Review the critical hazards, potential consequences, persons at risk and recommended control measures for Working at Height in one professional HSE workspace.
Review the key hazards, consequences and control measures for Working at Height in a structured professional HSE format.
Serious injury, permanent disability or fatality
Workers and contractors
Safe platform, guardrails, suitable access, trained personnel and fall protection where required
Verify rescue arrangements, provide supervision and reassess changing site conditions
Head injury, serious injury or fatality
Personnel working below
Toe boards, material securing, tool tethering and controlled area below
Strengthen the exclusion zone and coordinate simultaneous work
Serious injury or fatality following a fall
Site personnel
Guardrails, secure covers, barricades and warning signs
Verify protection remains secure throughout the shift
Failure of fall-protection system and fatality
Personnel working at height
Approved anchorage and suitable connection system
Verify anchorage suitability and capacity before work
Loss of consciousness, serious health effects or fatality
Worker suspended in a fall-arrest system
Rescue plan and suitable rescue equipment
Use a task-specific rescue plan and drills to minimize rescue time
Misstep, loss of balance and fall
Workers at height
Suitable permanent or temporary lighting
Verify adequate lighting of work and access routes
Damage to lanyard or lifeline resulting in a fall
Personnel working at height
Suitable fall-protection equipment and pre-use inspection
Protect sharp edges and use equipment rated for edge exposure
Loss of balance and fall from height
Personnel working at height
Orderly work platform and suitable access
Keep access routes clear and remove loose materials
Impact with a lower level or structure during a fall
Workers using fall-arrest systems
Approved anchorage and suitable connecting equipment
Calculate required fall clearance before work and select a suitable system
Worker striking the structure or suffering serious fall injury
Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels
Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection
Position the anchorage as far as practicable above the worker and close to the fall line
Unintentional connector opening resulting in a fall
Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels
Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection
Verify compatibility between connectors, lanyards and anchorage points
Failure of the fall-protection system
Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels
Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection
Install temporary lifelines according to manufacturer instructions and the approved installation method
Suspension intolerance and serious health effects
Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels
Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection
Prepare a rapid rescue plan, rescue equipment and designated rescuers before work begins
Fall from height following failure of the fragile surface
Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels
Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection
Identify and mark fragile surfaces and use suitable working platforms or walkways
Fall resulting from loss of lanyard or harness integrity
Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels
Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection
Protect fall-protection equipment from chemicals, sparks and hot surfaces and inspect it after exposure
Explore related activities, hazards and control measures from the same HSE risk category.
Use these ready hazards as your starting point, customize controls, evaluate risk levels and prepare your project-specific assessment in SERNEM.
Start Risk Assessment| ACTIVITY | Working at Height | CATEGORY | Work at Height |
| # | Activity | Hazard | Consequence | Persons at Risk | Existing Risk Control | L | S | Risk | Action Required / Additional Controls | Person in Charge | Due Date | RL | RS | Residual Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Working at Height | Fall from height | Serious injury, permanent disability or fatality | Workers and contractors | Safe platform, guardrails, suitable access, trained personnel and fall protection where required | 3 | 5 | 15 High | Verify rescue arrangements, provide supervision and reassess changing site conditions | - | - | 2 | 2 | 4 Low |
| 02 | Working at Height | Dropped objects | Head injury, serious injury or fatality | Personnel working below | Toe boards, material securing, tool tethering and controlled area below | 3 | 5 | 15 High | Strengthen the exclusion zone and coordinate simultaneous work | - | - | 2 | 2 | 4 Low |
| 03 | Working at Height | Open edge or floor opening | Serious injury or fatality following a fall | Site personnel | Guardrails, secure covers, barricades and warning signs | 2 | 5 | 10 High | Verify protection remains secure throughout the shift | - | - | 2 | 2 | 4 Low |
| 04 | Working at Height | Unsuitable anchorage point | Failure of fall-protection system and fatality | Personnel working at height | Approved anchorage and suitable connection system | 2 | 5 | 10 High | Verify anchorage suitability and capacity before work | - | - | 2 | 2 | 4 Low |
| 05 | Working at Height | Suspension trauma | Loss of consciousness, serious health effects or fatality | Worker suspended in a fall-arrest system | Rescue plan and suitable rescue equipment | 2 | 5 | 10 High | Use a task-specific rescue plan and drills to minimize rescue time | - | - | 2 | 2 | 4 Low |
| 06 | Working at Height | Insufficient lighting | Misstep, loss of balance and fall | Workers at height | Suitable permanent or temporary lighting | 2 | 3 | 6 Medium | Verify adequate lighting of work and access routes | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 Low |
| 07 | Working at Height | Fall-protection equipment contacting a sharp edge | Damage to lanyard or lifeline resulting in a fall | Personnel working at height | Suitable fall-protection equipment and pre-use inspection | 2 | 3 | 6 Medium | Protect sharp edges and use equipment rated for edge exposure | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 Low |
| 08 | Working at Height | Slip or trip at elevated work level | Loss of balance and fall from height | Personnel working at height | Orderly work platform and suitable access | 3 | 3 | 9 Medium | Keep access routes clear and remove loose materials | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 Low |
| 09 | Working at Height | Insufficient fall-clearance distance | Impact with a lower level or structure during a fall | Workers using fall-arrest systems | Approved anchorage and suitable connecting equipment | 2 | 3 | 6 Medium | Calculate required fall clearance before work and select a suitable system | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 Low |
| 10 | Working at Height | Swing fall caused by lateral anchorage | Worker striking the structure or suffering serious fall injury | Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels | Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection | 2 | 3 | 6 Medium | Position the anchorage as far as practicable above the worker and close to the fall line | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 Low |
| 11 | Working at Height | Use of incompatible fall-protection connectors | Unintentional connector opening resulting in a fall | Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels | Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection | 2 | 3 | 6 Medium | Verify compatibility between connectors, lanyards and anchorage points | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 Low |
| 12 | Working at Height | Incorrect installation or tensioning of temporary lifeline | Failure of the fall-protection system | Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels | Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection | 2 | 3 | 6 Medium | Install temporary lifelines according to manufacturer instructions and the approved installation method | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 Low |
| 13 | Working at Height | Prolonged suspension following a fall | Suspension intolerance and serious health effects | Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels | Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection | 2 | 3 | 6 Medium | Prepare a rapid rescue plan, rescue equipment and designated rescuers before work begins | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 Low |
| 14 | Working at Height | Fragile surface incorrectly assumed to be load-bearing | Fall from height following failure of the fragile surface | Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels | Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection | 3 | 3 | 9 Medium | Identify and mark fragile surfaces and use suitable working platforms or walkways | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 Low |
| 15 | Working at Height | Fall-protection equipment damaged by chemicals or hot surfaces | Fall resulting from loss of lanyard or harness integrity | Personnel working at height and workers at lower levels | Competent personnel, suitable access systems, fall-protection equipment and pre-work area inspection | 2 | 3 | 6 Medium | Protect fall-protection equipment from chemicals, sparks and hot surfaces and inspect it after exposure | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 Low |