Putting fall risks at the forefront of planning the sequencing of your construction activities is a good place to start in mitigating the risks of falling from heights. When working at heights, planning ahead is the most important thing you can do to prevent falls. WorkSafe ACT provides a useful safety advice on their website with easy-to-follow guidance. Link
So how do we prevent falls from height on our residential sites?
Responsibility:
- Primary Responsibility: Ensure safety of anyone on the worksite. This is achieved through planning, good communication, training & instruction
- Consultation and Coordination: All PCBUs must consult, coordinate, and cooperate where responsibilities overlap. (e.g. builder & subcontractors)
Specific Duties:
- Clients: Must consult with designers and builders to ensure safety from hazards like falls.
- Designers: Identify and eliminate fall hazards through design modifications.
- Workers: Must follow safety instructions and training to avoid risks
Risk Management for Falls
- Less than 2 Metres: Adopt a risk management approach to prevent falls.
- 2 Metres or More: Identify hazards, provide physical fall prevention, and develop a safe work method statement
- Most common risk areas: Window / door and stairwell voids, roofs, balconies, ladders,
Planning and Equipment
- Identify Fall Hazards: Use inspections, task analysis, and accident investigation.
- Control Risks: Eliminate hazards where possible and use the hierarchy of control.
- Equipment: Ensure correct selection, use, and maintenance of equipment.
Fall Prevention in Residential Construction
- Training and Information: Provide sufficient training and information to all workers.
- Checklist: Use a checklist to ensure all safety measures are in place.
Hierarchy of Control for Fall Prevention
- Eliminate the Hazard: Work on the ground or from solid construction.
- Passive Fall Prevention Devices: Use scaffolds, perimeter screens, step platforms, guard railings, mast climbing platforms, trench protection, work boxes, safety mesh, or purlin trolleys.
- Work Positioning Systems: Implement total restraint systems or industrial rope access systems.
- Fall Injury Minimisation Systems: Use catch platforms or full-arrest systems.
- Ladders/Administrative Controls: Use only when no better options are available.
If you are interested in learning more about safety risk management MBAs next short course on WHS risk management for supervisors and managers is on 20 May 2025; And
Working at Heights training courses are run regularly.
