The Role of Training in Effective Height Safety

Working at heights remains one of the most dangerous activities across industries such as construction, mining, telecommunications, utilities, and maintenance. Despite advances in personal protective equipment (PPE) and fall prevention technologies, incidents involving falls from height continue to account for a significant portion of workplace injuries and fatalities globally. While engineering controls, planning, and safe systems of work are critical, one key factor that underpins the success of any height safety system is training.

This article explores the vital role training plays in ensuring effective height safety, reducing incidents, and fostering a culture of awareness and compliance.

Understanding Height Safety Risks

Height safety refers to any activity where there is a risk of a person falling from one level to another and suffering injury. This includes not only high-rise structures or scaffolds but also lower-risk scenarios such as working on ladders, rooftops, mezzanines, or even the back of a truck.

Falls from height can result from:

• Lack of edge protection or guardrails

• Inadequate fall arrest or restraint systems

• Improper use or failure of PPE

• Human error, such as overreaching or incorrect anchorage

• Environmental factors, including wind, rain, or poor lighting

• Lack of situational awareness or complacency

Although many of these risks are foreseeable and preventable, they are often exacerbated by inadequate or poorly understood safety procedures, highlighting the importance of effective training.

Why Training is the Cornerstone of Height Safety

1. Building Competence, Not Just Compliance

Training goes beyond ticking compliance boxes. It builds competence—the blend of knowledge, skills, and judgment required to make safe decisions in complex or changing environments. Workers must not only know what to do but also why it’s necessary and how to adapt if conditions change.

A competent worker can:

• Inspect their own PPE and identify defects

• Choose appropriate fall protection for the task

• Safely set up and dismantle temporary access systems

• Understand dynamic loads, anchor point strength, and fall clearances

• Make decisions under pressure

1. Ensuring Correct Use of Equipment

Fall arrest systems, harnesses, lanyards, and anchor points are only effective when used correctly. Even high-quality PPE can become a hazard in the wrong hands. Training ensures that:

• Workers select the correct equipment for the task and environment

• Harnesses are adjusted correctly to the individual’s body

• Anchor points are used within their rated limits

• Shock absorbers are understood and not misused

• Systems are inspected and maintained regularly

This knowledge directly affects survivability in a fall situation and can prevent accidents caused by misapplication or incorrect setup.

1. Standardising Safe Practices

Training helps establish consistent standards across teams and worksites. It allows organisations to embed safe systems of work and align worker behaviours with documented procedures and regulations. A well-trained workforce:

• Uses ladders appropriately (e.g. 4:1 angle, three points of contact)

• Knows when a work positioning system is required instead of a restraint

• Avoids shortcuts that compromise safety

• Communicates clearly in multi-worker high-risk tasks

• Understands site-specific risk controls

This consistency is especially critical for subcontractors, temporary workers, or teams that move between worksites.

1. Supporting Supervision and Oversight

Supervisors and safety leaders must be equipped not just with technical knowledge but with the ability to coach and intervene when unsafe behaviour is observed. Training programs that target frontline leadership develop their:

• Ability to spot non-compliance and intervene early

• Knowledge of regulatory requirements (e.g. AS/NZS 1891 standards)

• Familiarity with rescue plans and emergency response procedures

• Communication skills for toolbox talks and pre-start briefings

When well-trained, supervisors become the eyes and ears of your height safety program.

Types of Height Safety Training

Effective training is not one-size-fits-all. It must be tailored to the nature of the work, risk profile, and audience. Key training categories include:

1. Induction Training- Covers general awareness of height safety hazards, relevant legislation, company procedures, and personal responsibilities. Ideal for new workers or those entering a new site.

2. Task-Specific Training- Focuses on the specific equipment and procedures required for a particular role or job task. For example, using an elevated work platform (EWP), rope access, or fixed ladders.

3. Formal Competency-Based Training- Nationally Accredited courses such as “Work Safely at Heights” (or similar) are often mandatory. These typically include theory, practical application, and assessment.

4. Rescue and Emergency Response Training- Often overlooked, but vital. Every fall arrest system must have an associated rescue plan, and workers should be trained in:

• Suspension trauma management

• Using rescue kits and lowering devices

• Emergency communication protocols

1. Refresher and Revalidation Training- Skills fade over time. Annual or bi-annual refreshers help ensure that workers remain competent, especially for infrequently used systems or emergency scenarios.

2. Training as a Driver of Culture

Beyond skill acquisition, training plays a broader role in shaping an organisation’s safety culture. It signals that the company values life, invests in its people, and expects high standards. Well-delivered training can:

• Engage workers through interactive, scenario-based learning

• Use real incident case studies to emphasise consequences

• Encourage personal accountability

• Foster peer-to-peer safety conversations

• Build trust and respect between workers and leadership

When training is viewed as an enabler rather than a burden, it becomes a cultural touchstone—driving safety conversations long after the session ends.

Barriers to Effective Training – and How to Overcome Them

Despite its importance, training can fail when:

• It’s too generic and not task-specific

• It relies solely on online modules without practical assessment

• It’s delivered in a dry, compliance-focused manner

• There is no post-training follow-up or coaching

• Workers see it as a “tick and flick” rather than meaningful learning

To overcome these challenges:

• Involve experienced workers in delivering or co-designing sessions

• Use blended learning (theory + hands-on)

• Reinforce training with regular supervision and feedback

• Use microlearning to keep skills fresh between formal sessions

• Create performance-based assessments, not just knowledge tests

• Conclusion: Training Saves Lives

In the end, height safety is not just about harnesses and hard hats—it’s about people. Effective training empowers those people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to do their work safely, even under pressure. It creates a workforce that understands the why behind procedures and makes informed, safe decisions at every level.

Organisations that invest in high-quality, practical, and context-relevant height safety training don’t just reduce incidents—they save lives, enhance productivity, and build a reputation for care and professionalism.

If your team works at height, don’t wait for an incident to highlight the gaps. Invest in practical, engaging, and role-specific height safety training today. Whether it's induction for new starters, refresher training for experienced staff, or rescue preparedness for high-risk tasks — the right training saves lives, prevents downtime, and demonstrates your commitment to safety.

Start building a safer, smarter workforce — because when it comes to working at heights, knowledge is protection.