Numerous incidents workers falling from heights

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MAY CONTAIN DISTRESSING CONTENT TO SOME READERS

In September 2025, an incident occurred where a young worker fell approximately eight metres through a roof landing on an item of plant in the work/factory area.

It appears the worker was lifting and walking a sheet of roofing into position as part of a team. The worker walked over the ridge-line and it appears the roof sheeting has failed under his feet.

In August 2025 an incident occurred where a young worker fell approximately eight metres through the roof onto concrete. It appears the worker was installing ridge capping on a hay shed when they have stepped onto an alsynite panel and fallen.

In July 2025, a young worker was involved in an incident when they fell approximately three metres from the first floor of a construction site to the concrete surface below. It appears that the worker was a first-year apprentice working on the first floor of a residential site undertaking carpentry duties. It appears that the worker has fallen through a void.

A further incident in July 2025 occurred involving a worker falling through a void in the construction of a two-storey domestic dwelling. It appears the worker was assisting to carry furniture up the internal stairs when they have stepped backwards into a void (lift shaft). The worker fell approximately 2.8 metres to concrete floor below.

Also in July 2025, an incident occurred involving a young worker installing safety mesh on a construction project involving the replacement of roofing materials, when it appears the worker stood on an existing polycarbonate roof sheet.

Early investigations indicate that the sheeting cracked causing the worker to fall approximately four metres to the concrete surface below.

IMPORTANT

These findings are not yet confirmed, and investigations are continuing into the exact cause.

Safety issues

Working at heights where falls could occur, particularly near live edges and falling through roofing materials, are a major cause of workplace deaths and serious injuries. The risk of injury from a fall will vary depending on:

fall control measures implemented
the height at which the work is being done
the surface directly below the work area
the angle of the working surface (for example, roof pitch)
on a slippery surface where it is difficult for people to maintain their balance (for example, wet or iced roofing sheets).

There may also be additional risk when working on or near fragile surfaces. Surfaces are likely to be fragile if they are made with:

asbestos roofing sheets
poly carbonate sheets (alsynite) or plastic commonly used in skylights
fibre cement sheets
liner panels on built-up sheeted roofs
sarking
unsecured roof sheets or panels
corroded metal sheets and fasteners.

Before working on any surface at height, inspect the surface to identify potentially fragile spots as well as corroded or damaged fixings. These issues may not be easily identifiable if the lighting is poor.

All locations and tasks where a fall from height could occur resulting in an injury should also be identified and discussed with workers to eliminate risks where possible.

Controls will need to be implemented to ensure risk of injury to a worker is managed or eliminated where possible:

on any structure or plant being constructed or installed, demolished or dismantled, inspected, tested, repaired or cleaned
on a fragile surface (e.g. poly carbonate or cement sheeted roofs, rusty metal roofs, fibre glass sheeting roofs and skylights)
on a sloping or slippery surface where it is difficult for people to maintain their balance (e.g. on glazed tiles or a metal roof that is wet from morning dew or rain)
near an unprotected open edge or internal void area (e.g. removed roof sheeting), particularly where obstructions below may present an increased risk of injury because of a fall
where the demolition or dismantling sequence is important in ensuring the surface can continue to support the worker.

Where surfaces are non-trafficable, appropriate fall prevention/protection measures should be provided and installed to prevent workers from accessing these areas.

To ensure the necessary control measures are being applied as the work progresses, an ongoing review of the work area should be carried out.

Ways to manage health and safety

Effective risk management starts with a commitment to health and safety from those who manage the business. If an incident occurs, you'll need to show the regulator that you’ve used an effective risk management process. This responsibility is covered by your primary duty of care in the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

Use the hierarchy of controls to help decide how to eliminate and reduce risks in your place of work. The hierarchy of controls ranks types of control methods from the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest. It is a step-by-step approach to eliminating or reducing risks. You must work through the hierarchy of controls when managing risks, with the aim of eliminating the hazard, which is the most effective control.

Possible control measures to prevent similar incidents

Safety issues both general and specific to the incidents are included here.

In managing the risk of falls, the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 requires specific control measures to be implemented, where it is reasonably practicable to do so. For example:

if it is construction work, then Chapter 6 of the WHS Regulation applies.
if the work meets the definition for high-risk construction work (i.e. construction work over two metres high), then a safe work method statement must be prepared as per %globals_snippet_4659_Work-Health-and-Safety-Regulation-2011. Further regulations would also then apply (e.g., Part 6.3 Division 4 Sub-division 2 ‘Falls’ which provides prescriptive control measures).

The Managing the risk of falls at workplaces Code of Practice 2021 (PDF, 3.9 MB) provides practical guidelines to meet requirements.

The most effective control measure is to eliminate the risk of a fall by working on the ground or from a solid construction. If the work on the roof cannot be carried out from ground-level or a solid construction, then you will need to, so far as is reasonably practicable, minimise the risk of a fall. Effective controls for the risk of falls from height are often made up of a combination of controls. Common control measures can include, but are not limited to:

Using an Elevating Work Platform (EWP) so workers can remain within the EWP and avoid standing on the surface. This is primarily an example of substituting the hazard for a lesser hazard. However, an EWP design may also be considered an engineering control measure and the EWP must be assessed to determine whether it is the most suitable one for the task/s.
The safe operation of EWPs also relies on safe work procedures (i.e. administrative controls), which includes ensuring operators hold the relevant High Risk Work Licence HRWL (where required) to operate the EWP.
Installing safety mesh, complying with AS/NZS 4389:2015 under the roofing and skylights and erect perimeter edge protection (complying with the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 around the perimeter of the roof. Mesh must be overlapped and secured in accordance with the instructions of the mesh manufacturer. Both safety mesh and edge protection are primarily engineering control measures that address the risk of falling through the roof or off the roof edge. However, safe systems of work need to be implemented for workers installing the safety mesh and edge protection.
Travel restraint systems intended to prevent a fall from an edge by physically restricting how close a worker can get to the edge. These systems are generally unsuitable where a fall through a roof can occur (where the roof is fragile or there is no safety mesh under the roof sheeting). They also largely rely on worker training and the worker following a safe system of work. A travel restraint system is a combination of an engineering control (system design), administrative control and personal protective equipment (PPE) (tethering lines and harness).
Fall arrest systems are the least preferred risk control measure because they do not prevent a fall occurring but arrest the fall once it has occurred. This relies on the worker being able to attach to the anchorage point prior to getting into a position where the worker could fall. The worker can still be injured, even if the fall arrest system is set up correctly (and is rated to go over an edge) and the worker's fall is arrested before they hit the ground or another obstruction. After the fall, the worker must be rescued both promptly and safely. Fall arrest systems are primarily PPE but also rely on engineering controls (anchorage point strength, harness and lanyard design) and administrative controls (making sure the lanyard is connected and not too long).

The manufacturer’s instructions should be followed for the safe operation and use of plant, machinery and/or systems engaged by the PCBU.

Note

Any administrative control measures and PPE rely on human behaviour and supervision, and used on their own, tend to be least effective in minimising risks.

The control measures you put in place should be reviewed regularly to make sure they work.

Young workers

When selecting the best way to control exposure to the risks for young workers, PCBUs should follow the risk management process set out in the How to manage work health and safety risks Code of Practice 2021 (PDF, 0.65 MB)

PCBUs must also ensure the work environment, and the way young employees do their job, is safe and healthy, regardless of the type and terms of their employment. Communication by PCBUs is important to ensure there is a positive understanding by young workers of the hazards, risks and controls with good monitoring and supervision, then confirm the risks are being managed appropriately.

Employers of young workers should:

understand their risk profile
ensure a safe and healthy workplace
provide information, training, instruction, and supervision
develop a positive workplace culture.

Consider the tasks you give to new and young workers and their skills, abilities, and experience. Before a young person begins work, a PCBU should:

identify the gaps in the worker's knowledge and assess their ability to work safely (competency should be tested)
not accept a young worker's assurance that they are experienced and competent.

It is important for young workers to actively participate in the way work health and safety is managed. This means taking induction and training seriously, using the risk management process for work tasks, and asking for help before starting a task they're not familiar with or comfortable carrying out.

Young workers should have an understanding of workplace risks, particularly the tasks being undertaken and how these risks are controlled.

More Information

If this information has caused distress, there are services to help:

Lifeline – 24/7 crisis support service, including phone, texting and chat services.
Beyond Blue – information and support for anxiety, depression and suicide prevention for everyone in Australia.
Black Dog Institute – research and resources on mental health in the workplace.
SANE – helpline service, as well as resources on mental health.

Have you been affected by a workplace fatality, illness or serious injury?

For advice and support: