Working at Heights: Essential Safety Practices to Prevent Falls and Protect Lives
Swaying 30 feet in the air, the life of a worker can hang by the thread of a single error, or a safety system that was omitted when it mattered. Working at elevated heights, whether scaling scaffolding, climbing utility poles, or working on rooftops, comes with a unique set of hazards that can quickly turn lethal.
While the risks are intrinsic, the consequences are preventable. Comprehensive safety protocols ensure that there is adequate equipment, training, and procedures in place, so employees can perform their duties without unnecessary danger looming over their heads.
When working at heights, good safety planning involves the identification of possible fall hazards before starting the job. It also entails installing fall arrest systems and ensuring that all staff are not only trained to use their equipment, but also to observe changing site conditions. It is about creating a culture of care and accountability.
Taking shortcuts when working at heights does not just cost money; it can cost lives. Companies that demand strict safety protocols for working at heights can protect their employees as well as create a reputation as employers who value lives over deadlines.
Important Safety Practices for Enhanced Fall Protection
Safety practices and protocols can vary from job to job when working at heights, based on the specifics of the environment and the requirements of the task. However, there are also more broadly applicable safety practices that are essential, especially to maintain adequate fall protection. Following these practices can often make the difference between life and death for people working high up off the ground.
1. Choose proper equipment for the job
If your work environment requires personal fall arrest systems (PFAS), it is critical to have the proper equipment. Not all harnesses are created equal, and things like additional D-rings, fire-resistant materials, or arc-flash protection can be profoundly significant depending on the work at hand. For instance, an individual welding at a height should not be wearing a plain nylon harness, as a Kevlar-based one will offer more heat and fire protection.
Care must be taken with lanyards as well, as a 6-foot shock-absorbing lanyard could be perfect for a high-rise, but dangerous in a shorter structure. In some cases, a self-retracting lifeline is the better option. Comfort and adjustability are also key considerations because if a worker’s gear does not feel comfortable, it will likely not be worn properly.
2. Daily equipment inspections save lives
Even the highest-quality and most advanced equipment can be lethal when not inspected regularly. Fall protection equipment needs to be inspected once a year by a qualified individual, but that is just the minimum requirement. Workers using harnesses, lanyards, or lifelines should check them before use every single time.
Frayed stitching, rusted buckles, torn webbing; any of these wear indicators can transform a lifesaving harness into a liability. A quick but careful once-over can catch these issues before someone relies on faulty gear while working at heights. Everyone on your crew should know what to look for and how to report or replace compromised equipment.
3. Guardrails: The passive protection that always works
When possible, start with guardrails, as they are the simplest and safest kind of fall protection. Once guardrails are installed, they do not necessarily require employees to wear additional special gear, as they just have to stay inside the barrier. This makes guardrails a form of passive protection because they work at all times without requiring action from the worker.
Contemporary railing systems are highly adaptable, with designs to fit almost any form of rooftop, from metal and membrane rooftops to parapet-mounted designs and non-penetrating weighted systems. They offer peace of mind along with long-term protection with minimal maintenance requirements after installation.
4. Know your fall clearance
Wearing a harness is not sufficient if there is not enough room for it to do its job. That is why understanding fall clearance—the total distance needed for a worker to fall safely without hitting the ground—is so important. It is easy to underestimate how much space is needed. A 6-foot lanyard with a built-in deceleration device adds another 3.5 feet of extension. However, if you include the worker’s height and any slack or sag in the system, you are easily looking at 17–19 feet of required clearance.
Having the wrong configuration in a small space can lead to catastrophic results. Every jobsite needs to have calculated fall distances in mind and match the equipment accordingly.
5. Anchor points: Strength over convenience
A fall arrest system is no stronger than the anchor point it is secured with. Too frequently, workers clip into things that seem to be substantial, but are not rated for the force of a fall. Real anchor points must either be engineer-certified or rated to support at least 5,000 pounds of force, and this rules out pipes, vent grilles, and most handrails.
Structural steel beams, engineer-certified roof anchors, or approved mobile anchor systems are your safest bets. If you are unsure, never guess; get the anchor point evaluated. Taking shortcuts here can turn a small fall into a disaster.
6. Make training the foundation
Fall protection is only effective when working at heights if workers know how to use it. This is why training is not merely a legal requirement, but a question of safety. Anyone working at heights should know how to test equipment, properly fit a harness, identify safe points of attachment, calculate fall clearance, and correctly use lifts and ladders. Without this knowledge, even the best equipment can be used recklessly.
Standard training complemented by refresher sessions and real-world experience equips workers to exercise care and look out for each other on the job.
How SafestWork Can Keep Your Workforce Safe
If part of your employees’ responsibilities involves working at heights, it is crucial to ensure they are adequately trained on how to safely navigate such tasks. SafestWork can help you guarantee that. We provide detail-oriented workplace training programs led by experienced and qualified professionals, including comprehensive working at heights training.
Our training program, which is tailored to working at heights and fall protection, is suitable for workers from a wide range of industries, including construction, roofing, and maintenance. As a CPO-approved training provider, our courses are compliant with the Ministry of Labour’s requirements.
In addition to initial certification, we also provide ongoing refresher training to make sure your workforce is always up-to-date on evolving safety protocols. These courses encompass a detailed focus on a variety of matters, including proper use of personal protective equipment, personal fall arrest systems, hazard assessments, and more.
For more information about our working at heights training program, or to book a course today, call
SafestWork Consulting Inc. at
1-844-SAFEST-1 (844-723-3781), or
contact us here.
