23 Jun Working at heights regulations in Victoria
Australia takes worker health and safety seriously, which is why we have worker height safety regulations in each state. In Victoria, employers must adhere to clear regulations and requirements, such as using height safety equipment, or risk receiving fines and other penalties.
Working at heights can increase the chances of injury and even result in fatalities, so it is clear just how important meeting the requirements is. In this article, we’ll detail the safety expectations employers must meet, along with the different steps they can take to ensure they meet safety standards.
For help navigating fall risks and height safety equipment, contact our team at Australian Height Safety Services today.
What is a fall risk?
Officially, a fall risk refers to any location of more than two metres in height where a worker may fall. This should be applied to a number of different locations, not simply working at higher levels.
Workers who need to use ladders, work on taller trucks, or even access shelving are also required to follow height regulations. Similarly, working over pits and holes also requires employers and workers to take steps to ensure safety and reduce the risk of falls.
The impact of a fall
Falls from a height can cause serious harm to workers. Many experience fractures, spinal injuries, and even brain damage, all of which can cause lifelong consequences. Depending on how high the worker is and their landing, a fall may even result in death.
In Australia, from 2021 to 2022, 42.9% of injury deaths were caused by falls. Likewise, from 2022 to 2023, 43.4% of injury hospitalisations were also caused by falls. Falling makes up almost half the amount of serious injuries across Australia, emphasising the need to take this issue seriously.
Employee obligations
According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, employers are responsible for reducing or eliminating fall risks in their workplace. If there is a fall risk of more than two metres in the workplace, it must first be identified.
Employers should then take steps to attempt to eliminate the need to work at heights. If working at heights is necessary, employers will then need to ensure all other safety considerations have been made.
Depending on what is a viable addition to the space, the employer must implement a passive fall prevention device. This will likely involve roof guardrails and roof walkway systems to help secure the area. A work positioning system is also required to ensure workers cannot, or have limited access to, dangerous areas.
Where possible, fall arrest systems should also be employed. These catch workers to prevent the impact of a fall. Finally, the employer should utilise administrative control to further limit access and enforce safety measures along with other height safety equipment, such as ladders.
The fall prevention process
1. Identification
Identifying risk is key to mitigating risk. If people are unaware of an area’s safety concerns, they may not know how to act accordingly and put themselves at further risk of harm. Areas that may involve a fall include:
- Any time a worker must stand on a structure or machinery.
- Working on or accessing higher levels.
- Work near an unprotected edge, such as a pit.
- Work on slippery or sloping surfaces.
2. Fall prevention systems
Once you understand what areas pose a risk, you must then employ different fall prevention systems based on your needs. The first step should be to secure the area as much as possible. This will likely involve using:
Each of these pieces of equipment helps by limiting access. The rails and walkways offer additional stability and create safer working areas. Meanwhile, the roof access hatch reduces the additional risk of an open accessway that others may fall into.
Next, workers should use fall arrest systems. These are usually harnesses that are attached by rope or cabling to roof anchor systems that are bolted into place. A worker will wear the harness at all times, and if they fall, the cable will arrest their movement, helping to reduce the risk of injury.
Administrative control is then the final step, using signage, permits, and other administrative techniques to limit access and effectively warn people in unsafe areas.
3. Review
Review means taking steps to regularly assess the risk of identified areas of concern. This monitoring allows you to adapt procedures if the risk changes and ensure a safer working environment at all times.
Worker responsibilities
While workplace safety is crucial, workers also have a responsibility to care for themselves and avoid potentially dangerous scenarios. This means that workers should adhere to all work safety regulations where possible to help minimise their own risk.
Likewise, they should take steps to attend training and contribute to work safety conversations to help propel safety accommodations and changes when needed.
Fall safety equipment you can rely on
Do you need the latest height safety equipment? At Australian Height Safety Services, we ensure all our equipment is made and installed to the highest standards so that you can trust it with your life. Simply call our friendly staff today to discuss your needs, and we’ll get started on updating your workplace height safety systems.
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