Free tool | Advanced Safety
SWMS Checklist and Template
Most free SWMS checklists only check the paperwork in the folder. This one asks two questions about every item: is it written in the SWMS and is it actually happening on site?
Part A tests a SWMS you already have, item by item. Part B gives you a blank SWMS laid out the same way, ready to fill in and print.
What the law asks for
New Zealand law doesn't require a SWMS for any job. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 the duty is to manage the risks of the work. A SWMS is one way to show how you do that for a higher risk job. Australia is different, a SWMS is required there for high risk construction work. Plenty of the templates online were written for that system.
How to use it
Fill in the first column at your desk with the SWMS in front of you. Fill in the second column on site with the crew lead, not from memory. That's where the gap shows up.
Part A: check your SWMS
Answer both columns for each of the twenty-nine items across seven sections. Your answers save in this browser as you go and you can leave and come back any time.
Your results
Answer both columns on at least one item to see your scores.
Paper score
-
What's written
Practice score
-
What's happening
The gap
-
Paper minus practice
Part B: blank SWMS template
The job, step by step
Controls by the hierarchy: eliminate first, then substitute, isolate or engineer it out, then procedures and PPE last.
| Step | Hazards | Controls (hierarchy) | Who | Checked |
|---|
Emergency and rescue, for this task
Specific to this job, not the site's general emergency plan.
Worker sign-on
Sign after the briefing and before starting work. Late arrivals get briefed and sign too.
| Name | Date | Signature |
|---|
Want to go through your SWMS gaps with me?
Book a 15 minute strategy call and we'll look at what this checklist showed up and what's worth fixing first.
If you'd like to look wider than one SWMS, try the free Compliance Compass Self-Check.
Advanced Safety Ltd · advancedsafety.co.nz. This checklist is general guidance and isn't legal advice for your situation.
Health and safety that stands up to scrutiny. For NZ organisations operating in complex, high-risk environments.