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What is Work at Height?

Work at Height is defined as working at any place that is above, at or below ground level, and from which a person could fall (i.e. fall from height). Some examples of work platforms that workers may fall off/into are:

• Boom lifts
• Excavation ditches
• Floor openings
• Hanging scaffolds
• Mast climbing work platforms
• Open sides
• Roofs

Statistics on Fall from Height

A spate of incidents in the last 3 months of 2008 saw Fall from Height (FFH) overtaking Struck by Falling Objects as the top incident type. However, as compared to the year before, fewer workers (i.e. 19 persons) lost their lives due to fatal falls in 2008, down from 23 in 2007 (refer to table below).

 

Roofs were the most common location of falls, accounting for 7 out of the 19 FFH fatalities (refer to table below).

How Can I Work at Height Safely?

Some measures that could be put in place to minimise and prevent workers from falling from height include:

• Conducting a risk assessment before commencing working at height
• Implementing a fall protection plan
• Putting on suitable and well-maintained personal protective equipment (e.g. fall arrest system)