Working at heights

A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) at a workplace must manage risks to health and safety associated with a fall by a person from one level to another that is reasonably likely to cause injury to the person or any other person. (This does not apply to horse riding).

Falling from a height is a serious risk when repairing, maintaining or gaining access to:

• silos
• windmills
• towers
• sheds/barns
• mezzanine floors
• other structures.

Risks

When you are working high above the ground it is important to think about the risks including:

• height of the work
• guard rails or other edge protection
• roof pitch and surface conditions
• weather conditions like wind strength
• complexity of task.

Controls

To prevent anyone falling, the following controls should be put in place:

• alternatives to working at height e.g. fill feed silos pneumatically from the feed supply truck
• erect edge protection or guard rails
• place a fall protection cover over an opening
• provide a travel restraint or fall-arrest harness system
• provide an industrial safety net.

Ladders

Ladders should not be used when working at a height. Follow advice for the safe use of ladders when undertaking construction work in Pt 6.3 Div 4 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011.

The type of work that can be safely performed on a ladder is limited. Scaffolding or an elevating work platform provides a much safer way to work at heights.