Same Word doc, every job
A 2019 template for a ground-floor reno gets reused on a two-storey frame — fall protection, access and plant never get updated for the actual site.
For Australian carpenters
SWMS for carpentry work — drafted in 60 seconds, audit trail included
If you are framing, installing trusses or doing fix-out above 2 m, Australian WHS law expects a site-specific SWMS before high-risk work starts — plus proof your crew understood it. AxionSite generates the draft, captures QR sign-ons from anyone on site, and keeps the full record. From A$59/month after your 7-day free trial.
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Join 5,000+ tradies across Australia — putting thousands of billable hours back on the tools, not lost to SWMS paperwork.
<60 sec
AI-assisted SWMS draft
QR sign-on
Anyone on site — no app
Audit trail
Drafts, approvals & sign-ons
A$59
7-day free trial
We know your work
Most carpentry that needs a SWMS is not “optional paperwork”
As the PCBU — whether you are a sole trader chippy or a small crew — you must prepare a SWMS before high-risk construction work (HRCW) starts, give a copy to the principal contractor, keep it on site, and stop work if the method on the ground does not match the SWMS. That is WHS Reg 291 / 299, not builder red tape.
Wall framing & roof truss install above 2 mFormwork, falsework & ply on open joistsCircular saws, nail guns & silica dustWorking near energised electrical servicesStructural alterations & temporary supportsCrane lifts of trusses or prefab elements
One SWMS can cover multiple HRCW activities on the same job — e.g. truss install with crane lift, work above 2 m, and silica from cutting — but it must reflect this site, this access and today's controls.
The real problem
Generic SWMS templates fail carpenters — and inspectors know it
Downloading a carpentry SWMS pack and filing it unchanged is one of the most common failures on site. Regulators and builders are looking for hazards that match your truss lift, your voids and penetrations, and your edge protection — not boilerplate copied from a different job.
Vague controls nobody follows
Lines like “use appropriate PPE” fail the WHS test. Inspectors and builders want specific controls tied to the task — guardrails, exclusion zones, dust extraction.
No proof anyone read it
When the builder asks “who signed the SWMS before truss install?”, a PDF in an email thread is not evidence. Workers must understand the method — and you need a record.
Paperwork lives in the ute, not on site
SafeWork expects the SWMS available at the workplace for the duration of the work. A generic doc filed at home does not help when conditions change mid-job.
If it goes wrong
Missing or generic SWMS costs more than an hour of admin
Builders can refuse entry without a SWMS. Inspectors can stop work. And if someone is injured, the adequacy of your SWMS — whether it reflected actual site conditions — becomes central evidence.
Work stopped on site
If high-risk work is not covered by a compliant SWMS — or work is not being done to it — the job can stop immediately until it is fixed. That is lost hours and a furious builder.
On-the-spot fines in NSW
SafeWork NSW inspectors can issue penalty notices without a court hearing — currently $3,600 for an individual and $18,000 for a company for specified SWMS breaches on high-risk work.
Prosecution if someone gets hurt
A missing or inadequate SWMS is routinely used as evidence in WHS prosecutions. A generic template that did not reflect site conditions is treated as failing your PCBU duty — not as “close enough”.
Penalty amounts refer to NSW on-the-spot infringement notices and model WHS Act maximums — check your state regulator for current figures. AxionSite helps you create and maintain records; you remain responsible for site-specific WHS decisions as the PCBU.
Built for how chippies actually work
From “I need a SWMS tonight” to audit-ready — without the Word doc spiral
“I need a SWMS before tomorrow’s frame lift.”
Describe the job in plain English — AxionSite drafts a structured SWMS in under 60 seconds, with HRCW prompts for heights, plant, silica and electrical work.
“This template doesn’t match the site.”
Start from today’s task, site access, plant and trades — not a blank Word doc. Edit hazards and controls until they reflect what is actually happening on the slab.
“Who signed on before we started?”
Publish a QR poster or link. Anyone on site — chippies, labour hire, subs — acknowledges the SWMS on their phone. No app. Timestamped sign-ons in your audit trail.
“The builder wants proof for the audit.”
Export PDFs plus a full record: drafts, approvals, edits and every sign-on — kept in one place, hosted in Australia, ready when someone asks.
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A$59/month after trial · Cancel anytime · Card required, no charge if you cancel before day 7
How it works
Four steps — from job description to audit-ready records
Describe this carpentry job — not last month’s
Wall framing in Kellyville, truss install with crane, fix-out on level two — include access, plant, other trades and the high-risk work that applies today.
Review, edit and approve for site
AxionSite structures hazards, controls, PPE, permits and emergency steps against common WHS expectations. You adjust anything that does not match the slab, scaffold or roof you are actually on.
QR sign-on — anyone on site
Stick a QR poster on the shed. Crew, labour hire and subcontractors scan it, read the SWMS and acknowledge — no AxionSite account, no app install.
Audit trail kept automatically
Drafts, approvals, revisions and every sign-on stay logged with timestamps — so when the builder, client or regulator asks for proof, you are not rebuilding the story from memory.
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Why carpenters use AxionSite
Generate. Sign on. Prove it. — without living in Word
Site-specific SWMS — not a recycled template
Australian law allows a generic SWMS only if you review and revise it for the actual workplace before work starts. AxionSite starts from the job you are on today — fall zones, plant, silica from cutting, coordination with sparkies — so you are not copying hazards from a different postcode.
Anyone signs on — chippies, subs, labour hire
WHS law requires workers to understand the SWMS before high-risk work begins. AxionSite gives you a public QR link so anyone with a phone can read and acknowledge it — and you get timestamped proof in the audit trail, not a handshake at smoko.
Complete audit trail — for builders and audits
You must keep the SWMS until high-risk work is finished — and all versions if you revise it. AxionSite logs drafts, approvals, edits, PDF exports and every sign-on in one record. When SafeWork or your principal contractor asks who was briefed and when, you pull it up in seconds.
Carpentry HRCW prompts built in
Most chippy work that needs a SWMS involves falls over 2 m, powered tools, silica dust, work near live electrical, or structural support — the 18 HRCW categories under WHS Reg 291. AxionSite prompts you to consider them while you describe the job, so nothing obvious gets missed at 9 pm the night before.
Trusted on site
Chippies who got burned by generic SWMS — and switched
“Builder held the truss lift until we had a SWMS that covered the crane and edge protection. Now I draft one per frame job on my phone — usually under five minutes.”
“Site manager asked who signed on before second-storey fix-out. I pulled the sign-on list from AxionSite instead of chasing texts. That alone was worth it.”
“I thought the boys wouldn't bother. Labour hire scans the QR in the car park — no app. I've got timestamps if the builder audits.”
Representative feedback from carpentry contractors — names and locations are illustrative for review.
Simple pricing
A$59/month. Cancel anytime.
Start with a 7-day free trial on Tradie Lite — built for sole traders and one-man bands.
Tradie Lite · For carpenters
A$59/month excl. GST
or A$49/mo billed annually (A$588/yr)
- 1 seat included
- 3 AI SWMS drafts per month
- 4-step voice-first SWMS wizard
- High-risk construction work prompts while you type
- Basic site QR worker sign-on
- PDF SWMS export
- Digital signatures
- Basic audit trail
- Data hosted in Australia
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A$59/month after trial · Cancel anytime · Card required, no charge if you cancel before day 7
Running a bigger crew? Compare all plans — unlimited SWMS from Starter.
FAQ
Common questions before you start
Your next frame lift deserves a SWMS that matches the site — not last year's template
Try AxionSite free for 7 days: one real carpentry job, one site-specific SWMS, QR sign-ons from your crew, and an audit trail you can show the builder.
Start 7-day free trial
A$59/month after trial · Cancel anytime · Card required, no charge if you cancel before day 7