Stage Roof and Truss Erection SWMS

For stage and event production companies, rigging contractors and riggers who erect and dismantle ground-supported stage roofs and truss structures. It follows the job from the engineer’s design and lift plan through the base and ballast, ground assembly, rigging and lifting, work at height, fitting the roof cloth and wind controls, power, sign-off and de-rig. Chain hoist rigging and hanging loads have a separate SWMS.

A stage roof is a structure, including a temporary one, so erecting and dismantling it is construction work (WHS Regulation s 289) and a SWMS is legally required for high risk construction work (s 299). A risk of a fall of more than 2 metres (s 291(a)) is ticked for you because erecting the roof and truss involves work at height on every job. Tick the other items that apply to your job: energised electrical installations or services (s 291(k)) if there are overhead lines or underground services near the stage, and movement of powered mobile plant (s 291(o)) if cranes, forklifts or other plant move in the work area.

Learn More: What Is A Safe Work Method Statement?
Have you ever been asked to provide a SWMS on a project in Queensland? Read our guide to what a Safe Work Method Statement is and when you need one.

What Is Covered In Our Stage Roof and Truss Erection SWMS?

The job steps run in the order the work is done, from pre-start checks to finishing up. The hazards and controls include:

• Falls from the structure and platforms
• Collapse of towers and truss in wind
• Under-ballasted or poorly anchored bases
• Dropped loads and swinging truss
• Failure of hoists, slings and shackles
• Crane lifts and the drop zone
• Contact with overhead power lines
• Falling tools and parts
• Roof cloth acting as a sail
• Electric shock from hoist and stage power
• Crushed fingers in pins and connectors
• Collapse during dismantling and de-rig

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, which includes erecting and dismantling a stage roof (WHS Regulation s 317)
• Crew trained in the manufacturer’s or supplier’s assembly instructions for the roof system, led by an experienced crew leader or rigger
• Competent person who checks the finished structure against the engineer’s drawings and the supplier’s instructions and signs it off
• Rigging high risk work licence in the class Schedule 3 sets for the rigging work (basic, intermediate or advanced, depending on the equipment and loads) and dogging licence (Schedule 3 item 4) for the person who does dogging work as defined in Schedule 19: applying slinging techniques, including the selection and inspection of lifting gear, to safely sling a load, or directing a plant operator in the movement of a load when the load is out of the operator’s view
• High risk work licence for the class of crane used (Schedule 3); Schedule 3 has no operator licence class for chain hoists, but operators need training in the model, and whether rigging a roof needs a rigging class depends on the equipment and loads in Schedule 3 items 5 to 7
• High risk work licence for the forklift truck class for anyone operating a forklift (Schedule 3)
• High risk work licence for a boom-type elevating work platform with a boom length of 11 m or more (Schedule 3 item 21); no licence class applies to scissor lifts or to boom-type platforms under 11 m, but operators need training for the model
• Electrical work licence for any electrical work, including connecting power for hoists, lighting or sound to a venue supply or distribution board (Electrical Safety Act 2002 s 55)
• Training in the fall protection system used, and in rescue from a harness
• Venue or site induction

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld): ss 16 and 46 (more than one duty holder, consult, cooperate and coordinate)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 289 to 291 and 299 (construction work, high risk construction work and the SWMS)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 294 and 295 (consulting the designer and the designer’s safety report)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 306C, 306D and 306M (falls and ladders in construction work)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 315B to 315M (falling objects in construction work)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): s 219 (plant that lifts or suspends loads) and Schedule 3 (high risk work licences)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 214 and 215 (powered mobile plant)
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021
• Work Health and Safety Consultation, Co-operation and Co-ordination 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
• Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice 2021
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld): s 55 (electrical work licence)
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): overhead power line exclusion zones in sections 10 to 13 and schedule 2
• Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Construction work (model code, not approved in Queensland; guidance only)

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (16 pages), laid out on A4 landscape pages
• Business, client, job and document details typed once and filled in on every page, plus a space for your logo
• The high risk construction work checklist, worded as WHS Regulation s 291, and the construction project question (s 292)
• A worker and health and safety representative consultation record
• Qualifications, plant, PPE, hazardous chemicals, safety equipment, permits, references and emergency arrangements filled in for this work
• A 5 x 5 risk matrix, and job steps with initial and residual risk scores and the people responsible
• Implementing, monitoring and review requirements, an additional controls log, revision history and a worker sign-on sheet

Review and adjust it for your site, your plant and the way your crew does the job, and talk it through with your workers before work starts. If you have any trouble downloading this SWMS, you can contact us at any time. Please make sure you read our Disclaimer before downloading this SWMS.