Structural Opening Formation and Needle Beam SWMS

For builders and structural contractors who cut a new doorway, window or wide opening in a load-bearing wall and fit a steel beam or lintel. It follows the job from the engineer’s design, services and asbestos checks through propping, needle beams, cutting, beam placement and load transfer to clean-up.

Forming a structural opening is demolition of a load-bearing element (WHS Regulation s 291(c)) needing temporary support (item 4), so items 2 and 4 are ticked, and a demolition licence applies (s 143); a s 142 notice is needed only where s 142 applies. Tick other items that apply, such as asbestos disturbance (item 3), energised services (item 10), a fall of more than 2 metres (item 0) or the contaminated atmosphere item for silica dust. Taking out a whole load-bearing wall is covered by the Load-Bearing Wall Removal and Temporary Propping SWMS.

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

What Is Covered In Our Structural Opening Formation and Needle Beam SWMS?

After the standard pre-start checks, the job steps run from “Confirm the design, the wall and the load path” to “Make good, reinstate services and clean up”. The hazards and controls include:

• Wall or floor above collapsing during cutting
• Wrong beam or needle layout
• Props kicking out or sinking
• Respirable crystalline silica dust
• Heavy beam dropping or swinging
• Hidden electrical, gas and water services
• Asbestos and lead in old walls
• Saw kickback and cuts
• Noise and hand-arm vibration
• Falls from ladders and platforms
• Sudden load transfer when props release
• Dust spreading through the building

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 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

Licences, Training and Competency

• General construction induction training card (white card) for construction work, and site induction
• Demolition licence (WHS Regulation s 143): forming an opening in a load-bearing wall 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
• Written design, needle and propping plan and cutting sequence from the engineer, and a competent person who inspects the props and supervises the work
• High risk work licence for the class of any crane used to lift the beam; dogging licence or a higher rigging class for anyone who slings the beam or directs a crane operator when the load is out of the operator’s view (Schedule 3; Schedule 19, dogging work)
• Licensed electrician, licensed plumber and gas fitter to isolate and reinstate services
• Asbestos identification and safe handling training for workers who may be involved in asbestos removal work or asbestos-related work (WHS Regulation s 445)
• Crystalline silica training for workers who may be exposed to high risk silica processing (WHS Regulation s 529CD)

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
• Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice 2021
• Demolition Work Code of Practice 2021 (temporary supports and partial demolition)
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice 2021
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021
• 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 Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace 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
• Mobile Crane Code of Practice 2024 (where a crane lifts the beam)
• Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld): electrical work by licensed electrical workers
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld): electrical work and exclusion zones (schedule 2)

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 boots; hard hat; safety glasses; gloves for handling masonry and steel
• Emergency arrangements for: wall, prop or needle movement, cracking or unexpected noise and cut service or fire
• 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.