Working at Heights in Australia: Permits, Regulations, and Best Practice
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Regulations15 November 20258 min read

Working at Heights in Australia: Permits, Regulations, and Best Practice

Falls from height cause 13% of workplace fatalities. Here's your guide to working at heights regulations, permit requirements, and control measures under Australian WHS law.

Falls from height remain the second leading cause of workplace fatalities in Australia, accounting for 13% of all deaths in 2024. The regulatory framework for managing fall risks is well-established — the challenge is consistent implementation.

When do you need a working at heights permit?

Under the model WHS Regulations, work where a person could fall more than 2 metres is classified as high-risk construction work. This means:

  • A SWMS must be prepared before work commences
  • A principal contractor must be appointed for construction projects over $250,000
  • Workers must hold relevant competency units (e.g., RIIWHS204E — Work Safely at Heights)

    • Many businesses also require an internal working at heights permit that documents:

  • The specific location and height involved
  • Fall protection systems to be used
  • Rescue plan in case of a fall
  • Weather conditions and wind speed limits
  • Names and competency details of all workers

    • The hierarchy of controls for fall prevention

    The model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces (Safe Work Australia) mandates applying the hierarchy of controls:

    1. Eliminate the risk. Can the work be done at ground level? Can prefabrication reduce time at height?

    2. Substitute. Can an elevated work platform (EWP) replace a ladder? Can a scissor lift replace scaffolding for short-duration tasks?

    3. Isolate. Install physical barriers — guardrails, perimeter screens, hole covers. Passive fall prevention is always preferred over active systems.

    4. Engineering controls. Industrial rope access systems, safety mesh, catch platforms, and travel restraint systems. These require specific training and competency.

    5. Administrative controls. Safe work procedures, permit-to-work systems, supervision, toolbox talks, and exclusion zones.

    6. PPE. Full-body harnesses, lanyards, self-retracting lifelines (SRLs), and anchor points. PPE is always the last line of defence, never the first.

    Common non-compliance issues

    SafeWork NSW, WorkSafe Victoria, and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland consistently identify:

  • Inadequate edge protection on scaffolding and rooftops
  • Unsecured ladders used for tasks exceeding their safe capacity
  • Missing rescue plans — if a worker falls into a harness, suspension trauma can be fatal within 15 minutes without rescue
  • Expired or uninspected equipment — harnesses and SRLs require regular inspection per AS/NZS 1891
  • No exclusion zones below elevated work areas

    • EWP and scaffolding requirements

    Elevated Work Platforms (EWPs): Operators must hold TLILIC0005 — Licence to Operate a Boom-type EWP (over 11m) or equivalent. All EWPs must be inspected before each use per AS 1418.10.

    Scaffolding: Must be erected and dismantled by a licensed scaffolder. Scaffolding over 4 metres requires a high-risk work licence (scaffolding — basic, intermediate, or advanced). Inspections required before first use, after alteration, after adverse weather, and at least every 30 days.

    Digital permit systems

    Paper-based permit systems create gaps — permits get lost, sign-ons are missed, weather changes aren't documented. Digital systems that generate permits from the task description, capture real-time sign-on data, and maintain an immutable audit trail give regulators exactly what they're looking for during an investigation: a complete, timestamped record of who was on site, what controls were in place, and who authorised the work.

    Ready to automate your WHS compliance?

    AxionSite generates permits, SWMS, and JHA packs in minutes — not hours.

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