Prevention of Falls when Working at Heights

Policy

The purpose of this policy is to prevent falls by outlining the requirements for safely working at height.

Summary

• The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act (2004) (Vic) requires the department, so far as is reasonably practicable, to provide and maintain for employees a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.
• The OHS Regulations 2017 (Vic) require the department, so far as is reasonably practicable, to manage the risks associated with working at heights.
• No department employee is permitted to work at height, unless their role specifically requires them to do so, and they have undertaken the required training as detailed below.
• To prevent falls all people working at height must be trained, all work at height must be identified, related hazards and relevant risks identified, managed and controlled.
• The principal and/or their delegate must identify working at height tasks and implement appropriate controls.
• Under the OHS Act 2004, employees while at work must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and the safety of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.
• Central and regional offices provide a range of supports and services to assist principals and employees to be safe and well, including access to the OHS Advisory Service and local regional officers who can provide free advice on managing risks related to working at height.
• The Prevention of Falls when Working at Heights Procedure (in the Procedure tab) must be followed, and sets out the practical step-by-step instructions for implementing this policy.
• This Policy forms part of the department’s OHS Management System, refer to the OHS Management System (OHSMS) Overview for further information.

Details

The principal and/or their delegate, in consultation with Health and Safety Representatives (HSR) and employees, must ensure that:

• all tasks, where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more, are identified (for example, working on a ladder or a roof)
• hazards associated with these tasks are identified (for example, falling)
• risks associated with the identified hazards are assessed
• risk controls to prevent falls are identified and implemented in consideration of the hierarchy of controls — refer to the Prevention of Falls Procedure
• ladders are only used when all other risk controls have been considered
• all identified tasks, hazards, risk ratings and risk controls are recorded in the OHS Risk Register
• a review of controls implemented is conducted to ensure their effectiveness in managing the risk and incorporate any changes to controls on the OHS Risk Register.

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure:

• permission to work at height or near an excavation site is included in employees’ position descriptions
• employees, volunteers and contractors, who as part of their role are required to work at height, are trained in competency-based Work Safely at Heights Training Course (RIIWHS204D)
• ensure that completed training is added to the OHS Training Planner/Register
• contractors provide a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) or equivalent for any tasks where there is the potential to fall 2 metres or more, as mandated by the department
• all SWMS provided by contractors are reviewed and signed prior to commencement of work, to verify it has been sighted and retain a copy.

Employees working at height must complete a risk assessment using the Risk Assessment template or equivalent.

Definitions

Working at height
Working at a height of at or over 2 metres (measured from the soles of your feet to the ground). This also applies in situations that involve a hole, trench, or pit where person could fall.

Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
A document that describes the high-risk work being performed, the health and safety risks associated with the work and the risk control measures that will be applied to ensure the work is carried out in a safe manner.

A Job Safety Analysis (JSA) or equivalent may be used instead of a SWMS if it contains the same information.

Related policies

• Contractor OHS Management
• OHS Management System (OHSMS) Overview
• OHS Induction and Training
• OHS Risk Management

Related legislation

• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)
• Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic)

Prevention of Falls when Working at Heights Procedure

The Prevention of Falls when Working at Heights Procedure must be followed, and sets out the practical step-by-step instructions for implementing this policy.

The Procedure contains the following chapters:

1. Identify tasks where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more
2. Identify hazards associated with the potential to fall 2 metres or more
3. Implement controls
4. Employees working where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more
5. Work safely at height training
6. Contractors working where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more
7. Volunteers working where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more
8. Legislation, Codes of Practice, Standards and Guidance

1 Identify tasks where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more

The principal and/or their delegate, in consultation with Health and Safety Representatives and employees are to identify all tasks where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more. Examples include:

• collecting balls from roofs or gutters
• cleaning gutters
• air-conditioning maintenance
• hanging signs and displays
• changing lighting in a theatre or gymnasium
• any task using a ladder
• working near holes, pits, trenches and shafts
• working on fragile, slippery or sloping surfaces.

The principal and/or their delegate are to record identified prevention of fall tasks in the ‘Hazard Type’ column of the OHS Risk Register.

2 Identify hazards associated with the potential to fall 2 metres or more

The principal and/or their delegate in consultation with Health and Safety Representatives and employees are to identify and record the hazards associated with the tasks to be undertaken in the ‘Hazard Description’ column of the OHS Risk Register. Examples include:

• employee or contractor falling from height
• an object falling from height onto someone below
• fragile, sloping or slippery roofs
• unprotected roof edges, for example, no guard rail
• unstable or poorly maintained access equipment.

3 Implement controls

The principal and/or their delegate, in consultation with Health and Safety Representatives and employees are to identify, implement and record risk controls to manage prevention of falls in the OHS Risk Register using the Hierarchy of Controls. Examples include:

1. Elimination — design or modify the work environment, tools and (or) tasks so work can be performed from the ground or solid construction
2. Substitution — install passive fall protection, for example, elevating work platform, scaffolding, or guard railing
3. Engineering — use of a work positioning system, for example, anchor points or travel restraint system or shoring, benching the sides of the excavation site
4. Administration — develop and provide training in Safe Work Procedure for employees and display ‘No Entry’ warning signs where contractors are working
5. Personal Protective Equipment — fall arrest system, for example, safety harness system

Note: Before using ladders, the above Hierarchy of Controls must be considered.

4 Employees working where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more

An employee who as part of their position description, is permitted to work at height (2 metres or above) or near an excavation site is to complete a risk assessment using the Risk Assessment Template or equivalent template, see OHS Risk Management Policy.

5 Work safely at height training

The principal and/or their delegate are to ensure that employees, who as part of their role are required to work at height, are trained in competency-based work safely at heights training course (RIIWHS204E). Dependant on the frequency of the task, training may need to be completed again to ensure competency.

Attendance at other working at height training should be provided where practicable including:

• specific licensing and competency requirements, for example, scaffolding, fall arrest system, and so on
• the prevention of falls through safe systems of work
• the proper use, care and fitting of personal protective equipment
• the proper use, care and storage of tools and equipment to be used
• emergency response procedures including rescue at height
• safe methods of work related to working on brittle and fragile material.

The principal and/or their delegate are to record completed training in the OHS Training Planner or equivalent template, refer to: OHS Induction and Training Policy.

6 Contractors working where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more

The principal and/or their delegate are to ensure that a contractor who as part of their role are required to work at height, are trained in competency-based work safely at heights training course (RIIWHS204D).

The principal and/or their delegate are to ensure that a contractor also supplies a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) or equivalent for any tasks where there is the potential to fall 2 metres or more, as mandated by the Department. The principal and/or their delegate must review and sign the SWMS to verify it has been sighted and retain a copy. The SWMS at a minimum must include the following:

• prevention of contractor employee falls
• prevention of objects falling onto persons below
• access and egress to/from worksite
• isolation of worksite and signage
• installation and use of passive fall prevention device(s) or work positioning systems
• safe use of ladders, where required
• emergency response procedures and PPE.

For further information refer to the Contractor OHS Management Policy.

7 Volunteers working where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more

The principal and/or their delegate are to ensure that volunteers working where there is a potential to fall 2 metres or more, are trained in the competency-based work safely at heights training course (RIIWHS204D).

The principal and/or their delegate are to ensure that volunteers also supply Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) or equivalent for any tasks where there is the potential to fall two metres or more, as mandated by the Department. Refer to the Contractor OHS Management Policy.

8 Legislation, codes of practice, standards and guidance

• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)
• Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic)

Resources

Example risk assessments for preventing falls

• Cleaning gutters — sample risk assessment (Word)
• Cleaning windows — sample risk assessment (Word)
• Retrieving balls off roof — sample risk assessment (Word)
• Set-up and use of scaffolding — sample risk assessment (Word)
• Set-up and use of theatre lights — sample risk assessment (Word)

Safe work procedures relating to the prevention of falls

• ‘A’ frame ladder — sample safe work procedure (Word)
• Extension ladder — sample safe work procedure (Word)
• Use of step-platform — sample safe work procedure (Word)

Other templates relevant to this policy and procedure

• Occupational health and safety (OHS) risk register (Excel)— for recording of identified prevention of fall tasks
• OHS training planner / register (Excel)— to record completed training
• Safe work method statement (SWMS) (Word)— for completion by contractors for any tasks where there is the potential to fall 2 metres or more, as mandated by the Department
• Risk assessment template (Word)— for completion by employees working at height