Important Safety Tips for Working at Heights

Haz-Ed

17 September 2025

You’re considered to be working at heights if your work setup exposes a person to a risk of fall. If your role involves climbing on the roof or any elevated surface, maintaining safe systems of work can help reduce risks of injuries or accidents. Falls are the second leading cause of worker fatalities across Australia, but there are strategies you can adopt to protect your life and that of your team.

1. Assess Risks

A comprehensive risk assessment is necessary to ensure safe work at heights. Everyone at work should be aware of the associated risks at the job site, such as fall hazards. To identify them, start by asking the following:

• “What are the surfaces like?”
• “Is the area crowded or cluttered?”
• “How severe are the injuries likely to be?”
• “What is the weather like?”
• “Are there other environmental hazards present, such as wildlife or loose debris?
• “Are we using ladders or scaffolds for the job?”
• “Can potential hazards affect how certain tools function?”

Understanding the work setting helps you set up effective control measures to mitigate risks, and plan for sufficient coverage should injuries occur. Once completed, the risk assessment should be at the location throughout the project duration.

2. Choose Proper PPE for Working at Heights

In Australia, ensuring appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) if you work at height is required under the law.

Compliance starts from selecting the right equipment, that’s why it’s important to evaluate your working conditions. Each setting is unique, so the type of protection required also varies.

Research to find out which safety equipment offers the best protection. From lanyards and full-body harnesses, to fall prevention devices, each product should comply with local regulations. Costlier isn’t always better. Focus on features you need and don’t set aside functionality for comfort.

When you prioritise investing in premium equipment, you also reinforce your commitment to a safe work environment and boost employee morale.

3. Maintain PPE

Having the right equipment isn’t enough. Scheduling routine inspection and maintenance is also crucial, as constant use can result in overtime wear and tear.

These procedures should be left under the care of fall safety experts in Perth to ensure that all equipment is ready for use. But don’t skip individual checks either.

Regular users will know if something feels off and take immediate steps to correct the issue. Any damage, no matter how small, can affect how a piece of equipment functions and increase the risk of falls or injuries. Don’t delay repairs or replacements.

4. Learn Safe Use of Ladders and Scaffolds

Even a seemingly basic step ladder requires training to ensure proper use. Ladders and scaffolding must be in good working condition and set up on firm ground.

Employees must also practice the three-point-of-contact rule to avoid falls. This means “two hands, one leg” or “one hand, two legs” should always be in contact with the ladder when going up and down.

The vicinity must also be secured to protect workers and pedestrians. Access must be blocked, and appropriate warning signs must be put up if the ladder will be placed in front of a door, window, or walkway. If necessary, barricades can also be installed.

Our Work Safely at Heights Course teaches you how to use PPE and fall protection devices safely and effectively. Arming yourself with this skill avoids mistakes that can compromise worker safety.

5. Ensure Acceptable Anchor Points

Anchor points are a lifeline for workers at height. They provide a strong connection point for PPE and secure workers as they traverse elevated work settings. They’re designed to stop falls and prevent injuries and fatalities. That being said, they must be able to support expected loads, including tools and equipment.

These systems can be mounted on different surfaces and locations depending on the application. To ensure yours is right for its intended use, partner with a trained professional for testing and installation. Always go with caution. Make sure your fall protection is compliant.

6. Buddy Up

Never attempt to work alone at height, no matter how experienced you are or even if you can carry the tools you need without extra hands.

Fieldwork is already dangerous as it is, and the risks increase further if you don’t have a partner to offer immediate assistance when needed. Workers should be supervised at all times or, at the very least, have someone to look out for them while they’re on duty.

It helps to plan the work before starting, including what to do in case of an emergency. Effective work execution helps lessen the need to go up and down and lowers the risks of falls.

If, in some unfortunate instance, an accident arises, the buddy system can get medical treatment provided as quickly as possible and reduce the severity of injury.

7. Invest in Work Safely at Heights Training

As Occupational Health & Safety training and consultancy providers, we can’t stress the importance of safety training any further, that is why it is important to get certified to work safely at heights.

At risky work environments, there’s no room for complacency. It’s easy to be confused about the right way to protect yourself, so proper knowledge and skills are crucial. Not only is it required, but it can also spell the difference between life and death.

During training, you learn safe work practices, including emergency response procedures. Our Working at Heights training in Perth allows participants to experience working with a wide range of safety equipment. We also customise training programmes to suit specific workplace requirements.

Working at Heights with Confidence: Safety First Up There

Safety gets the job done and brings you back home to your loved ones.

An effective system helps prevent accidents regardless if you’re in the maintenance, construction, or utility services business. It empowers workers as they conquer heights.

Reach out to the Haz-Ed team today at (08) 9248 8099 for a consultation. Maintain a pleasant working experience in the sky for your employees.

Feel like it’s time for a Working at Heights refresher course in Perth? We can also help get your qualifications up-to-date with industry and workplace standards.