The 2026 regulations for working at heights in Australia are not about an employer or contractor ticking a box when a man goes over a certain mark; they demand that any risk of a fall be properly managed. The most significant move of late is the new two-metre threshold being put in place by South Australia as part of its working-at-heights framework from 1 July 2026. Do not be under the impression this makes for a uniform rule across all states and territories.
Elowen Fairchild’s guide will set out the facts of the matter: the duties that hold across Australia, what to do on documentation before you start work, how to go about fall-prevention and the circumstances in which high-risk construction, rope access safety standards and a SWMS come into play. One can have a folder that looks very official but if the plan within is weak it remains so; these are regulations after all.
What is different in 2026?
Put simply, the country is run on a combination of model WHS laws, regulator guidance and local enforcement, with state and territory legislation as adopted. Safe Work Australia may put forward model material but it is up to each jurisdiction to determine how those laws are applied.
So in 2026, one should not take a rule off a national site and think it holds good word for word on every job. The regulatory context shows the plainest change is in South Australia with its two-metre threshold coming in on 1 July. It is incumbent on businesses to see what the law is where the work is being done.
Local Law and National Rules
You will find a national benchmark for the management of fall risk in the model WHS Regulations, which are complemented by the codes of practice and guidance of the relevant authorities in any given jurisdiction, be it Safe Work Australia, SafeWork SA, WorkSafe WA or others.
For national advice on the prevention of falls there is the working-at-heights guidance from Safe Work Australia. Make of it a starting point and then get with the regulator in the appropriate state or territory to be sure of the requirements.
The two-metre change in South Australia
Effective 1 July 2026, the regulatory framework in South Australia has a two-metre threshold. This will be of note to the principal, sub and employers who have had their controls set to a higher trigger. But it is not a universal figure for Australia, nor does it make everything below two metres safe. A worker striking an exposed opening, hard surface or some rebar or machinery can still be badly hurt.
A review is in order for South Australian firms of their training, pre-start forms, procurement, contractor instructions and SWMS templates. An old document calling for “controls above the threshold” could be found wanting. And let supervisors inspect the scene: a ladder to an unguarded roof edge can be more hazardous than a task from a well-protected platform at greater height.
What Employers Should Review
A review is in order for South Australian firms of their training, pre-start forms, procurement, contractor instructions and SWMS templates. An old document calling for “controls above the threshold” could be found wanting. And let supervisors inspect the scene: a ladder to an unguarded roof edge can be more hazardous than a task from a well-protected platform at greater height.
Fall Duties Across Australia
WHS principles place it on a PCBU to do what is reasonably practicable for the safety of workers and anyone else the business affects. That means the work environment and equipment are maintained, risks of falling are put to light and suitable controls put in place along with the necessary information and training.
There are obligations for duty holders too. An officer has to show due diligence and know the hazards and that systems are in order. A worker must use his equipment as he should, report any hazard and heed reasonable instruction.
Risk Exists Below Two Metres
Do not be tempted to regard the two-metre rule as a free pass for lower work. The requirements are based on risk. Where the ground is unforgiving or access is difficult a broken wrist or head injury is possible from less than two metres down. Add in poor lighting, wind, wet surfaces, open shafts or fragile roofing and the risk is real. Even the carrying of materials can unbalance a worker in a way it would not if he was climbing with both hands.
High Risk Construction
It is considered high-risk construction work if the applicable WHS Regulations specify a height from which a fall is a risk, such as from a structure or through an opening. One has to verify the legal trigger with reference to the task and the jurisdiction.
In the case of high-risk construction work, a safe work method statement is called for prior to commencement. The SWMS is to set out the controls and how they will be put in place, monitored and reviewed, as well as identifying hazards and describing the work in hand.
SWMS Must Match Reality
There should be no question as to which roof, scaffold, ladder or elevating work platform is in use; the SWMS must say so. It will detail access, exclusion and weather zones, material handling, communications and what is in place for rescue and emergencies. Do not mistake an old document with the site name altered for a risk-control strategy. That is just some paperwork in a hard hat.
Consultation with the workers on the SWMS is necessary and they are to have access to it. Should conditions warrant it, review the method and put a hold on the work. A gust of wind, a guardrail that has been damaged or a new opening can render yesterday’s plan of no use today.
Choose Controls Before Harnesses
Decisions ought to be informed by the hierarchy of controls. Ideally one eliminates the requirement to work at height. Failing that, employ means of preventing a fall rather than depending on equipment to stop it.
Safe access might mean doing the work from the ground, with prefabricated components, or on a guarded platform or scaffolding that has been properly put up. Ladders are for access; they are not to be made into a full-time workstation for any task that calls for force or to be done over a period of time.
Prevention Beats Arrest
Controls such as guardrails, compliant scaffolding, travel restraint and roof edge protection will keep a worker from falling or even getting to the point of a fall. Fall arrest is another matter; it does nothing to avert the initial fall but serves to limit the fallout once it has happened. For this you need anchor points, connectors, clearance, a rescue plan and a harness to match. Without a rescue arrangement a harness is an incomplete system and a suspended worker could come to serious harm.
Equipment, Access And Inspection
The equipment has to be right for the worker, the environment and the job. Scaffolding is to be erected and inspected by those with the competence to do so. Elevating work platforms demand trained operators, pre-start checks and an eye on ground conditions. Ladders require a firm footing and correct positioning and are not to be used next to an unprotected edge or opening save with further controls. With all the dust, rain, heat and glare one can encounter on a roof, along with fragile sheeting, what looks like a simple job can be rough as guts.
| Task Or Location | Typical Main Risk | Controls To Consider | Check Before Starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof work | Fall from an edge or through something fragile | Guardrails, covers, travel restraint, safe access and exclusion zones | Roof condition, weather, skylights, anchor suitability and rescue access |
| Scaffolding | Collapse, falls during access or incomplete platforms | Competent erection, edge protection, safe stairs and inspection | Tags, foundations, ties, platform condition and unauthorised alterations |
| Ladder work | Reaching or carrying and losing balance | An alternative platform, secure footing, three-point contact, short duration | Condition, angle, landing, overhead hazards and task force |
| Elevating work platform | Tip-over, ejection or hazard contact | Trained operator, barriers, ground assessment and harness if needed | Pre-start inspection, controls, outriggers, traffic and overhead services |
| Open edge or void | Unprotected fall to a lower level | Guardrails, covers, barricades, restricted access | Edge strength, cover security, visibility and work activities in the vicinity |
Inspection Is Ongoing
This is to be done at intervals commensurate with the work environment and equipment, and before use or following any event that may have an effect on its condition. Look for damage, contamination, deformation or anything that has been modified without authority on the webbing, stitching, buckles, lanyards, connectors and anchors of a harness.
Put in place records of who did the inspecting and when, and what was found and done about it. “It was in the ute yesterday” does not make for a maintenance record; if there is any doubt as to an item’s history, quarantine it until a competent person gives the all clear.
Training And Rescue Planning
Do not let training be a matter of a certificate put away years ago; it has to be relevant to the work. Instruction may be needed on everything from ladders and scaffolding interfaces to anchor selection, harness use and emergency procedures. Then there is the matter of practical competency. In a classroom a worker can make sense of a harness, but put him on a noisy roof in a strong wind and he may still get the connection wrong. Supervisors would do well to see that the task can be carried out safely in the conditions that present themselves.
Plan The Return Route
A fall arrest system is of no use without a rescue plan to be put in motion at short notice. One must know who is to sound the alarm and get in touch with emergency services, how to make contact with the worker, what equipment is on hand and how rescuers will be kept from being added to the list of casualties.
Then there are site considerations: access points, any gates that are locked, vehicle and ambulance routes, parking rules, mobile signal and first-aid provisions. For a job out in the sticks, put down the coordinates, radio channels and what one can expect by way of travel. To think a rescue plan will hold up with clear roads in a storm is merely wishful thinking on a clipboard.
State And Territory Differences
There is no single statute for every site when working at heights across Australia. It falls to the business to determine the regulator, the legislation and the guidance that has been approved for where the work is done.
In South Australia the framework is the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012, which will see a two-metre change as of 1 July 2026. In Western Australia you may have to refer to WorkSafe WA and the 2022 regulations. Elsewhere there will be other laws and amendments in force.
Crossing A Border
Do not dispatch an interstate crew without a review of the local legislation. Put the SWMS, training records, licences and plant requirements in order and have your emergency contacts to hand. A contractor making the move from Melbourne to Adelaide or from Perth into another jurisdiction would be wrong to suppose the same three-metre threshold or form of words is in order.
National projects are best served by a baseline standard of the most onerous requirement and then verifying the particulars at each worksite. It makes for easier administration but is no substitute for the advice of a regulator or legal counsel.
Practical Compliance Checklist
This is the sequence to follow before work commences, whether it is a large construction project or a bit of maintenance; more involved work will call for specialist input and finer planning.
- Start by making a note of all fall risks: ladders, voids, roof edges, fragile surfaces, platforms and anything hazardous at lower levels.
- Make sure you are in line with the state or territory’s high-risk construction work triggers and regulator guidance.
- Prevention controls should be chosen over fall arrest and work at height eliminated if it is reasonably practicable.
- Where the need arises, put the SWMS in place, consult and get the word out.
- Have confirmation of supervision, competency and the necessary licences for your workers.
- Give the access equipment, scaffolding, anchor points, harnesses and rescue gear a once-over.
- Take stock of the weather and wind, lighting, heat, wet ground, traffic, public access and electrical hazards.
- Put in place a workable rescue plan along with exclusion zones, first aid and means of communication.
- Should conditions alter or a control break down, halt the work. Keep a record of inspections, toolbox talks, any incidents and corrective action taken.
One-Day Priority Plan
To put right compliance in a day, turn your attention to the task of highest risk on the docket. Go over the site with the men, see for yourself the equipment and the rescue method and jettison any work that cannot be done safely. With a small business this kind of walk-through will tell you more than a policy of some length. You will come across the things that trip people up: a ladder in the path of a door, a roof that is slick, a gate that is not there or a harness for which there is no fitting anchor.
Expectation Versus Reality
The rule is thought to be two or three metres precisely. In fact the duty to manage the risk of a fall is wider and there are dangers below either mark.
Some will believe a harness is enough for roof work. The truth is it is just one element of a system requiring inspection, training, clearance and a proper anchor.
A signed off SWMS is seen as proof the work is under control. But it has to be adhered to and updated as the site demands.
And while documents may be put to pen and paper, WHS compliance is a process of people, decisions and equipment in the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The 2026 Rules?
Under the relevant WHS legislation in Australia the onus is to manage the risk of falls. Duties vary with the workplace and the state or territory. South Australia for its part has a two-metre threshold coming in on 1 July 2026.
Is Two Metres Now National?
Not so. The South Australian amendment does not apply to every jurisdiction in the country. Consult the regulator for the worksite.
Is A SWMS Always Called For?
Only if the work is deemed high-risk construction work. That said, even if not a legal necessity a documented risk assessment and procedure can be a sensible way to show the hazards have been dealt with.
Which Controls Take Precedence?
Follow the hierarchy. Do away with work at height if you can, otherwise put in guardrails or a platform. Fall arrest is a last resort and calls for a rescue plan and the right equipment.
What Of Training?
It is dictated by the equipment and the task. Workers require instruction and practical competency with ladders, harnesses, elevating work platforms and so on. Some plant or construction work will have licence or high-risk work stipulations.
Make It A Habit
The 2026 regulations on working at heights have a simple message: find the risk, control it at source and be sure the plan will stand up to the conditions.
Elowen Fairchild has a final rule that is not much to look at but serves you better: go for a walk on site, talk to the workers and look up before they start to climb. Proper planning will have the paperwork in order and everyone will have a good chance of getting home in one piece rather than with a tale to tell at the dunny block.
