Working at height course: what to expect
A working at height course teaches people to plan work so falls are avoided, choose the right access and protection, and use harnesses and fall-arrest equipment correctly when they are needed. There are two usual formats: a one-day awareness course and a two-day course that adds fall-arrest equipment and rescue.
Logan Plant Training runs both on your own site under the Work at Height Regulations 2005. Candidates need to be 16 or over and medically fit to wear a harness.
Key points
- One day for awareness; two days when fall arrest is included.
- The hierarchy is avoid, prevent, then minimise the fall.
- Harnesses need a competent person's inspection, not just the wearer's.
- Anchor points must have a known rating.
- Every fall-arrest plan needs a rescue plan.
Choosing between awareness and fall arrest
The awareness course suits people who work at height occasionally using ladders, platforms or towers and need to understand the risks and the rules. It covers planning, the hierarchy of control and choosing suitable access.
The two-day course is for people who will actually wear a harness and connect to anchors. It adds equipment selection, fitting, inspection and rescue. If in doubt, think about the most demanding task someone will do, and train for that.
The hierarchy of control
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 expect work at height to be avoided where possible. Where it cannot be avoided, falls should be prevented with collective measures such as guardrails or a mobile platform. Only when that is not practical should the consequences of a fall be minimised with nets or personal fall arrest.
Candidates practise applying this to real tasks, such as a roof-edge inspection where a ladder is the only obvious option, and working out whether a better method exists.
Harnesses, lanyards and anchors
Fall-arrest candidates learn to fit a harness properly, inspect it and its lanyard before use, and recognise damage that means it must be taken out of service. They also learn that a detailed inspection by a competent person every six months is expected, not just a quick look by the wearer.
Anchor choice is a frequent weak point. Clipping to a scaffold tube of unknown rating is a common mistake the course is designed to stop.
- Pre-use check of webbing, stitching, buckles and connectors
- Correct fit and adjustment of the harness
- Choosing a rated anchor at a suitable height
- Understanding fall clearance below the worker
- Recording inspections properly
Rescue and suspension trauma
A person held in a harness after a fall is not safe. Suspension trauma can become life-threatening within minutes, so every job that relies on fall arrest needs a rescue plan that can be carried out quickly by people on site. Relying on the emergency services alone is not enough.
The two-day course covers how to plan and practise a rescue and how to care for someone after they are brought down.
Tower scaffolds and ladders on site
Ladders and mobile towers are the most common access equipment on many sites, and they cause a large share of falls. The course looks at when a ladder is acceptable, typically for short-duration, low-risk work where a better option is not practical, and how to set it up, secure it and use it with three points of contact.
Mobile towers get similar attention. Candidates discuss the 3T method of erection, why a tower on uneven ground needs extra care, and why outriggers and guardrails must be fitted as the manufacturer intends. Dedicated tower erection training is a separate course, but understanding the basics helps anyone who works from a tower spot a problem before they climb.
Throughout, the trainer relates the rules to the tasks your team actually does, so the course reflects your site rather than a generic example.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a working at height course?
One day for awareness, or two days when fall-arrest equipment and rescue are included.
Does it cover MEWPs?
No. Operating a MEWP needs its own training; see our working at height vs MEWP training comparison.
Who can attend?
Anyone 16 or over who is medically fit to wear a harness.
Does it cover tower scaffolds?
Tower erection is touched on, and our PASMA card guide explains dedicated tower training.
Need this training arranged?
Tell us the machines and the number of operators. Chris will call back with straight advice and a firm price.