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Work Health and Safety (Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces) Code of Practice 2015

made under the

Work Health and Safety Act 2011, section 274 (Approved Codes of Practice)

1 Name of instrument

This instrument is the Work Health and Safety (Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces) Code of Practice 2015.

2 Commencement

This instrument commences on the day after it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.

3 Code of Practice Approval

I approve the Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice. I am satisfied that this code of practice was developed by a process described in section 274(2) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

Michaelia Cash
Minister for Employment

17 December 2015

Date

MANAGING THE RISK
OF FALLS AT WORKPLACES

Code of Practice

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD                                               4
     1. INTRODUCTION                                           5
         1.       Who has health and safety duties in relation to falls?                                                         5
         2.       The meaning of key terms                                             5
         3.       What is required to manage the risk of falls?                                 6
     2. MANAGING THE RISK OF FALLS                             8
         1.       How to identify fall hazards                                            8
         2.       How to assess the risk                                                    8
         3.       How to control the risk                                                    9
         4.       How to review control measures                                      11
     3. WORK ON THE GROUND OR ON A SOLID CONSTRUCTION           13
         1.       Work on the ground                                              13
         2.       Work on a solid construction                                         13
     4. FALL PREVENTION DEVICES                             17
         1.       Temporary work platforms                                          17
         2.       Perimeter guard rails                                              24
         3.       Safety mesh                                                   25
     5. WORK POSITIONING SYSTEMS                                26
         1.       Industrial rope access systems                                            26
         2.       Restraint technique                                               27
     6. FALL-ARREST SYSTEMS                                    29
         1.       Catch platforms                                                       29
         2.       Industrial safety nets                                              30
         3.       Individual fall-arrest systems                                         30
         4.       Anchorage lines or rails                                                 34
     7. LADDERS                                         36
         1.       Portable ladders                                                 36
         2.       Fixed ladders                                                   39
         3.       Ladder maintenance                                              40
     8. ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS                             41
     9. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR FALLS                      43
         1.       Emergency procedures                                                  43
         2.       Suspension intolerance                                                 44
    10. DESIGN OF PLANT AND STRUCTURES                       45
         1.   Design considerations                                              45
         2.   Plant                                                    45
         3.   Buildings and structures                                            46
APPENDIX A – TERMS USED IN FALL CONTROL MEASURES             48
APPENDIX B – REFERENCES AND OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES         49
LIST OF AMENDMENTS                                     50

FOREWORD
This Code of Practice on how to manage the risk of falls in the workplace is an approved code
of practice under section 274 of the Work Health and Safety Act (the WHS Act).
An approved code of practice is a practical guide to achieving the standards of health, safety
and welfare required under the WHS Act and the Work Health and Safety Regulations
(the WHS Regulations).
A code of practice applies to anyone who has a duty of care in the circumstances described
in