Working at Heights & Risk Assessments: FAQs We’re Asked All the Time

Short answer:
there’s no nationally fixed expiry date, but that doesn’t mean it can be ignored.
Australian laws don’t set a mandatory refresh period for working-at-heights training. Instead, responsibility sits with employers and site controllers to make sure workers are competent, current, and fit for the task.

In practice:
Many sites require refresher training every 2 years
Some clients or builders enforce their own rules
If training is outdated, access can be denied even if the work itself hasn’t changed

Where WDP fits:
We don’t issue tickets or run training. What we do is
– Design and install access systems that assume real-world use
– Make sure systems align with current Australian Standards
– Help site owners understand what safe access looks like before workers step on the roof
– Safe systems reduce risk — but training and competency still matter.

At its core, a risk assessment is just this:
What could go wrong here, and how do we stop it?
For work at height, it’s non-negotiable.
Risk assessments are used to:
Identify fall hazards
Decide what controls are required
Confirm whether a site is safe to access at all
They don’t need to be overcomplicated — but they do need to be honest.

1. What work is being done — and where?
Start with basics:
What task is happening? Maintenance, installation, inspection?
Where is it happening? Roof, plant platform, ladder access, external façade?
Indoors or outdoors? Weather matters.
Without this clarity, everything else is guesswork.

2. What could realistically go wrong?
This is where experience counts.
Common height-related hazards include:
Unprotected edges
Fragile roofing
Unsafe ladder access
Weather exposure
Manual handling at height
Every job is different. A low roof with poor access can be riskier than a high roof with the right system in place.

3. How likely is it — and how bad would it be?
Risk is about likelihood and consequence, not just worst-case scenarios.
Some risks are catastrophic but unlikely.
Others are less severe but far more probable.
Both need to be managed properly.
This is where risk matrices are commonly used to prioritise what must be fixed before work starts.

4. How are the risks controlled?
Controls should follow the hierarchy:
Eliminate the risk where possible
Use engineered systems before relying on behaviour
PPE is a last line of defence, not the solution
This is where Workplace Defender is usually brought in.
We:
– Assess access and fall hazards on site
– Design practical height safety systems
– Install compliant anchor points, walkways, ladders, platforms and edge protection
– Test, certify, and document everything properly
The aim is simple: remove the need for workers to “figure it out” on the day.