Where Safety Meets Trust.
Height Safety Systems Resources
Explore our comprehensive library of height safety resources designed to support safe, compliant, and efficient work at heights. From regulatory guidelines and risk management frameworks to equipment specifications, this page equips facility managers, contractors, engineers, architects and compliance officers with everything needed to uphold best practices.
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Australian Standards & NCC
AS/NZS 1891:2020 (4 parts) – Industrial fall arrest systems and devices
AS 1657:2018: Governs the design, construction, and installation of fixed platforms, walkways, stairways, and ladders.
AS/NZS 5532:2013: Outlines strict manufacturing and load-testing requirements for single-point roof anchors (requiring them to withstand a 15kN load)
S/NZS ISO 22846:2020 (2 parts) – Industrial rope access systems – abseil (previously AS/NZS 4488)
Industry Codes – Industry Best Practice - WAHA (Working At Heights Association)
NSWG1.101 : 2019
(1) A building must provide for a safe manner of cleaning any windows located 3 or more storeys above ground level.
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Guidelines for Annual Certification
Anchor points and static lines: Require recertification and tagging every 12 months.
Fixed systems (guardrails, walkways, ladders): Recommended for annual (12-month) inspection and recertification.
Harnesses and lanyards: Require formal inspection by a competent/qualified inspector every 6 months (plus visual pre-use checks).
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System Design Guideline
Key Technical Layout Principles (AS/NZS Compliance)
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Travel Restraint vs. Fall Arrest (Distance Limits):
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Travel Restraint: Rigged so that the maximum functional rope length keeps the worker at least 2.0-2.5 metres away from any unprotected edge or fragile surface.
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Fall Arrest: Permitted only when guardrails or travel restraint cannot be implemented. Must account for pendulum swings and dynamic sag.
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Pendulum / Swing-Fall Mitigation:
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Anchors must be spaced to ensure a user never works at an angle exceeding 30° relative to the perpendicular roof edge from the anchor point.
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Diversion anchors or continuous line systems must be specified if lateral travel along an edge is required.
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Structural Substrate Certification:
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Anchors and lifeline posts cannot be attached directly to roof sheet metal unless using proprietary tested surface-mount plates certified under AS/NZS 5532.
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Attachment to timber or steel purlins must be verified by a structural engineer.
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Safe Work State Regulators (SafeWork NSW, WorkSafe QLD, WorkSafe VIC)Codes of Practice for Roofing & Height Safety Design: State regulators explicitly illustrate the 30-degree rule-of-thumb / design limit for roof anchor layout.
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Moving beyond 30° creates two distinct hazards:Excessive Line Slack: The lifeline length required to reach a corner at an angle >30° introduces excess slack when the worker is closer to the edge, increasing free-fall distance.
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Swing-Fall Impact: A fall occurring outside the 30° zone causes the worker to slide diagonally along the roof edge, generating a severe arc-swing into walls, lower roof steps, or ground structures.
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Safe Work NSW Guidelines
Safe Work Reference link :
https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/construction/fall-arrest-anchors
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WAHA (Working at Height Association)
Guidelines
WAHA Reference link :
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Safe Work NSW Working at Heights
Safe Work Reference link :