When engaging in work at heights, the potential for falls is a significant concern, whether near openings, edges, or on surfaces prone to slipperiness, slopes, or instability. Even at ground level, hazards like openings, trenches, or service pits pose risks of falls. WorkCover Queensland is committed to providing guidance on staying safe in such situations.

Falls, whether from heights or at ground level into openings, trenches, or service pits, are prevalent causes of fatalities and injuries in Australian workplaces. This page specifically addresses falls from one level to another, while slips, trips, and falls cover risks on the same level, sharing contributing factors to losing balance and falling.

Inherent risks exist for workers in various scenarios, such as working on structures providing access to elevated levels, proximity to openings, edges, surfaces prone to falling through, or slippery and unstable surfaces. The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (WHS Regulation) outlines specific control measures for working at specified heights in different workplaces.

To manage fall risks effectively, WorkCover Queensland recommends collaboration between workers and management to create a safe working environment. The Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice 2021 provides valuable insights into identifying and managing fall risks.

For workers involved in tasks at heights, compliance with established safety systems and procedures is imperative. For businesses, particularly those defined as a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), the obligation is to protect workers by effectively managing health and safety risks at work. The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Part 4.4) details specific obligations for managing the risk of workers falling from one level to another.

Businesses in the construction sector must implement additional controls, as outlined under Work at Heights in Construction. Furthermore, designers, manufacturers, suppliers, importers, and installers of plant or structures share the responsibility of keeping workers safe.

Specific obligations apply to workers and businesses in the construction industry, emphasizing compliance with guidelines and safe work method statements (SWMS) to manage the risk of falls effectively. WorkCover Queensland remains dedicated to fostering a culture of safety and providing comprehensive guidance on working at heights.

Step 2: Assess the risks

Assess each risk to determine:

• the severity of the risk
• whether any existing control measures are effective
• what action you should take to control the risk
• how urgently the action needs to be taken.

You can use this risk assessment template (DOCX, 0.02 MB) to guide you and record your assessments.

You can do a single (or generic) risk assessment for different work areas or places of work if the fall hazards are the same. But you should do a separate risk assessment on each hazard if there’s any likelihood that someone might be exposed to greater, additional or different risks.

Step 3: Control the risks

There are ways to control the risks of falls. Some control measures are more effective than others. Control measures can be ranked from the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest. This ranking is known as the hierarchy of control.

You must work through this hierarchy to choose the best controls in the circumstances. This could be a single control measure or a combination of different controls. Part 4.4 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 has information about how you can control risk of falls using the following steps:

Eliminate the risk

The most effective level of control is to remove the risk. You should avoid working at heights, if it’s reasonably practicable, and do as much work as you can from the ground.

Work on solid constructions

If you can’t remove the risk by working on the ground, you need to minimise it. Prevent falls by working on solid constructions. A sold construction has:

• a surface that can support all people and things that may be located or placed on it
• an even surface and gradient that’s easy to negotiate
• barriers to prevent a fall around it’s perimeter and any openings
• a safe way to enter and exit.

Provide and maintain a safe system of work

If you can’t remove the risk, you must put in place control measures and a safe system of work. This can include, in priority order, as far as is reasonably practicable:

• a fall prevention device, for example, guard rails
• a work positioning system, for example, an industrial rope access system
• a fall-arrest system.

If it’s not reasonably practicable to provide a fall-prevention device or a work-positioning system, a combination of control measures may be necessary, for example, using a safety harness while working from a boom-type elevating work platform (EWP) within the confines of the edge-protected platform.

Note that there may still be risks of injury from a fall if you are working at ground level. Injuries from falls could be worse if workers make contact with sharp edges/protrusions, equipment that is operating or hot items. Fall hazards for workers at ground level include falling into holes like openings, trenches or service pits.

Workers can also fall on the same level. You can read more about how to manage slips, trips and falls at level. This includes controls such as:

• improving access way
• grading ground surface after rain
• good housekeeping
• highlighting trip hazards with yellow paint
• providing good lighting.

The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 has specific controls that you must put in place for construction work. You can read more about these below.

Step 4: Review control measures

You need to regularly review control measures to make sure they’re still suitable and working effectively.

In particular, you must review control measures in the following circumstances:

• when it doesn’t control the risk, for example, if a notifiable incident has happened it means that the controls in place have not been effective and must be reviewed
• before there’s a change at the workplace that will create a new or different risk
• you identify a new hazard or risk
• a consultation indicates that a review is necessary
• a health and safety representative requests a review if they reasonably believe that:
  • a circumstance mentioned above affects, or may affect, the health and safety of a member of the work group they represent
  • a control measure hasn’t been adequately reviewed in response to the circumstance.

For those engaged in construction work, additional precautions are necessary to effectively handle the risk of falls. WorkCover Queensland emphasizes that businesses in construction must implement extra measures as outlined in Part 6.3, Division 4, Subdivision 2 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011. Comprehensive information on these requirements can be found in the code of practice for managing the risk of falls at the workplace (PDF, 3.9 MB), offering practical guidelines for compliance. To ensure full compliance, it is crucial to understand and follow all relevant sections of the Regulation.

Determining the controls to be implemented hinges on factors such as the extent of the fall risk and the slope's degree if construction work is conducted on a roof. The Regulation classifies fall risks into two categories based on these considerations, as defined in Section 306C and Section 306D. WorkCover Queensland underscores the significance of adhering to these categories and adopting the appropriate controls to enhance safety measures at construction sites.

Based on these factors, the Regulation divides fall risks into two categories. Section 306C and Section 306D of the Regulation defines these categories.

Section 306C: fall risks and control measures

Section 306C of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011  applies where the risk of a fall is:

• less than 3 metres in housing construction
• less than 2 metres in other construction work or
• any construction work on a roof with a slope not over 26 degrees.

If you’re working in these conditions, before the work starts you must:

• identify all hazards that may result in a fall, or cause death or injury if someone was to fall, for example:
  • vertical reinforcing steel or the edge of a rubbish skip, a metre below a surface from which work is to be done
  • unsheeted floor bearers and joists 2 metres below a surface from which work is to be done
  • an object such as a picket fence or stack of bricks that could cause injury if a person fell on it
  • a brittle roof on which work is to be done 2m above a floor.
• assess each hazard that could cause death or injury. You can use this risk assessment template (DOCX, 0.02 MB) to guide you and record your assessments
• ensure that everyone uses the control measures implemented to prevent or minimise exposure to the risk.

If an implemented control measure is one outlined in sections 306E to 306J of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011, it must meet the requirements outlined in the Regulation.

The code of practice for managing the risk of falls at workplace (PDF, 3.9 MB) gives practical guidelines for meeting these requirements.

Section 306D: fall risks and control measures

Section 306D of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 applies where the risk of a fall is:

• over 3m in housing construction work
• over 2m in other construction work or
• any construction work on a roof with a slope over 26 degrees.

If you’re working in these conditions, you must use control measures to prevent falls whenever reasonably practicable. If it’s not reasonably practicable, you must use control measures to minimise the risk of death or injury if a fall does occur.

• edge protection (section 306E)
• a fall protection cover placed over an opening (section 306F)
• a travel restraint system (section 306G)
• fall-arresting platform (section 306H)
• fall-arrest harness system (section 306I)
• safety net (section 306J).

The control measures you put in place to eliminate or reduce risk must comply with the WHS Regulation. The code of practice for managing the risk of falls at workplace (PDF, 3.9 MB) gives practical guidelines for meeting these requirements.

WorkCover Queensland underscores the importance of integrating these administrative controls with higher-order measures for comprehensive risk control.

Should the determination be made that administrative controls are the primary approach for a particular situation, it becomes imperative to elucidate all considered control methods in the safe work method statement. This documentation should encompass both the chosen control methods and those that were deemed unsuitable.

However, when dealing with a fall risk of 2 meters or more in construction work (excluding housing construction), administrative controls alone are insufficient. Section 306D of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 stipulates the necessity to implement controls specifically designed to prevent or arrest falls in this context.

For scenarios involving a risk of falling less than 2 meters, the need for control measures remains subject to a thorough risk assessment. WorkCover Queensland emphasizes the nuanced evaluation of risks to determine the adequacy of control measures.

In the realm of construction work, a mandatory requirement is the preparation of a safe work method statement. This document is essential when addressing fall risks exceeding 2 meters in any construction work, necessitating the implementation of tailored control measures. WorkCover Queensland encourages a comprehensive and thoughtful approach to fall risk management, ensuring the well-being of workers in various construction settings.

Read more about managing the risk of falls while working on roofs in housing construction (PDF, 3.14 MB).