Solar panel cleaning SWMS, drafted for your job
Solar panels still generate electricity in daylight, and washing leaves roof surfaces and access paths wet. Tell us where the array sits and how it will be reached: the draft covers that cleaning setup, and your crew checks the panels and access before work starts.
A$39per job
However many high-risk activities it covers.
- However many high-risk activities it covers.
- 3 for A$99
- 10 for A$249
- Yearly A$129 for 120
- Monthly A$60 for 10
You review it on site before work starts.
Your Business
Safe Work Method Statement
Version 1
Draft
Solar panel cleaning
Site Your site address
Law Your state
High-risk construction work
- Work where someone could fall from height
- Work on or near energised electrical installations
Job steps, hazards and controls
| 1 | Inspect array and plan access | Damaged DC wiring and fragile roofing | High | Check array condition and choose ground-based cleaning where practicable |
| 2 | Set access and isolate equipment | Roof edges and live components | High | Confirm electrical arrangements and protect the roof access route |
| 3 | Lay out water and poles | Overhead lines and trailing hoses | High | Identify services and keep hoses off access paths |
| 4 | Wash the solar panels | Wet footing and heated glass | High | Use gentle cleaning from the designated standing area |
| 5 | Pack down and report defects | Loose hoses and damaged panels | Medium | Clear runoff paths and report faults before handback |
Illustrative first page. Yours carries your business name only.
What you get
What your solar panel cleaning SWMS will contain
An A4 document your crew can read on site, a PDF for the builder and a sign-on register.
- Job and site detailsYour business, the site, the principal contractor, the dates.
- High-risk construction workThe categories your job involves, ticked.
- Step-by-step methodEach step with its hazards, risk rating and controls.
- How controls are checkedWho puts each control in place, monitors and reviews it.
- PPE, plant and permitsEquipment and training the job needs.
- Emergency planAssembly point, first aid, nearest hospital to confirm on site.
- Consultation and reviewWho was consulted, when it is reviewed.
- Sign-on registerYour crew signs by QR or on paper.
High-risk construction work
Categories this task often involves
You tick the ones your job involves. Each ticked category gets its own steps and controls, in your state's wording.
- Work where someone could fall from height
- Work on or near energised electrical installations
State notes
Rules depend on your state
Pick your state when you start. Your state's regulator publishes the rules and guidance for this work.
Hazards and controls
What goes wrong on a solar panel cleaning job, and how the SWMS controls it
These rows are written for this task. Your draft adds the ones your site and method need.
- 1
Electric shock from damaged solar panel cables during washing
Extreme- Have damaged panels, connectors or cables assessed before cleaning proceeds
- Treat daylight DC wiring as live and keep water away from electrical connections
- 2
Falls from roof edges beside the solar array
Extreme- Clean from the ground with suitable poles where practicable
- Use protected roof access and a planned rescue method where fall protection is used
- 3
Slips on roof sheets wetted by solar cleaning runoff
High- Plan hose routing and runoff to keep access paths dry
- Stop rooftop cleaning when footing or weather makes the route unsafe
- 4
Roof or panel breakage beneath a solar cleaning worker
High- Identify fragile roof sections and establish a supported access route
- Keep workers off panels and use tools from the designated standing area
- 5
Waterfed poles contacting overhead lines near solar panels
Extreme- Identify overhead services before extending or raising cleaning poles
- Use another access method where the pole cannot stay clear of electrical hazards
- 6
Burns and glass damage when washing heated solar panels
Medium- Schedule washing when panel surfaces have cooled
- Use the panel maker's cleaning method and avoid abrupt temperature changes
How the job usually runs
- 1Inspect array and plan accessDamaged DC wiring and fragile roofing → Check array condition and choose ground-based cleaning where practicable
- 2Set access and isolate equipmentRoof edges and live components → Confirm electrical arrangements and protect the roof access route
- 3Lay out water and polesOverhead lines and trailing hoses → Identify services and keep hoses off access paths
- 4Wash the solar panelsWet footing and heated glass → Use gentle cleaning from the designated standing area
- 5Pack down and report defectsLoose hoses and damaged panels → Clear runoff paths and report faults before handback
PPE for this job
- Non-slip safety footwear
- Eye protection
- Suitable work gloves
- Sun-protective clothing
- Fall protection equipment where used
Your draft lists the PPE your site and method need.
After you finalise
Brief your crew and send it to your builder
Crew signs by QR
Send to my builder
PDF and register
Builder sent it back?
Make their changes and re-issue the same job free. Workers re-sign the new version.
Questions
Solar panel cleaning SWMS questions
- Last reviewed
- 21 October 2026
- How
- Hazard rows checked against the task; no legal line is stated unless it is logged from primary text.
- Next review
- Every six months, or when the method or rules change
Are solar panels dead when the inverter is switched off?
No. Panels can still generate DC electricity in daylight. The draft covers checking for damaged wiring and panels, confirming electrical arrangements and keeping water away from connections before cleaning.
Can the SWMS cover cleaning panels from the ground?
Yes. Describe the array position, poles and water supply. The draft covers pole handling, overhead services, hose routes and keeping people clear of the cleaning and runoff area.
How much does a solar panel cleaning SWMS cost?
Drafting is free. Finalising costs A$39 for the job, however many high-risk activities it covers. Packs and Yearly cost less per SWMS.
Is this a template?
No. You describe the job and the site, and the SWMS is drafted for them. You edit anything, then finalise it.
Who checks the SWMS?
You do, with your crew, on site before work starts. The draft gives you a strong starting point; the person running the work makes sure it matches the site.
My builder sent it back. What now?
Open it, make the changes they asked for and re-issue it. Corrections to the same job are free.
How does my crew sign it?
Show the QR code on your phone or print the A4 sign-on sheet. Workers read and sign on their own phones without an account.
Does it work in my state?
Yes. You choose the state before drafting, and the document names the law that applies there. Victoria uses its OHS Regulations.
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