Working at Heights Course

Lesson 1 • Roles and Responsibilities on Site

Defines the accountability chain from client to supervisor to operative. Ensures learners understand their specific role before engaging in practical tasks.

Lesson 2 • Defining Work at Height

Clarifies the legal and practical definition of working at height, including surfaces, edges, and voids. Grounds all subsequent risk assessment in a shared, precise vocabulary.

Lesson 3 • Statistics and Real-World Consequences

Presents injury and fatality data to contextualise why height work demands rigorous control. Motivates learners by linking statistics to recognisable workplace scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Method Statements and Safe Systems of Work

Explains how to translate risk assessments into written safe systems of work. Learners draft a method statement for a simulated height task.

Lesson 2 • Risk Assessment Principles

Teaches the five-step risk assessment process applied to height scenarios. Provides the analytical framework used in every subsequent practical chapter.

Lesson 3 • Dynamic Risk Assessment

Covers real-time hazard recognition when conditions change during a task. Prepares learners to pause, reassess, and adapt without waiting for formal review cycles.

Lesson 4 • Permit-to-Work Systems

Introduces formal permit systems that authorise high-risk height activities. Learners practise completing and verifying permits before simulated task commencement.

Lesson 1 • Covers and Barriers for Openings

Addresses the design and marking of covers for floor openings, skylights, and voids. Learners apply load-rating and labelling requirements to practical scenarios.

Lesson 2 • Collective Control Inspection and Maintenance

Establishes pre-use, periodic, and post-incident inspection regimes for all collective systems. Learners complete inspection records and identify defects requiring removal from service.

Lesson 3 • Edge Protection and Guardrails

Covers design standards, load requirements, and installation procedures for guardrail systems. Learners inspect and certify a guardrail installation against specification.

Lesson 4 • The Hierarchy of Fall Control

Reinforces the regulatory priority order: elimination, prevention, then mitigation. Establishes the decision logic applied when selecting any control measure.

Lesson 1 • Lanyards, Energy Absorbers, and Connectors

Explains lanyard types, energy-absorber function, and connector compatibility. Learners calculate required fall clearance for each lanyard configuration.

Lesson 2 • Types of Personal Fall Protection

Distinguishes fall restraint, fall arrest, and work-positioning systems by function and application. Learners match system type to task requirements using a decision matrix.

Lesson 3 • Harnesses: Selection and Fit

Covers harness classifications, sizing, and the donning sequence for a correct fit. Proper fit is the prerequisite for all subsequent lanyard and anchor work.

Lesson 4 • Anchor Points and Anchorage Systems

Defines anchor-point strength requirements and methods for identifying suitable anchorages. Learners assess structural elements and temporary anchor devices for compliance.

Lesson 1 • When Ladders Are Appropriate

Applies the hierarchy of controls to determine when ladders are a justified access choice. Prevents misuse by establishing clear suitability criteria before any practical instruction.

Lesson 2 • Ladder Types and Classifications

Surveys lean-to, extension, combination, and step ladders by duty rating and material. Learners select the correct ladder class for given load and height scenarios.

Lesson 3 • Safe Setup and Positioning

Teaches the 1-in-4 angle rule, securing methods, and surface assessment for stable placement. Correct setup is the primary control measure for ladder safety.

Lesson 4 • Ladder Inspection and Maintenance

Defines pre-use and periodic inspection criteria and defects requiring withdrawal from service. Learners complete a ladder inspection record for a defective training prop.

Lesson 1 • Working on Fragile Roofs and Surfaces

Addresses the specific hazards of fragile roofing materials and the controls required for safe access. Learners apply crawling boards, roof ladders, and edge protection to a fragile-roof scenario.

Lesson 2 • Scaffold Inspection and User Responsibilities

Distinguishes erector competence from user inspection duties and defines weekly inspection triggers. Learners complete a scaffold inspection checklist against a training structure.

Lesson 3 • Mobile Tower Scaffolds

Explains assembly sequences, stability ratios, and safe use rules for mobile aluminium towers. Learners assemble and dismantle a training tower following manufacturer guidance.

Lesson 4 • Scaffold Types and Components

Identifies tube-and-fitting, system, and independent scaffolds along with their key components. Provides the structural vocabulary needed for inspection and communication with scaffold contractors.

Lesson 1 • Assisted Rescue Methods

Introduces ladder-based, MEWP-based, and rope-based assisted rescue approaches. Learners select the appropriate method based on site resources and casualty condition.

Lesson 2 • Incident Reporting and Investigation

Covers statutory reporting obligations, internal investigation steps, and root-cause analysis for height incidents. Learners complete a sample incident report and identify corrective actions.

Lesson 3 • Self-Rescue Techniques

Covers techniques a suspended worker can use to reduce trauma risk while awaiting rescue. Learners practise foot-loop deployment and movement to reduce venous pooling.

Lesson 4 • Planning for Rescue Before Work Begins

Establishes that rescue planning is a pre-task obligation, not an afterthought. Learners identify rescue resources and write a rescue plan as part of a method statement.

Lesson 1 • Site Audits and Inspections

Covers audit planning, checklist design, and corrective-action tracking for height-work compliance. Learners conduct a mock audit and produce a findings report with prioritised actions.

Lesson 2 • Supervision and Monitoring on Site

Defines supervision ratios, monitoring techniques, and behavioural observation for height tasks. Learners practise a structured site observation and provide corrective feedback.

Lesson 3 • Building a Positive Safety Culture

Connects leadership behaviours, worker engagement, and near-miss reporting to sustained height-work safety. Learners identify cultural indicators and propose targeted improvement interventions.

Lesson 4 • Designing a Height-Work Training Programme

Guides learners through needs analysis, content selection, and evaluation for a site training programme. Applies instructional design principles to the specific demands of height-work competence.