos) and ss 529A to 529CD (crystalline silica)
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld): ss 18 and 55 (meaning of electrical work and licence requirement)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): ss 17 and 193 (unsafe equipment; work near energised parts) and s 10 and sch 2
• Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2021 – Managing electrical risks in the workplace
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in construction and manufacturing of construction elements Code of Practice 2022
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Elevating work platforms (guidance)

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (13 A4 landscape pages). Type your business, client and job details once and they fill in on every page, with a space for your logo
• 9 job steps for this work, each with its hazards, controls, initial and residual risk scores and the person responsible
• PPE listed for this job: safety footwear; hard hat; safety glasses or face shield when drilling, cutting or working overhead; cut-resistant gloves for handling tray, rack and rod
• Emergency arrangements for: fall from a ladder or platform, rescue from an EWP basket and electric shock
• 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.