Keep Your Workers Safe: Fall Prevention in Construction

Prevent Falls from Heights on Construction Sites

Falls from heights are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. There have been five fatalities and almost 500 injury claims caused by falls from heights during the last 12 months. Ladders, stair voids and roofs are the most common places workers fall from.

Employers are required to implement risk controls to protect their employees from the risk of falling from heights. They also need to implement the highest level of safety controls, where possible.

Levels of Safety Controls

There are five levels of safety controls that you can apply to any site work that contains a fall risk. 

Level 1 offers the highest level of protection, by simply eliminating the risk altogether. This can be achieved by:

• Working at ground level or on solid construction
• Using long-handled tools
• Using extension poles for tools.

Level 2 requires you to employ fall prevention devices, such as:

• Scaffolding
• Guard railing
• Elevated work platforms.

Level 3 requires workers to be fully trained in the use of work positioning systems such as:

• Industrial rope access
• Travel restraint systems.

Level 4 does not prevent falls, instead, it arrests them. At this level, you would utilise:

• Industrial safety nets
• Catch platforms
• Safety harnesses.

As with Level 3, workers must be fully trained in the safe use of this equipment.

Level 5 involves the use of a ladder. However, since 43% of falls from heights in construction are caused by a ladder, it’s important to take the following steps to ensure safety:

• Step 1: Ensure it is fit for purpose
• Step 2: It is appropriate for the duration of the task
• Step 3: It is set up in the correct manner

Educate yourself and your workers on the five levels of safety controls that you can apply to any site that contains a fall risk and safeguard against any injuries or fatalities caused by falls from heights on your site.

WorkSafe has created a series of resources below to help employers in implementing risk controls for falls from heights. 

• Falls checklist 
• Falls video 
• Falls guidance
• Top Tips videos

Learn more at: www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/falls-from-heights

If you want to know about WorkSafe initiative, explore the blog “Young Worker Safety & Employer OHS Obligations“. For more information about fall prevention in construction, check out our blog “Will You Be the Next to Fall to Your Death?“.