Safe Practices for Working at Height Course

Lesson 1 • Understanding Fall Hazards

Identifies the physical and environmental conditions that cause falls. Builds hazard-recognition skills used throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Risk Assessment Basics

Introduces structured risk assessment as the primary decision-making tool. Prepares learners to evaluate height tasks before work begins.

Lesson 3 • Defining Work at Height

Clarifies what legally and practically constitutes work at height. Anchors all subsequent risk and equipment decisions to a shared definition.

Lesson 1 • Elimination and Substitution Strategies

Explores redesigning tasks to remove height work entirely. Establishes elimination as the preferred control before any equipment is selected.

Lesson 2 • Collective Fall Prevention Systems

Covers passive barriers that protect all workers without individual action. Positions collective controls above personal protective equipment in the hierarchy.

Lesson 3 • Work Permit and Method Statement

Details the documentation required to authorise height work. Links planning documents to on-site execution and accountability.

Lesson 4 • Selecting the Right Access Equipment

Guides the decision process for choosing appropriate access methods. Ensures equipment selection is driven by task requirements and site conditions.

Lesson 1 • Pre-Use Inspection Procedures

Establishes a systematic check routine before every ladder use. Defect identification prevents equipment failure at height.

Lesson 2 • Safe Climbing and Working Technique

Teaches three-point contact, load management, and reach limits during ladder use. Correct technique reduces dynamic loading and loss of balance.

Lesson 3 • Ladder Types and Selection

Differentiates ladder categories by material, duty rating, and application. Correct selection prevents overloading and structural failure.

Lesson 4 • Safe Setup and Positioning

Covers correct angle, footing, and securing methods for stable ladder placement. Proper setup is the primary defence against ladder slip and tip-over.

Lesson 1 • Scaffold Erection Principles

Covers the structural logic behind safe scaffold assembly. Understanding erection principles helps users recognise unsafe modifications.

Lesson 2 • Mobile Scaffold Tower Operation

Focuses on the unique hazards of mobile towers, including movement and stability. Learners apply safe-move procedures and outrigger rules.

Lesson 3 • Scaffold Types and Applications

Surveys tube-and-coupler, system, and mobile scaffold configurations. Matching scaffold type to task prevents structural overload and instability.

Lesson 4 • User Responsibilities on Scaffold

Defines what scaffold users may and may not do once a platform is handed over. Prevents unauthorised alterations that compromise structural integrity.

Lesson 1 • Pre-Use Inspection and Controls

Establishes a structured daily inspection routine for MEWPs. Identifying defects before operation prevents mechanical failure at height.

Lesson 2 • MEWP Categories and Selection

Distinguishes boom lifts, scissor lifts, and vertical mast platforms by reach and application. Correct category selection prevents overreach and instability.

Lesson 3 • Harness Use Inside MEWPs

Explains when and how to anchor a harness within a MEWP platform. Correct anchorage prevents ejection without creating entrapment risk.

Lesson 4 • Safe Operation Procedures

Covers platform positioning, travel speed, and load management during MEWP use. Operational discipline prevents tip-over and structural overload.

Lesson 1 • Harness Donning and Adjustment

Teaches the step-by-step donning sequence and fit verification checks. Correct adjustment ensures load distribution and prevents slip-through.

Lesson 2 • Anchorage and Lanyard Rigging

Covers anchorage selection, lanyard attachment, and free-fall distance calculation. Correct rigging prevents ground contact during a fall.

Lesson 3 • Fall Protection System Components

Maps the full fall-arrest system from anchorage to harness. Understanding component interaction prevents mismatched equipment assembly.

Lesson 4 • Harness Selection and Sizing

Guides correct harness selection by task type and user fit. Improper sizing causes harness shift and injury during arrest.

Lesson 1 • Collective Protection on Roofs

Applies edge protection, safety nets, and airbags to roofwork scenarios. Collective measures protect all workers without reliance on individual compliance.

Lesson 2 • Roofwork Safe-Access Planning

Integrates all roofwork controls into a structured access plan. Learners apply risk assessment outputs to select and sequence protective measures.

Lesson 3 • Skylight and Opening Protection

Addresses the specific hazard of unprotected skylights and roof openings. Covers and barriers must be secured and marked to prevent accidental fall-through.

Lesson 4 • Roof Types and Associated Hazards

Categorises pitched, flat, and fragile roof surfaces by their specific fall and collapse risks. Hazard recognition drives appropriate control selection.

Lesson 1 • Self-Rescue and Assisted Rescue

Covers techniques for workers to self-rescue and for colleagues to assist. Practical options reduce dependence on external emergency services.

Lesson 2 • Emergency Services Coordination

Prepares workers to brief and support emergency responders at a height incident. Effective coordination reduces response time and prevents secondary casualties.

Lesson 3 • Rescue Planning Requirements

Establishes the mandatory elements of a height-work rescue plan. Planning before work starts ensures rescue capability matches the specific task.

Lesson 4 • Suspension Trauma Awareness

Explains the physiological danger of prolonged harness suspension after a fall arrest. Early recognition and rapid rescue prevent fatal orthostatic shock.