High-Risk Construction Work list (HRCW)
The full HRCW list for Australian builders: 18 categories under WHS Regulation 291. See which activities require a SWMS before work starts.
Ask Chalkline about this →This page is a reference pointer. The full, detailed article on the 18 High-Risk Construction Work categories lives at HRCW: The 18 High-Risk Construction Work categories.
What is the HRCW list?
High-Risk Construction Work (HRCW) is a defined legal category under Australian WHS law. The list of 18 HRCW categories is set out in reg 291 of the model WHS Regulations, adopted across NSW, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT, and NT. Victoria uses its own equivalent at reg 322 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017.
If any task on your site falls into one of the 18 categories, a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) must be prepared and in place before work starts.
Go to the full article
The canonical article covers:
- All 18 HRCW categories with residential construction examples
- The SWMS obligation: what it requires and how long to keep it
- Victoria’s 19-category equivalent under reg 322
- South Australia’s fall-height variation (3 m until 1 July 2026, then 2 m)
- What HRCW does and does not cover (including the difference between HRCW and High-Risk Work licences)
Read it here: HRCW: The 18 High-Risk Construction Work categories