What PPE Is Required for Working at Heights in Australia
Posted on June 30, 2025
Your Essential Workplace Safety List
If you’re a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) anywhere in Australia, you are legally required to ensure the health and safety of anyone working at height in your workplace. Meeting this obligation requires two critical components:
- The person undertaking the work must successfully participate in and complete adequate and accredited height safety training, which they can do through various Sydney Safety Training courses.
- You must provide the necessary working at height safety equipment, or Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for the task.
In this blog, we provide a comprehensive list of PPE for working at height so your workplace remains compliant and responsible.
Your Essential Working at Heights Safety Equipment List
So, what PPE equipment is required for working at height? We recommend you have the following items available at all times:
#1 Safety Harnesses
- Mandatory for anyone working more than 2 metres from the ground
- Designed to prevent falling from an elevated point
- If a fall does occur, the harness distributes the force across a greater surface of the body, therefore reducing the chance of a targeted and intense injury
- Shop our premium working at height harness
#2 Lanyards
- Used in conjunction with safety harnesses, safety lanyards connect workers to anchor points, therefore preventing falls and reducing the chance of injury
- They are a critical part of any fall arrest or fall restraint system
- Some lanyards include energy absorbers, which gradually decelerate a fall and reduce the overall force of the final impact
- Shop our premium safety lanyards
#3 Anchor Points
- An anchor point serves as a secure attachment point to which safety harnesses or lanyards can be affixed whilst working from an elevated working platform
- Another focal part of a fall restraint system, they help minimise the risk of falling or reduce the length of a fall
- Shop our premium safety anchor points
#4 Karabiners
- Karabiners securely link and/or attach to anchor points, lanyards and harnesses
- They form a key role in any fall arrest system
- They can also tether tools to the worker, making it easy and low-risk to access the items they need
- Shop our premium karabiners
#5 Helmets
- A helmet or hard hat helps protect the worker’s’ head in the event of a fall, from objects falling from even higher up, and from knocking their head into certain objects or structures
#6 High Visibility Vest
- It is important to ensure workers at height can be easily seen and identified
- In doing so, accidents caused by collisions, particularly in busy environments, are minimised
- A high-vis vest helps make workers visible to others on-site, including those operating equipment and machinery
#7 Guardrails
- A guardrail serves as a physical barrier, helping to reduce risk of a fall
- Sometimes referred to as passive fall protection, guardrails do not require the worker to do anything to initiate protection and serve their purpose
#8 Roofer Kits
- We highly recommend a roofer kit as it provides a comprehensive collection of some of the more crucial PPE for working at heights
- Shop our premium roofer kits
#9 Caged Ladders
- A caged ladder prevents a worker from falling off the sides or back of a fixed ladder
- Although falling down a caged ladder might still be a painful experience, it is very unlikely to lead to a major injury or death, as might be the case with a standard ladder
#10 Rescue Equipment
- In the event of a workplace fall or accident at height, rapid and smooth retrieval and rescue are paramount
- Our collection provides all the items you might need to deploy a fast and efficient rescue operation
- Shop our premium rescue and retrieval equipment
Working at Heights PPE FAQs
What PPE Equipment Do We Use for Working at Height?
PPE equipment required for working at heights typically includes safety lanyards, harnesses, anchor points, ropes, carabiners, caged ladders, helmets and more. Ultimately, it will depend on the nature of the work. Please contact the Sydney Safety Training team on 02 9892 3370 for guidance.
How Often Must PPE Working at Height Safety Equipment Be Inspected in Australia?
PPE equipment should be inspected by an accredited independent party every six to 12 months. Sydney Safety Training can provide regular safety equipment inspections.
Who Is Responsible for Providing Personal Protective Equipment for Working at Height in Sydney – the Employer or Contractor?
The PCBU is responsible for providing all working at heights PPE.
What Documents Must I Keep to Ensure My Working at Heights Safety Equipment is Compliant?
To ensure compliance in NSW, you should retain copies of:
- Risk assessments
- Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS)
- Training records
- Emergency and rescue plans
- Equipment maintenance logs
How Should We Store our PPE for Working at Height When Not in Use?
You must protect your protective equipment when it’s not in use! Store items in a cool, dry and well-ventilated area where they will be out of harm’s way and not prone to damage or unnecessary wear and tear.