Working at Height -- The Rules
Working at Height -- The Rules
Falls are the single biggest killer on South African construction sites. The headline rule: any work where someone could fall 2 metres or more needs a written Fall Protection Plan before it starts. What the law requires.
The Fall Protection Plan (Construction Regulation 10)
| When it is required | Before any work where a person could fall 2 metres or more |
| Who develops it | A competent person -- it is a written, site-specific plan |
| Workers | Must be trained on the plan before starting; review it when conditions change |
What the plan must contain
- A risk assessment of all work-at-height activities, and the fall hazards identified (edges, openings, fragile roofs, scaffolds, ladders)
- The hierarchy of controls: prevention first (guardrails, barriers, covers), then restraint, then fall arrest (harnesses, lanyards, lifelines)
- A rescue plan for a suspended worker -- suspension trauma can be fatal in minutes, so phone-the-fire-brigade is NOT a rescue plan
The kit and the numbers
| Edge protection | Guardrails at least 900 mm high, with a mid-rail and a toe board |
| Fall-arrest equipment standards | SANS 50361 harnesses, SANS 50355 energy absorbers, SANS 50360 retractable arresters |
| Equipment inspection | Formally inspected by a competent person at least every 3 months |
Reference only -- not legal advice. The trigger is a potential 2 metre fall, not the number of storeys -- a single storey can qualify. Anchor points are part of the plan; a harness clipped to nothing is no protection. Verify against the Construction Regulations 2014 at labour.gov.za.
Sources: Construction Regulations 2014, regulation 10 (OHS Act) · Department of Employment and Labour
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