Working at Height: Preventing Falls from Above

Why falls from height are so serious

Falls from height have for years been among the top causes of fatal workplace injury. A few metres are enough for a fall to become fatal. Working at height requires specific measures and preparation that leaves no room for improvisation.

The issue is not limited to construction: maintenance, warehouses, plant work and cleaning often involve work at height.

Collective protection first

The logic of prevention is clear: act first on collective protection, then on individual protection. In order of priority:

• guardrails, nets and edge protection that protect everyone without requiring individual action;
• scaffolding, mobile towers and suitable work platforms, correctly assembled;
• only where residual risk demands it, individual fall-arrest systems.

Fall-arrest PPE

When needed, fall-arrest systems (harness, lanyard, energy absorber, anchor points) must be selected, inspected and worn correctly. These are personal protective equipment of the highest category: an error in choice or use can make them useless at the decisive moment.

Fall factor and anchoring

Wearing the harness is not enough: where it is anchored matters. An anchor below the operator increases the fall distance and the forces involved. Training must make these concepts understood, not just shown.

Training and on-site oversight

Work at height requires specific training and, for some systems such as fall-arrest PPE, dedicated practical instruction. The supervisor's oversight is essential: they must check assemblies, anchors and correct device use before and during work. Practical simulations let people train the actions safely, without exposure to real risk.

In short

Preventing falls from height means prioritising collective protection, using fall-arrest PPE correctly where needed, and ensuring constant training and oversight. At height there are no safe shortcuts.