SWMS requirements in Queensland: the regs, and what they cost you
Current at 28 September 2026 — regs 291 and 299–303 verified against the Queensland consolidated WHS Regulation 2011 text.
As at September 2026, Queensland runs the harmonised model WHS laws through the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (QLD), enforced by WorkSafe Queensland. A PCBU must ensure a SWMS is prepared before any of the 18 categories of high risk construction work starts (reg 299) — and QLD's reprint attaches a penalty to every SWMS duty, topping out at 60 penalty units ($10,362 at the $172.70 unit value applying from 1 July 2026). The Model WHS version of a SWMS template is the right version for Queensland.
Queensland is model-aligned — we checked the consolidated text
Like NSW (and unlike Victoria), Queensland adopted the model WHS Regulations with the SWMS provisions intact. Regulation 291 lists the same 18 HRCW categories as the model law — including work on or near energised electrical installations or services and the 2 m fall threshold — and regulations 299–303 carry the same duties. The full 18-category table applies to Queensland exactly as written, so we won't repeat it here. What Queensland's reprint makes unusually visible is the price of getting it wrong.
The five SWMS duties in QLD — and the penalty on each
| Reg | Duty | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 299 | Prepare a SWMS (or ensure one is prepared) before HRCW commences | 60 penalty units ($10,362) |
| 300 | Ensure work is carried out in accordance with the SWMS; stop work immediately (or as soon as safe) if it isn't, and resume only in accordance with it | 60 penalty units per duty |
| 301 | Give a copy of the SWMS to the principal contractor before HRCW on a construction project ($250,000+) commences | 12½ units (individual) / 60 units (body corporate) |
| 302 | Review — and as necessary revise — the SWMS if the relevant control measures are revised | 36 penalty units |
| 303 | Keep the SWMS until the HRCW is complete (2+ years after any notifiable incident), readily accessible to workers and available for inspection | 12½–60 units per duty |
One QLD-flavoured detail electricians should know: reg 299(4) says that if a SWMS for work with a fall risk over 2 m relies only on administrative controls or PPE, it must describe all control measures considered in reaching that choice. A template with a bare "harness + signage" row fails that test.
WorkSafe Queensland's guidance — and the free interactive tool
WorkSafe Queensland publishes its own SWMS guidance and, in its eSafe construction newsletter (March 2024), points readers to Safe Work Australia's free interactive SWMS tool — an online walkthrough of preparing, using and reviewing a SWMS, with videos and worked control-measure examples. It's good guidance and worth a look, but it's an explainer, not a document generator: you still turn up to site with your own SWMS.
Every SWMS in the Electrician SWMS Kit is written to the model text Queensland uses — 18-category HRCW checklist, PCBU wording, the reg 299(4) "control measures considered" note on falls work, and a review section matching regs 302–303.
Get the Electrician SWMS Kit — A$59
21 documents, Word + PDF; the Model WHS version covers Queensland. Or start with the free pre-start SWMS checklist.
Queensland SWMS questions
Is a SWMS legally required in Queensland?
Yes — before any of the 18 HRCW categories, under reg 299 of the WHS Regulation 2011 (QLD). Maximum penalty for skipping it: 60 penalty units.
What's the penalty for not having a SWMS in QLD?
Up to 60 penalty units — $10,362 at the $172.70 penalty unit value applying from 1 July 2026. Failing to work in accordance with the SWMS carries the same maximum again (reg 300).
Can I use a model WHS / Safe Work Australia template in QLD?
Yes. Queensland's regs mirror the model text, so the Model WHS version is the correct version for QLD — made site-specific in consultation with your workers before use. See who prepares and signs a SWMS.
Does WorkSafe QLD provide a SWMS template or tool?
WorkSafe QLD publishes guidance and points to Safe Work Australia's free interactive SWMS tool (2024). The tool teaches; it doesn't produce your paperwork.