Working at heights

  • Working at heights is a high risk activity, and a leading cause of death and serious injury in Australia. 

In the construction industry, common examples of when falls from height may occur include:

  • Working from height
  • There is insufficient lighting
  • Being hit by falling objects
  • Ground surface, floors or other building surface are slippery, uneven or cluttered with building materials, power tools or equipment.
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PCBU duties
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Worker duties

You must eliminate the risks associated with working at heights so far as is reasonably practicable. If that is not possible, you must minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable. As part of this duty, you must identify hazards and assess and control the risks associated with working at heights. 

You must also consult workers, any health and safety representatives about WHS and who are or are likely to be directly affected by a health and safety matter.

If construction work involves a risk of falling more than 2 metres, this is classified as a high-risk construction work. You must prepare a safe work method statement (SWMS) before work is commenced. For more information, click here. To learn more on how to prepare and complete a SWMS, please click here to access our interactive SWMS tool.

You must consult, cooperate and coordinate with other relevant duty holders.

Your PCBU has a duty to keep you and your workplace safe from risks associated with traffic.

You also have a duty to take reasonable care of your own health and safety and that of others in the workplace including ensuring your acts and omissions don’t adversely affect others health and safety.

Comply with any reasonable instructions, policies and procedure given by your PCBU at the workplace, so far as is reasonably able to.

Risk management

PCBUs have a duty to ensure to manage the risks associated with working at heights. PCBUs must also provide safe ways to enter and exit a workplace, including any areas with a risk of a fall. 

Identify and assess hazards

You must identify and assess the workplace for any risks associated with working at heights.

Control measures

PCBUs must eliminate the risks associated with working at heights as far as is reasonably practicable. For example, by ensuing work is performed on the ground or on a solid construction.

If that is not reasonably practicable, PCBUs must minimise the risks associated with working at heights by:

  • Providing a fall prevention device e.g. barriers, scaffolding, edge protection or an elevating work platform; or
  • If it is not reasonably practicable to provide a fall prevention device, providing a work positioning system e.g. an industrial rope access system; or
  • If it is not reasonably practicable to provide a fall prevention device or a work positioning system e.g. providing a fall arrest system e.g. a safety net or catch platform.

You may need a combination of these controls to sufficiently minimise the risk. 

Note: If high-risk construction work is being carried out that involves a risk of a person falling more than two metres, a safe work method statement (SWMS) needs to be prepared. For more information on safe work method statements, please click here. Alternatively, you can also use the interactive SWMS tool to learn how to complete a SWMS. 

See Part 4.4 of the Model WHS Regulations for more information. 

Review control measures

PCBUs must review control measures to ensure they are effective in managing the risks associated with working at heights. 

For more information

Model Codes of Practice

Other resources

  • Did you know

    The WHS regulator in your state or territory can provide practical advice, resources and tools to help you be safe when working in construction. They can also let you know which WHS laws apply to you.