Height Safety Equipment Inspection Checklist NSW
Posted on March 16, 2026
According to SafeWork NSW data, falls from height remain one of the leading causes of fatalities and serious injuries on construction and building sites across NSW. Any business that requires workers to operate at height has both a legal duty and a moral responsibility to eliminate or minimise the risk of falls, so far as is reasonably practicable.
A height safety checklist can help you achieve this goal. This isn’t a ‘nice to have’; it’s an essential tool that can (and should) become an intrinsic part of your workplace culture. Maintaining and regularly executing a WHS-aligned checklist supports safe work practices, reduces risk, ensures equipment remains compliant, and helps your operations run smoothly and efficiently. It can also avoid on-the-spot fines of $3,600, workplace shutdowns or criminal prosecution.
In this guide, the team at Sydney Safety Training outlines everything your height safety checklist must include: what to check, why it matters, and how to apply it on site. When combined with our nationally-accredited Safe Working at Heights training, you’ll have confidence that your business is meeting its obligations and protecting its workers.
Hierarchy of Fall Controls
In NSW, Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs) must manage the risk of falls in accordance with the WHS Act and Regulations, applying the hierarchy of control to eliminate or minimise risk.
The hierarchy prioritises reducing the need to work at height altogether and, where this is not possible, implementing the highest-order control measures available. Before we review the height safety equipment inspection checklist, it’s worthwhile visiting the hierarchy of falls:
- Work on the ground or on a solid construction – don’t work at any height if it’s avoidable.
- If working from height is unavoidable, it’s a legal requirement to provide adequate protection. The ascending order of priority is:
- A fall-prevention device, such as scaffolding, elevated working platforms, work boxes, etc.
- If the above is not possible, a work-positioning system, which is harness-based and uses restraint or supported tension to prevent falls.
- If neither option above is possible, the hierarchy defaults to a fall-arrest system, such as a safety net or catch platform. Such a measure will not prevent falling, but it will reduce the impact.
- If a single control is not adequate, you must implement a combination of the above.
- Other controls should be implemented alongside the above, such as adopting SafeWork NSW procedures, implementing safe work sequences, permit systems, and signage.
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Height Safety Inspection Checklist
A height safety equipment inspection checklist helps ensure fall-prevention systems, access equipment and personal protective equipment remain compliant, serviceable and fit for purpose. The checklist below helps your workplace identify hazards, confirm that control measures are in place, and document inspections in line with WHS obligations.
Why You Need Workplace Safety Checklists
✅Confirms your workplace height safety equipment is safe, compliant and fit for purpose before use.
✅Helps identify damaged, worn or incorrectly installed equipment that could lead to falls.
✅Supports compliance with NSW WHS Act and Regulations.
✅Demonstrates that you have applied the hierarchy of control in your workplace.
✅Provides documented evidence of your due diligence for SafeWork NSW inspections or audits.
✅Reinforces safe work practices and consistent safety standards across your workplace.
✅Reduces the risk of serious injury, fatalities, fines, improvement notices or work stoppages.
Working at Height Training Courses
Sydney Safety Training specialises in working from heights courses. We conduct more than half a dozen different training programmes and safe work at heights refresher courses from our purpose-built premises in Villawood, Sydney. We can also come to your workplace and provide fully-accredited courses from our mobile safety training centre.
Working at Height Safety Checklist FAQs
What is a height safety equipment inspection checklist?
A height safety equipment inspection checklist is a document used to ensure that equipment and systems are compliant, safe, in good working order and free from damage or wear and tear that might compromise their level of protection.
What should be included in a NSW height safety inspection checklist?
A height safety inspection checklist should include:
- The planning undertaken to prevent falls (eg, control methods, Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS), ordering correct equipment.
- Ongoing consultation and communication with workers.
- Checking equipment, including ladders, roofs, scaffolding, voids and edges.
Who is responsible for preparing and conducting a work at height safety checklist in NSW?
The PCBU is responsible for preparing a working at height safety checklist. They must:
- Identify height hazards, risks and plan safety measures around them.
- Ensure adequate document preparation and circulation (such as SWMS).
- Implement and regularly review procedures.
- Provide robust consultation to ensure all workers understand and can implement procedures.
- Provide adequate and fully-compliant working from height safety training.
How often should safety equipment checks be conducted in the workplace?
Safety equipment checklists vary by item, and you must follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Outside of this, conduct checks every time following use. The more likely an item is to be used, the more frequently it should be checked. Sydney Safety Training can also provide professional equipment safety check services.