Working at Height Safety: Rules & Checklist

Falls from height remain one of the biggest causes of death and serious injury in construction. Most are preventable with proper planning and the right controls.

The hierarchy of control

Work through the options in order:

1. Avoid working at height where you can — do it from the ground.
2. Prevent falls using existing safe places of work or collective protection like guardrails and platforms.
3. Minimise the distance and consequences of a fall with nets, airbags, or personal fall-arrest systems.

Collective protection (protects everyone) always beats personal protection (protects one person) where it's reasonably practicable.

Before work starts

• Plan the task and pick the right access equipment
• Check the weather — wind and ice change the risk
• Confirm equipment is inspected and in date
• Make sure workers are trained and competent
• Brief everyone on the method and rescue plan

Common failure points

Unsecured ladders, overreaching, missing edge protection, fragile roof surfaces, and untested anchor points cause a large share of incidents. Each is checkable before work begins.

Verify controls on site

A plan only works if the controls are actually in place when work starts. A quick on-site check — guardrails up, equipment tagged, anchors tested — closes the gap. SiteAudit lets you run a working-at-height check with photo evidence before anyone goes up.