Play it SAFE

WORKING
AT
HEIGHT
A guide to
reducing the
risks of injury
while working
at height
Play it SAFE
WORKING
AT
HEIGHT
Please note

This information is for guidance only and is not to be taken as an

expression of the law. It should be read in conjunction with the
Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995, the Workplace Health and
Safety Regulations 1998 and any other relevant legislation. Copies
of the legislation can be purchased from Print Applied Technology:
call (03) 6233 3289 or freecall 1800 030 940. It is also available on
the Internet at www.thelaw.tas.gov.au

This guide was produced by staff from WorkCover Tasmania and

Workplace Standards Tasmania.

We welcome your feedback on this guide.

Send to: wstinfo@justice.tas.gov.au
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 4

Who is at Risk? ................................................................................................................ 5

How to Manage the Risks of Falls from Height ................................................. 6

Hazard Control Sequence...........................................................................................11

What Else Do I Need to Know?...............................................................................12

Hazard Identification/Risk Assessment Checklist ...........................................14

Further Information .....................................................................................................16

 Introduction
This guide is aimed mainly at small business and sub-contractors who are engaged
in work where there is a risk of falling.

Elevated work is by its very nature hazardous. The degree of risk is often
exacerbated by the lack of proper pre-works planning and the conditions under
which the work is carried out.

Falling from height often results in serious incapacity or fatality. Even

when not fatal, these injuries very often have a serious impact on the
victim’s future working life and family life.

Statistics indicate that for every recorded injury there have

been several incidents reported. Pay attention and act on
these warnings — they may save your life.

Where an unacceptable risk to the safety of the worker

exists, suitable controls must be introduced to remove or
reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

Where there is a risk of injury from falling, protection should

be provided (such as scaffolds, guard rails, harnesses). If the
type of work makes it difficult for the worker to be fully
aware of the location of say, a platform edge, or where a person could fall into or
onto something dangerous, fall protection should be provided regardless of the
height. Examples include welding, oxy-acetylene cutting and other work involving
restricted vision.

This guide provides practical information on how to prevent falls from height.

4 Working at Height
Who is at Risk?
Everyone at a worksite can be at risk, whether they be a worker, a visitor to the
site, a supervisor, or even an architect. Injuries can result from:

• any elevated work (for example, maintenance, window cleaning, installing

television aerials, placing insulation in roofs, or demolition work)
• work near unprotected open edges of floors or roofs
• work near unprotected penetrations or openings in roofs, floors or walls
• work near unguarded shafts or excavations
• work near or from unstable structures (temporary or permanent)
• work on, or near, fragile or brittle surfaces (for example, cement sheeting roofs,
fibreglass sheeting roofs and skylights)
• work where someone could fall into
water, acid or poisonous solutions
• work where someone could fall onto
sharp or projecting objects such as exposed
reinforcing steel, a picket fence, broken glass
• work where tools, equipment or material could
be dropped onto someone below.
Note: Unless a roof has been positively confirmed
as being metal sheeted and in sound condition, it
should be treated as being a brittle or fragile roof
and the risk control measures recommended in
this guide should be used.

Working at Height 5
 HOW TO MANAGE THE RISKS
OF FALLS FROM HEIGHTS

What do I need to do first?

Before work starts on a roof or any elevated worksite from which anyone could
fall, or when any work process involving height is changed, the person in charge
needs to:

• identify all tasks that could involve someone falling

• identify any objects that could fall onto someone
• identify anything dangerous that anyone could fall into or onto
• identify any other risks to workers (such as heat, cold, obstructions)
• identify any risks to the general public.

What equipment is generally involved?

Working at height generally involves using equipment such as:

• ladders
• boards or similar equipment for use on roofs
• electrical equipment, cables and other machinery and tools
• scaffolds or perimeter guard railing
• other temporary work platforms, such as elevated work platforms and gantries
• other means of fall prevention involving personal protective equipment, i.e.
temporary anchorage points, static lines, shock absorbing lanyards and full
body harnesses.

The use of fixed scaffolds and perimeter guard railing is safer than temporary work
platforms. This is because fixed scaffolds and perimeter guard rails are secured to
the structure, are not moved, and once in place, do not require operation by the
worker. However, the choice between scaffolds, guard rails and other temporary
work platforms will depend on a number of factors, including conditions at the
site, the nature of the work and the tasks being performed.

6 Working at Height
How do I control the risks?

Just like any other important health and safety function, methods of managing
the risks associated with the work must be assessed.

It is prudent to have written safe work procedures (particularly on large worksites),

as they let everyone know what is required. Safe work procedures should be
assessed and developed in consultation with all workers (sub-contractors included)
and should be available to everyone involved with the work. Standard procedures
may be suitable for most work: however, unusual conditions such as high winds
or architectural features may require additional specific procedures.

Supervisors and workers must make sure that safe work procedures are followed
at all times and that they are revised when necessary (for example, with changing
weather conditions).

The procedures should include the requirement for head and foot protection
(such as hardhats and appropriate footwear) and whether a notice to this effect
is to be displayed at the entrance to the site. You must decide whether to prohibit
entrance to the site by anyone not wearing these safety items.

You can control the risks by following four simple steps. These steps can be easily
remembered by the word SAFE, which stands for:

Working at Height 7
 A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause injury, illness or damage to your
health. The first step to ensuring safety while working at height is to identify hazards.

All work to be carried out at height must be assessed by a competent person,

taking into account all elements that could affect the health and safety of workers
and anyone else involved.

Any of the following elements could be a potential hazard and should be considered.
• The condition of the roof: the pitch, whether it is slippery or reflective, and the
capacity of the working surface to support the intended load.
• The training and experience of workers: new or inexperienced workers may be
involved and may need additional supervision.
• The weather conditions: heavy rain, high winds, intense heat and sun.
• The site conditions: poor lighting can make unguarded edges and openings
difficult to see.
• Anchorage points for the attachment of safety harnesses.
• The width of the work area.
• Obstructions in the work area caused by equipment, building materials, tools
and rubbish.
• Uneven work surfaces.
• Wet, oily, glazed or otherwise slippery work surfaces.
• The extent and type of work to be undertaken.
• Unstable objects such as sheets of plaster that may be caught by the wind.
• Large and heavy equipment that may need to be raised to the work surface.
• The necessity to move from one height to another.
• The number and movement of people on site.
• Inadequate safety systems: no procedures for performing tasks safely or for
using personal protective equipment.
• The possibility of debris or objects falling onto someone.
• The possibility of someone falling into or onto something dangerous.
• The lack of or inadequacy of warning notices.

Make a list of all the hazards you find. The hazard checklist you create will help
you assess and control the risk associated with each hazard. This can be used when
doing future hazard checks. A sample hazard checklist is included in this guide.
You can use the sample to create a checklist specifically for your workplace.

8 Working at Height
Risk is the likelihood of a hazard actually causing injury, illness or damage to your
health.

Your checklist may be surprisingly long, with some hazards posing more safety
risks than others. That’s why it is necessary to determine which hazards are more
serious than others, so you can start dealing with those ones first.

To assess the risk associated with hazards you have identified, ask these questions:

What is the potential impact of the hazard?

• How severe could an injury or illness be?

• What is the worst possible damage the hazard could cause to someone’s health?
• Would it require simple first aid only? Or cause permanent ill health or
disability? Or could it kill?

How likely is the hazard to cause someone harm?

• Could it happen at any time or would it be a rare event?

• How frequently are workers exposed to the hazard?

Some other points to consider:

• How many people are exposed to the risk?

• Sometimes it may be the amount of time workers spend on an activity that
creates the safety risk, rather than the nature of the work task itself, (for
example, prolonged exposure to hot sun could cause dizziness).
• Everyone is different. A hazard may pose more risk to some people than others
because of differences in physical strength, experience and training.

To help you assess the risks you have identified, number each hazard (with 1 being
the most urgent hazard to resolve).

You should consider if you need help from a qualified

professional to do your risk assessment.

Working at Height 9
 Once you have identified the hazards and assessed the risk, you need to think
about how you can fix the cause of each identified risk. This step in the process is
also known as ‘risk control’.

Some problems may be fixed easily. Others will require more effort and planning.
Focus on the most urgent hazards — without ignoring the simpler ones. For
example, you can quickly and easily replace a frayed electrical cord, while working
out solutions to a more complex hazard.

When it comes to controlling risk, some methods are more effective than others.
For example, it is far better to make sure there are no obvious objects that can fall
onto people than to put up a sign warning of falling objects.

Hazards and risks need to be managed continuously. The level of risk associated
with a hazard can vary greatly due to environmental changes (such as the
weather); the time of the year; and the intensity of the worksite (for example,
pressures such as deadlines).

Review your safety solutions regularly to make sure they are effective. It is
important to make sure your controls do not introduce new hazards.

To assess the success of your risk control methods, talk to everyone involved and
consider the types of accidents that have occurred in your industry. Be sure to talk
with those affected by the changes and include them in any modifications to their
work or work routines. It is also essential to consider training.

During each of the SAFE steps, employers, managers, contractors and workers
need to communicate with each other and work together. Everyone in your
workplace has a legal responsibility for workplace health and safety. Penalties for
not doing the right thing can range up to $150,000.

10 Working at Height
Hazard Control Sequence
Once you have identified hazards and assessed the risks, there are six types of hazard
control methods that you can follow. Use the following control sequence to help you
decide which is the most suitable for each particular hazard you have identified.

You must use the highest ranked control that is practical, with the first here being
the most effective. Lower-ranked controls should be used only as a last resort, or
until a more effective method can be implemented. Sometimes using more than
one control measure may be the most effective solution.

1 Eliminate the hazard — remove it completely. For example, some work

may be carried out at ground level eliminating the need for that task being
carried out at height.
If this is not practical, then
2 Substitute the hazard — with a safer alternative. There may be
equipment available which is safer and easier to use than the equipment you
already have. Old, unsafe equipment should be discarded.
If this is not practical, then
3 Isolate the hazard — away from workers as much as possible. For
example, install barriers to restrict access to hazardous work areas such as
stairwells.
If this is not practical, then
4 Use engineering controls — adapt tools or equipment to reduce the risk.
For example, use a builder’s hoist to lift heavy loads.
If this is not practical, then
5 Use administrative controls — change work practices and organisation.
For example, rotate jobs to reduce the time workers spend in bad weather
conditions.
If this is not practical, then
6 Use personal protective equipment (PPE)
This should be the last option after you have considered all the other options
for your workplace. Hand, eye and head protection should be appropriate and
correctly used.

Working at Height 11
 WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?

Hazards of Powerlines

You may need to obtain written permission

from Aurora Energy if you plan to work close
to overhead powerlines. If in any doubt, call Aurora
Energy on 132 004.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE such as hand, eye and head protection should

be appropriate for the job and must be correctly
used. Hardhats and safety footwear are essential
for everyone working on a building site. On some
worksites, PPE may also be essential for visitors.

Harnesses, safety lines, and inertia reels must comply

with relevant standards, and training must be
provided.

You must also think about rescue techniques in the

event of a fall into a safety harness. Research has
shown that when a worker falls and is restrained
by a full fall arrest harness, death can follow quickly
if rescue does not occur within a very short space of time. In a number of test
cases, as little as 5 minutes is all that was recorded before the onset of shock and
unconsciousness.

First Aid

The employer is responsible for ensuring that his workers have access to first aid
facilities and know who is the nominated first aid officer (where one exists). The
first aid officer must be trained and hold a current first aid certificate.

First aid facilities should include access to a telephone and a list of emergency
telephone numbers. First aid supplies must be regularly checked and kept up to date.

12 Working at Height
Working Alone

It is not good practice for a worker to work in isolation. If a worker were to fall
from a roof or structure while alone, the injuries received may prevent them from
getting help. An accountable person must ensure (where practicable) that an
appropriate system is provided to reduce the health and safety risks for anyone
working alone. Normally, some kind of regular communication is provided, to
ensure the person working in isolation is always safe.

Warning Signs

While work at height is being carried out, adequate warning signs and/or
barricades should be provided where there is a risk of anyone being injured
by materials or equipment falling from the work area. Barricades should be
continuous and readily visible to prevent unauthorised people (including
children) from slipping through.

Access

Safe access in to and out of the work area must be provided.

Tidiness

Work areas must be kept in a clean and tidy

condition and rubbish must be removed
regularly. Rubbish should not be thrown
from a height to the ground. A safe
means of removal must be used.

Working at Height 13
 HAZARD IDENTIFICATION/RISK
ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST

Date

Assessed by
Management Representative

Health and Safety Representative

Others consulted

Are construction, demolition, maintenance, or cleaning tasks being performed

above ground level?

Are workers exposed to unprotected open edges of floors or roofs?

Are workers near unprotected openings in roofs, floors or walls?

Are workers near unguarded shafts or excavations?

Are tasks being carried out on unstable temporary or permanent structures?

Are tasks being carried out on or near fragile or brittle surfaces (for example,
on cement sheeting roofs or near skylights)?

Have heavy loads been placed on elevated work surfaces?

Is the ground supporting scaffolds, elevated work platforms and similar plant
soft and uneven? Is there a possibility that the plant may collapse or subside?

Is the raised work surface too small to work freely?

Is the raised work surface uneven (for example, because of odd-sized planks
used in scaffolding)?

Does the slope of the elevated work surface lead to a risk of falling?

14 Working at Height
Are tools, work materials and rubbish cluttering raised work surfaces?

Are raised work surfaces wet, oily, glazed or otherwise slippery?

Is it possible for a worker to fall into or onto something dangerous?

Is there a danger of objects falling onto people below?

Are workers working at height near energy sources such as electricity?

Are workers required to manually handle tools and materials above ground
level (for example, sheets of plasterboard that may be caught by the wind)?

Are new and inexperienced workers working at height?

Are workers required to move from one surface to another while working at
height (for example, from access ladder to roof, or from roof to scaffolding)?
Is more than one contractor on site while work at height is being
performed?
Are workers working at height exposed to bad weather conditions (such as
heavy rain or wind)?

Are raised work surfaces poorly lit?

If you have ticked one or more of the above,

you should take steps to control the risk.

Note: This checklist is not comprehensive and

therefore it may not be adequate for all worksites.
Employers should identify any other hazardous tasks
or conditions that may result in a fall from heights

Working at Height 15
 Further Information

Codes of practice

The two codes of practice Managing the Risk of Falling in Housing Construction
(COP003) and Working at Height in Commercial Construction (COP004) are
available from:

• the Printing Applied Technology: call (03) 6233 3289 or freecall 1800 030 940
• the Housing Industry Association: call (03) 6234 8922
• the Master Builders’ Association: call (03) 6234 3810
They can also be viewed at the Workplace Standards Tasmania website. Go to
www.wst.tas.gov.au and search for COP003 and COP004.

Workplace Standards Tasmania

For other publications about workplace health and safety, including those
aimed at the construction industry, call the Workplace Standards Helpline on
1300 366 322. You can also go to the website at www.wst.tas.gov.au

Information from other states

• Victorian WorkCover Authority — Code of Practice for Prevention of Falls in

General Construction. For a free copy, go to www.workcover.vic.gov.au and
choose “forms and publications”, then choose the “codes of practice” link to start
your search. Also freecall 1800 136 089.
• WorkSafe Western Australia — Code of Practice for the Prevention of Falls at
Workplaces. For a free copy, go to www.docep.wa.gov.au and choose “WorkSafe”,
then “Publications” then “Codes of Practice”. Also freecall 1300 307 877.

Information from the Victorian WorkCover Authority’s Guidance Note on the Prevention of Falls in
Construction Work (no longer available) was used in this publication.

16 Working at Height
 For more information contact
Workplace Standards Tasmania
Phone: 1300 366 322 (within Tasmania)
(03) 6233 7657 (outside Tasmania)
Fax: (03) 6233 8338
Email: wstinfo@justice.tas.gov.au

HOBART 30 Gordons Hill Road, PO Box 56, Rosny Park 7018

LAUNCESTON Henty House, 1 Civic Square, Launceston 7250
BURNIE Reece House, 46 Mount Street, PO Box 287, Burnie 7320

GB109 ISBN: 978 1 876712 17 1

Revised April 2008