Identifying Fall Hazards and Risk Assessment

Haz-Ed

24 September 2025

Your safety is our priority at Haz-Ed. We are with you every step of the way as you protect your employees against workplace hazards.

Understanding the potential dangers you are exposed to will help you implement an effective risk management process. These are the steps we consider as we identify hazards and assess and control risks. You can also incorporate them in your checklist:

1. Identify the Risk

Hazards are anything that could cause harm to you or anyone in the workplace. They could be an object or a particular spot where you are carrying out work.

A hazard can be easily visible or difficult to identify, so you need to be thorough when looking around. We understand this task can be tedious, so we have listed key areas to pay attention to:

Surfaces

• How do the surfaces feel? Are they likely to cause slips, trips, and falls?
• Are there changes in surface elevation or texture?
• Does the surface feel stable and strong?

Levels

• Are there chances of falling from one level to another?
• Are there sloping surfaces?
• Is the ground uneven? Will it be sturdy enough to support a work platform?

Structures

• How stable are temporary and permanent structures?

Working Areas

• How will you assess entrance and exit points?
• Is the job site crowded or cluttered?

Edges

• Are there protections in place for open edges of roofs or floors, among many others, where a fall can occur?

Holes, Openings, or Excavations

• Is there guarding for potential hazards?

Hand Grip

• Is sufficient hand grip installed in areas where maintaining grip can be challenging or may be lost?

2. Assess the Risk

Being aware of the risks in your workplace helps you to determine how likely a fall can occur and how badly it could hurt a person.

We know this is easier said than done, but taking the time can help you plan the safest way to complete a task. Preventive measures can be observed where necessary. We recommend the following steps when analysing risks of a fall.

1. How many employees can be exposed to potential injuries?
2. How often is the hazard likely to occur?
3. How severe can the injuries become?

Our team also recommend considering the following for your fall hazards and risk assessment:

• List activities and movements employees take around the workplace.
• Study the design and layout of elevated work settings. Note the distance of a potential fall.
• Determine how close employees are exposed to unprotected or unsafe locations, particularly where loads are placed on elevated work settings.
• Check to see if work areas have sufficient lighting and offer clear vision.
• Verify if the plant and all fall prevention equipment are inspected and maintained.
• See if weather conditions can result in slippery surfaces.
• Do the employees have the right footwear?
• Are they using the right ladder for their application? How are the ladders being used?
• Are employees trained and qualified for the tasks they are performing?
• Did employees receive proper safety training?
• Is everyone aware of emergency situations that may arise around the workplace?

3. Control the Risk

After identifying and assessing the risk, the next step is to implement some control measures. If it is not possible to eliminate a hazard, you can take steps to make it less harmful. We recommend mentoring and reviewing risk control measures regularly to see if they are still effective and if updates are necessary.

• Design and build structures with fall prevention in mind. For example, fall prevention devices, such as guard rails, should be incorporated into the plan.
• See if a work positioning system, such as an industrial rope access system, is suitable.
• An elevated work space may also benefit from a fall arrest system that includes the use of safety harnesses.
• Identify the safest way to approach an activity to reduce the risks of a fall.
• If possible, do jobs that pose fall hazards on the ground.
• Plan your schedule to reduce contact with pedestrians and minimise risk of a fall for them as well as your employees.
• See to it that all employees undergo work safety training.

Related Course: Work Safely at Heights Course

At Haz-Ed, we advise reviewing the purpose, suitable nature, and duration of a task. Safety measures should also be assessed regularly and safe work procedures must be enforced among employees.

1. Set work procedures on installing, using, and observing control measures.
2. Educate employees on risk control. Include emergency response and rescue in your training.
3. Workers that are exposed to risk of a fall must be supervised by a skilled colleague.