Safe work at heights
Falls
• Are a major cause of work related fatalities
and serious injuries in Australia.
• Within the Department, falls from height
accounts for approximately 7% of
compensable injuries.
• There are specific regulations relating to the
management of fall hazards.
Definitions
• Fall - a fall by a person from one level to
another.
• Falling object – an unsecured object (e.g. a
spanner) falling from height can cause serious
injuries if controls are not implemented to
eliminate or minimise the associated risks.
• Fall hazard means a circumstance that
exposes a worker in a workplace to a risk of a
fall that is reasonably likely to cause injury to
the worker or other person.
Legislation
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulation
2011 (Part 4.4 Falls)
• Code of Practice – Managing the risk of
falls in workplaces 2011
Key legislative elements
• Legislation applies to falls from one level to another i.e. from
any height.
• A new five-level hierarchy of controls specifically for work at
heights has replaced the generic hierarchy of controls
(elimination, substitution, engineering, PPE, administrative
controls).
• Ladders and administrative controls are now only to be used
as a last resort when it is not reasonably practicable to use
higher level controls.
• If ladders or administrative controls are used for fall hazards
over 2 metres, a record must be made of the control to be
used and a reason why higher controls were not reasonably
practicable
Department resources to assist with compliance
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Working at Heights DETE Guideline
Working at Heights Inspection Tool
Risk Assessment Template for working at height
SWMS Template for work where risk of fall is >2m
Generic heights equipment SOPs
Regional Senior Health and Safety Consultants
Note:
There is a prohibition on Department staff, students and
volunteers being on, or working on roofs at all state
school facilities
Examples of incidents in the Department
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Fell when standing on a fence and cutting down a tree
Hammer fell from storage rack, striking person’s foot
Fell off stage
Cleaning fans on a ladder, stepped back and fell
Fell off roof cleaning gutters
Standing on ladder reaching to spray wasp nest
and fell on iron gate
Fell off roof when doing roof maintenance
Standing on desk winding a high window, fell backwards
Overbalanced while standing on chair to write on the
blackboard
Hanging artwork in room, fell backwards off a desk
What is a fall hazard?
A fall hazard is an anything that
exposes a worker or another
person to the risk of a fall that
may injure them.
Common Fall Hazards in the Department
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Retrieving items from the roofs (e.g. balls, shoes)
Cleaning roof gutters
Cleaning high windows, fans
Changing light bulbs
Opening/closing out of reach windows
Hanging classroom displays
Accessing items on high shelving
Common Fall Hazards cont…
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Easy access to roofs (poor design)
Working on roofs
Using ladders
Working on fragile, slippery or sloping surfaces
What is a risk assessment?
A risk assessment process aims to remove fall hazards or
reduce the level of their risk by adding precautions to
keep you and others safe.
The process is:
• Identify fall hazards.
• Evaluate the risk associated with any
hazards.
• Determine appropriate ways to eliminate
or control the hazard.
By controlling the risks, you have created a safer work
environment for you and others.
Control Measures for Fall Risks
• Follow the Five Level Hierarchy of
Controls…….(Level 1 is safest, Level 5
the least effective).
• Work your way down the hierarchy when
deciding on control measures. Only
move to a lower level where it is not
“reasonably practicable” to use a higher
order control.
• Allocate budget and resources to ensure
that falling hazards are eliminated or
minimised.
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Five Level Hierarchy of Controls
Level 1: Perform the work on the ground or on a solid
construction.
Level 2: Use a passive fall prevention device
e.g. cherry picker, install guard rails, mobile scaffold.
Level 3: Use a work positioning system
e.g. a travel restraint system
Level 4: Use a fall arrest system
Level 5: Use a ladder or administrative control
Level 1 – the best control measures
Level 1: Perform Work from Ground
or Solid Construction
Ask yourself:
Do I really need top work at height?
If you don’t need to go up, then don’t!
Examples:
• Use a long handled device to clean high
windows, gutters, change signboards etc.
• Use a contractor to complete work
Level 2: Passive Fall Prevention Device
Passive devices are used for
temporary work at heights
and are designed to prevent
workers from falling.
Once in place they do not
require any further
adjustment by workers using
the device.
CONTRACTOR ONLY
Level 3: Work Positioning System
These systems involve the use of
equipment that allows a person to work
supported in a harness under tension in
such a way that a fall is prevented.
Example
• A skilled contractor uses a travel restraint
system when performing work on a roof
Level 4 systems minimise injury once a fall
has occurred rather than avoiding it in the
first place. They should NOT be used
unless:
• the operator is trained, has a high level of
skill, and undertakes ongoing training.
• systems undergo regular inspection.
• there is at least one other competent
person present to perform a rescue in case
of a fall.
CONTRACTOR ONLY
Level 4: Fall Arrest System
Level 5: Use a Ladder or
Administrative Controls
These options may only be considered if it is not
reasonably practicable to use any of the higher order
controls.
Ladders should only be used:
•as a work platform for light work of short
duration.
•if they are manufactured for industrial use
and have a load rating of ≥120kg.
Many falls take place when people are working
from ladders
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Level 5: Use a Ladder or
Administrative Controls
Administrative controls are also Level 5 controls.
These are systems of work or work procedures
that help to reduce the exposure of employees to
fall hazards where it is not reasonably practicable
to use higher level controls.
They may also be used to support other control
measures that are put in place.
Training
• Employees should be trained in safe operations
before attempting to do any activities involving fall
hazards.
• Training is to be commensurate with the level of risk
and types of controls to be used.
• Some plant, machinery and activities require specific
training and licencing. Eg: erection of scaffold.
Department risk management processes
Work at Heights Task
Required Actions
Any activity that involves being on, or working on
any roof at any state school facility.
Do not proceed. Being on, or working on any roof at any state
school facility is prohibited for all school staff, students and
visitors.
Activities where you already know the risks and
know how to control them.
Review and adhere to an existing risk assessment or Safe
Work Method Statement (SWMS) or Safe Operating Procedure
(SOP).
A new activity or a significant change to an
existing activity that involves a fall hazard of less
than 2 metres.
Tasks that involve fall hazards of 2 metres or
more above the ground (measured from the feet).
OR
Tasks that involve fall hazards of 1.5 metres below
ground level (measured from the feet).
Complete and adhere to a risk assessment.
Apply the hierarchy of control starting at level 1 (elimination).
If ladders are used, you must state why you are not using a higher
level control.
Complete and adhere to a Safe Work Method Statement
(SWMS)
Develop and adhere to any SOPs relevant to the safe
completion of the task e.g. for plant and equipment, pre-start
procedures.
Common example – gutter cleaning
• Identify and remove tree
branches that are
located too close to
buildings and result in
leaves etc. blocking
gutters.
• Can you install good
quality gutter guard
to eliminate the need
to clean gutters?
Common example – high shelves
• Use a long handled device to retrieve
balls/bags/shoes on the roof or out of reach
items on high shelves
Common example – high
windows/lights
• Can high windows be opened
using a long handled tool or
device?
• Avoid opening high windows if
they are difficult to access
• Can you use a step platform ladder
instead of a step ladder?
Key Messages
• Eliminate the need to perform tasks that expose
persons to a risk of falling
• The new Five Level Hierarchy of Controls is to be
followed to decide upon control measures
• Stay off ladders if at all possible – they should be used
as a last resort
• Under no circumstances should chairs, tables, shelves
etc. be used to gain access to heights.
• Only persons who have been trained and who are
deemed to be competent should perform activities that
involve fall hazards.
• Allocate budget and resources to ensure that fall
hazards are eliminated or minimised