Topic
Working at height
Falls from height are one of the most common causes of serious and fatal injuries at work. Start here for the rules, a pre-start checklist and practical guides.
Know itWorking at height: what supervisors need to knowWorking at height in Singapore: when a permit is needed, the fall prevention plan, edge protection, harness checks and rescue. Practical guide for supervisors.Read the guide →
Check itWorking at height checklistPre-start checklist for work at height: permit, edge protection, covers, harness and anchor checks, rescue plan and supervision. Based on Singapore rules.Open the checklist →
Brief itToolbox talk: working at heightFive-minute toolbox talk on working at height: avoid the edge, keep guard-rails in place, clip on to the right anchor and know the rescue plan.Use the toolbox talk →
The order of controls
Work down the list and only move on when the step above is not reasonably practicable.
1. AvoidDo the work from the ground: pre-assemble, use extendable tools, or design the need out.
2. Prevent: protect everyoneGuard-rails, toe-boards, covered openings, scaffolds and working platforms.
3. Prevent: protect the individualTravel restraint that stops a worker reaching the edge at all.
4. Arrest the fallFull-body harness, lanyard or self-retracting lifeline on a rated anchorage, or safety nets.
5. RescueA rehearsed plan to reach a suspended worker within minutes, with the equipment on site.
What the rules require
Headline requirements by country. Check the official source for the full text.
Singapore
- Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006: employers and principals must take reasonably practicable measures to keep people safe, including when working at height.
- WSH (Work at Heights) Regulations 2013: fall prevention plans for specified workplaces such as construction worksites and shipyards, and a permit-to-work system where a person could fall more than 3 m.
- WSH (Risk Management) Regulations: a risk assessment for the work, communicated to the people doing it.
- Code of Practice for Working Safely at Heights (WSH Council): the practical reference for meeting these duties.
Sources: Ministry of Manpower, WSH Council, Singapore Statutes Online.
Malaysia
- Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514), as amended from 1 June 2024: employers must ensure, so far as practicable, safe systems of work and a safe workplace (s.15), and carry out a risk assessment with controls (s.18B).
- OSH (Construction Work) (Design and Management) Regulations 2024: floor openings must be guarded to prevent falls from any height, and work with a risk of falling from height is listed as work involving particular risks.
- DOSH guidance: the Guidelines for the Prevention of Falls at Workplaces 2007 and the Guidance on Safe Use of Mobile Access Towers 2023.
More in our Malaysia hub and OSHA 1994 explainer. Source: DOSH construction guidance.
Indonesia
- Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 9 of 2016 on K3 for work at height: covers any work with a height difference and a potential to fall, with no minimum height. Requires planning, work procedures, safe work techniques, PPE with fall protection and anchors, and suitable workers.
- Competent, licensed workers: employers must use workers with a competency certificate and a K3 licence from the Director General, valid for 5 years.
- Law No. 1 of 1970 on Work Safety: the pengurus must induct and train workers and provide required PPE free of charge; companies with 100+ workers or high hazard potential also need SMK3 (PP 50/2012).
More in our Indonesia hub and K3 law explainer. Source: JDIH Kemnaker.
Checklist
Working at height: pre-start checklist
Run through it before work starts: permits, access equipment, edge protection, fall arrest, falling objects and rescue.
Open the checklist- Risk assessment reviewed for today's conditions
- Openings covered, secured and marked
- Anchorage points identified and rated
- Exclusion zone set up below the work
Common questions
Is there a minimum height before the rules apply?
Not in Singapore. Work at height covers any place where a person could fall from one level to another. The 3 m figure applies to when a permit-to-work is needed in specified workplaces, not to whether the work counts as work at height.
What is a fall prevention plan?
A site-specific plan, required in specified workplaces such as construction worksites and shipyards, that sets out how falls will be prevented: the hazards, the controls, who is responsible, inspections, training and rescue.
Is a harness enough?
Rarely on its own. A harness arrests a fall that has already happened. Edge protection and safe platforms that stop the fall come first, and a harness needs a rated anchorage, enough clearance below and a rescue plan.
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.