Working at heights checklist
A working at heights checklist confirms the fall controls are in place before anyone goes up. Any work with a risk of falling more than 2 metres is high risk construction work and needs a SWMS as well. Use this to check the controls follow the hierarchy: eliminate the fall first, then edge protection, then platforms, then fall-arrest.
Working at heights checklist
Company: ____________
Site: ____________
Date: ____________
Planning
| Fall risk assessed and a SWMS in place for work above 2 m | N/A · Action | |
| Work eliminated from height where possible (done on the ground) | N/A · Action | |
| Weather checked; work stopped in high wind or wet conditions | N/A · Action |
Controls
| Edge protection or guard rails installed | N/A · Action | |
| Penetrations and voids covered and marked | N/A · Action | |
| Work platform, scaffold, or EWP used before ladders | N/A · Action | |
| Ladders correct type, rated, and secured | N/A · Action | |
| Fall-arrest harness and anchor rated, inspected, and connected | N/A · Action | |
| Fragile surfaces identified and protected | N/A · Action |
People and rescue
| Workers trained and competent for the work | N/A · Action | |
| Tools secured; exclusion zone below | N/A · Action | |
| Rescue plan in place for anyone in a harness | N/A · Action |
Completed by: ____________________
Signature: ____________________
swmspack.com · Free printable checklist. Not legal advice; adapt to your site.
Common questions
▸At what height do you need fall protection in Australia?
Work with a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres is high risk construction work requiring a SWMS. Good practice controls falls at any height where the risk exists.
▸Is a harness enough for working at heights?
A harness is a last-resort control. The hierarchy requires you to eliminate the fall or use passive protection like edge protection and platforms first, with fall-arrest only where higher controls are not practicable.
Working at heights always needs a SWMS. Generate one for your trade in minutes.
A checklist confirms controls are in place; a SWMS is the document the law requires before high risk construction work starts. Generate a site-specific one for your trade.