When was the last time you conducted a height safety inspection?

It’s easy to put off tasks that can be dealt with later, but when those tasks include height safety system checks there really is no excuse. Being proactive in ensuring the safety of your employees working at heights and others on site is vital – and can be a costly lesson if someone is injured due to negligence. Safe, compliant systems and procedures are all that stands between people doing their job, and severe injury.

A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has a primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers while they are at work in the business and others who may be affected by the carrying out of work, such as visitors. This includes providing any relevant instruction, training, information, and supervision.

The Working at Height Association says, unlike workers operating an elevated working platform, there is no specific licence required for those working in height safety. However, they point out that workers must be competent to work at height and in confined spaces including:

• ASNZS 1891.4 – Appendix E – Guidance for the provision of training and competency. This part of the Standard references the types of levels of training required for people to perform different roles when working at heights
• AS 2865 – Confined Spaces – Appendix D – Guidance for the provision of training and competency assessment
• Codes of Practice from regulators.

Here’s a guide to help you manage all you need to know about height safety inspection.

Why height safety inspections are important

Being compliant and safe should underpin everything that you do in the workplace. Elimination is the top level in the hierarchy of control for working at heights, meaning that if the work can be performed without working from a height, it should be. If staff or contractors need to work at heights above two metres, they will need height safety equipment as well as regular training on how to safely use it.

The Working at Height Association says that when the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated completely (by removing the need to work at height), passive and active control measures can be used (from most preferred to least preferred):

• Fall prevention
• Work positioning
• Fall arrest.

Of course, many tasks need to be performed at height, so having safe, compliant systems and procedures in place is important. However, just buying the equipment isn’t enough: staff and contractors need to be educated on how to use these systems, and on what to do in case of an emergency.

Signs you are due for a height safety inspection

Height safety inspection and certification is required at either 6 or 12 months depending on the type of materials used in the systems. If the systems are exposed to harsh environments, or where corrosion may be an issue, more frequent recertification inspections are advised.

The Australian Standard states that the maximum life of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as harnesses, lanyards, and ropes is 10 years from the date of manufacture, providing that all harness components remain in a serviceable condition during that time, and providing it passes every bi-annual inspection.

Inspections by qualified height safety experts will ensure your organisation’s systems and procedures meet the exacting requirements of Australian & New Zealand Standards and legislation.

What height safety equipment do I need for my business?

With a wide variety of specialist safety equipment available it is important to ensure your business has the right systems in place for your needs. Common safety equipment includes:

• Permanent anchor points
• Horizontal and vertical fall protection systems
• Aluminium and fiberglass ladders and walkway systems
• Fall arrest retractable blocks (inertia reels)
• Tripods and winches for confined spaces
• Personal protective equipment (PPE).

Roof safety systems offer even more specialist equipment for people working at heights including:

• Roof anchor points
• Walkway systems
• Handrail systems
• Ladder systems
• Stairs
• Safety nets

Need a tailor-made system for your specifications? We have a specialist engineering workshop and can design bespoke solutions and construct complex structures to address your height safety access issues. Get in touch with us today.