House Cutting and Sectioning for Relocation SWMS

For house removal and relocation contractors who cut a house into transportable sections on site. It follows the job from the engineer’s plan, licence and asbestos checks through service disconnection, bracing, roof, wall and floor cutting to lifting the sections onto transport and leaving the site safe.

Cutting the house apart is demolition of load-bearing parts (item 2) needing temporary support (item 4), with roof work (item 0), disconnecting electrical services (item 10) and crane movement (item 14), so these are ticked. A demolition licence applies (WHS Regulation s 143), and a s 142 notice only where s 142 applies. Tick other items that apply, such as asbestos disturbance (item 3) or a road in use (item 13). Raising a house on site has the House Raising and Lifting SWMS, and demolition has the Demolition SWMS.

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

What Is Covered In Our House Cutting and Sectioning for Relocation SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Plan the sectioning: engineer’s plan, licence, approvals and lift plan” to “Secure the sections and leave the site safe”. The hazards and controls include:

• Frame racking or collapse during cutting
• Wrong cut lines or lifting points
• Falls cutting the roof
• Saw kickback and cuts
• Section falling from slings or jacks
• Crane overturning and overhead lines
• Live electrical, gas and water services
• Asbestos and lead in old houses
• Silica and timber dust
• Noise and vibration
• Glass and loose items
• Open holes left on the old site

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
• Involves demolition of an element of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure
• Involves structural alterations or repairs that require temporary support to prevent collapse
• Is carried out on or near energised electrical installations or services
• Is carried out in an area at a workplace in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant

Licences, Training and Competency

• General construction induction training card (white card) for construction work, and site induction
• Demolition licence (WHS Regulation s 143): cutting a house into sections is demolition work as defined in Schedule 19, and the licence is held by the person doing the work or the person it is done for; ss 143 to 144L cover the licence, supervisor and training duties
• Structural engineer who prepares the sectioning, bracing and lifting plan
• Competent person who inspects the bracing and supervises the cutting
• High risk work licence for the class of crane used (Schedule 3); EWP operator trained, and a high risk work licence for a boom-type EWP with a boom length of 11 m or more (Schedule 3 item 21)
• Dogging licence, or a higher rigging class, for anyone who slings a section or directs the crane operator when the load is out of the operator’s view (Schedule 3; Schedule 19, dogging work)
• Licensed electrical worker, licensed plumber and drainer, and licensed gas fitter to disconnect and cap services
• Competent person to identify asbestos; licensed removalist where asbestos must be removed (WHS Regulation ss 422, 445)
• Workers trained in the jacks and lifting equipment used, with a lift supervisor who can stop the lift

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Demolition Work Code of Practice 2021
• Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Mobile Crane Code of Practice 2024 (where a mobile crane is used)
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• How to Safely Remove Asbestos 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
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld): electrical work by licensed electrical workers
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): overhead power line exclusion zones in schedule 2
• Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 (Qld): licensed plumbing and drainage work
• Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 (Qld): licensed gas work
• Workplace Health and Safety Queensland guide: Working safely in the house relocation industry (guidance, not law)
• Workplace Health and Safety Queensland guide: Managing the risk of falls while working on roofs in housing construction (guidance, not law)

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (14 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 boots; hard hat; high-visibility clothing; safety glasses and face shield for cutting
• Emergency arrangements for: fall from the roof or an EWP basket
• 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.