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Rescue From Heights Risk Assessment

Rescue From Heights Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
  • • Pre-filled Content – Ready to Deploy Immediately
  • • Customisable – Easily Add Your Logo & Site Details
  • • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

Rescue From Heights Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Rescue From Heights through a structured, management-level WHS Risk Management framework that addresses governance, planning, equipment, and competency across your operations. This Risk Assessment supports compliance with the WHS Act, strengthens Due Diligence, and helps protect your business from operational and legal liability arising from height rescue activities.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, Legal Compliance and WHS Duties: Assessment of PCBU and Officer duties, allocation of responsibilities, consultation arrangements, and alignment of rescue-from-heights systems with current WHS legislation and industry expectations.
  • Risk Management and Emergency Planning Framework: Management of risk assessment processes, emergency response planning, escalation criteria, and integration of rescue scenarios into broader organisational emergency management plans.
  • Organisational Competency, Training and Authorisation: Evaluation of competency standards, training programs, verification of competence, and formal authorisation processes for personnel involved in work at height and rescue operations.
  • Rescue Equipment Selection, Procurement and Design: Assessment of harnesses, anchor systems, retrieval devices and associated equipment to ensure suitability, compatibility, rated capacity, and compliance with relevant Australian Standards.
  • Equipment Inspection, Maintenance and Asset Management: Management of inspection regimes, tagging and traceability, service intervals, storage conditions, and retirement criteria for height safety and rescue equipment.
  • Planning of Work at Height and Integration of Rescue Capability: Evaluation of how rescue considerations are built into job planning, access methods, anchor layouts, and selection of work methods to ensure a timely and practicable rescue is always achievable.
  • Contractor and Third-Party Management: Controls for prequalification, competency verification, rescue capability review, and interface arrangements with contractors, subcontractors and external rescue providers.
  • Communication, Command and Control During Rescue: Protocols for incident notification, on-site command structure, liaison with emergency services, and reliable communication systems under high-stress rescue conditions.
  • Suspension Trauma and Post-Rescue Medical Management: Assessment of the risk of orthostatic intolerance, first aid and medical response requirements, and post-rescue monitoring and handover procedures.
  • Training Drills, Testing and Continuous Improvement: Management of simulated rescue exercises, evaluation criteria, lessons-learned processes, and updates to procedures, training and equipment based on drill outcomes.
  • Fatigue, Workload and Psychological Readiness: Controls for shift length, workload, exposure to traumatic events, and psychological preparedness of rescuers and supervisors involved in height rescue operations.
  • Documentation, Records and Audit: Systems for maintaining training records, equipment registers, inspection reports, emergency drill outcomes, and formal audits to demonstrate due diligence and continuous improvement.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Officers, Safety Managers, and Operations Leaders responsible for planning, approving, and overseeing Rescue From Heights capability within their organisation or projects.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, Legal Compliance and WHS Duties
  • • Lack of formal recognition of Rescue From Heights as a high-risk activity under organisational WHS governance arrangements
  • • Board and senior management not clearly understanding or discharging primary duty of care and due diligence obligations under WHS Act 2011 for emergency response at height
  • • Inadequate WHS policies and procedures specific to aerial and vertical rescue, suspension trauma prevention, and recovery after a fall
  • • Failure to integrate rescue-from-heights requirements into the overarching WHS management system, including consultation, risk management and incident response elements
  • • No clear assignment of roles, responsibilities and accountabilities (PCBU, officers, workers, contractors) for planning, resourcing and maintaining rescue capability
  • • Inadequate review of compliance with relevant Australian Standards, Codes of Practice and manufacturer instructions related to fall protection and rescue equipment
  • • Lack of documented criteria for when work at height must not proceed due to insufficient or ineffective rescue arrangements
2. Risk Management and Emergency Planning Framework
  • • Rescue-from-heights risks not systematically identified, assessed and documented within organisational risk registers
  • • Emergency plans for work at height being generic and not specific to site conditions, access constraints, equipment in use or potential fall scenarios
  • • Failure to consider time-critical factors such as suspension trauma onset, weather constraints, and complexity of access when planning rescue systems
  • • No structured process to assess the suitability of proposed rescue methods (self-rescue, assisted rescue, external emergency services) for each work location
  • • Inadequate integration of rescue plans with broader emergency management, communications and first aid systems
  • • Lack of documented performance criteria and response time targets for rescue and recovery after a fall from height
  • • Emergency planning not updated when work methods, contractors, plant, or site layouts change
3. Organisational Competency, Training and Authorisation
  • • Workers and supervisors involved in work at height not trained in emergency rescue procedures specific to aerial and vertical environments
  • • Insufficient awareness of suspension trauma, its onset, recognition and prevention among workers using fall-arrest systems
  • • Training limited to theoretical content with no competency-based assessment of rescue techniques and decision-making
  • • No system for verifying external contractors’ qualifications and experience in height rescue before engagement
  • • Training frequency inadequate to maintain skills for low-frequency, high-consequence rescue tasks
  • • Absence of formal authorisation process to designate competent rescue team members and rescue coordinators
  • • Inconsistent record keeping on rescue-related training, refresher schedules and competency reassessments
4. Rescue Equipment Selection, Procurement and Design
  • • Rescue equipment not fit for purpose for specific height tasks, structures or environmental conditions
  • • Reliance on general fall-arrest equipment without provision of dedicated rescue kits and retrieval systems
  • • Inconsistent equipment brands and models leading to compatibility issues between harnesses, connectors, rescue devices and anchorage systems
  • • Failure to consider ergonomics and manual handling risks when selecting rescue equipment, leading to reluctance to deploy or difficulty operating under stress
  • • Procurement decisions based solely on cost without adequate technical input from competent height-rescue personnel
  • • Lack of redundancy in critical rescue systems, leading to single-point failures during emergency operations
  • • No formal pre-commissioning verification and acceptance testing of rescue and retrieval systems
5. Equipment Inspection, Maintenance and Asset Management
  • • Rescue and fall-arrest equipment not routinely inspected or maintained, leading to undetected damage or degradation
  • • Lack of traceability for equipment, resulting in overdue inspections and use of items beyond their service life
  • • Inadequate storage and handling practices causing accelerated wear or contamination of critical rescue components
  • • Maintenance performed by unqualified personnel, resulting in incorrect repairs or adjustments
  • • No clear criteria for equipment quarantine and disposal following incident, fall arrest or suspected damage
  • • Failure to include specialised aerial and vertical rescue equipment in the organisation’s asset and maintenance management systems
6. Planning of Work at Height and Integration of Rescue Capability
  • • Work at height planned without concurrent planning for timely rescue of fallen or incapacitated workers
  • • Failure to consider how existing structures, plant or temporary works will affect rescue access and egress
  • • Over-reliance on external emergency services without confirming their ability to perform vertical or aerial rescue at specific locations
  • • Multiple contractors working at height with inconsistent or incompatible rescue approaches and equipment
  • • Project planning focused only on productivity and access, with insufficient emphasis on emergency response requirements and timeframes
  • • Lack of coordination between design, engineering and WHS teams during project planning, resulting in unrescuable work positions or anchor points
7. Contractor and Third-Party Management
  • • Contractors undertaking work at height without adequate rescue-from-heights systems aligned to organisational standards
  • • Reliance on contractor-supplied rescue equipment of unknown condition or compatibility with host site systems
  • • No verification that contracted rescue teams or rope access providers have current training, competencies and insurances appropriate to vertical rescue activities
  • • Inconsistent emergency communication protocols between host PCBU and contractor organisations during an incident at height
  • • Lack of clarity about which PCBU is responsible for planning, leading and resourcing rescue operations when multiple PCBUs share a workplace
  • • Contractor method statements and risk assessments focusing on work tasks but not on aerial rescue and recovery after fall
8. Communication, Command and Control During Rescue
  • • Lack of clear command structure during emergency rescue from height leading to confusion, delays or conflicting instructions
  • • Ineffective communication channels between workers at height, ground personnel, control rooms and emergency services
  • • No predetermined protocol for requesting external emergency assistance or providing accurate location and access information
  • • Rescue team members not briefed on site-specific communication limitations such as radio dead zones or noise sources
  • • Critical information about casualty status, suspension time and hazards not captured or relayed during the incident
  • • No arrangements for liaison with emergency services for complex vertical rescue scenarios at remote or constrained sites
9. Suspension Trauma and Post-Rescue Medical Management
  • • Lack of organisational awareness of the onset and consequences of suspension trauma following fall arrest
  • • Inadequate planning for time-critical rescue where workers may remain suspended in harnesses
  • • Rescue plans not including procedures for safe post-rescue handling and positioning of casualties at risk of suspension trauma
  • • Insufficient first aid resources and training to recognise and manage signs of shock, crush injury or rhabdomyolysis following prolonged suspension or vertical entrapment
  • • Failure to ensure prompt medical assessment following any fall or prolonged suspension event, even if the worker appears uninjured
  • • No guidance for workers on self-relief techniques (e.g. trauma straps) while awaiting rescue
10. Training Drills, Testing and Continuous Improvement
  • • Emergency rescue-from-heights plans remaining theoretical and untested under realistic conditions
  • • Workers and supervisors not familiar with their roles during actual height emergencies due to infrequent or poorly structured drills
  • • Lessons from previous incidents, near misses or drills not being captured or acted upon, leading to repeated failures
  • • No objective performance criteria or benchmarks to evaluate the effectiveness of rescue capability over time
  • • Complacency developing regarding rescue readiness for low-frequency but high-consequence height emergencies
  • • Failure to test new or modified rescue equipment and procedures before relying on them operationally
11. Fatigue, Workload and Psychological Readiness
  • • Rescue team members required to undertake physically demanding vertical rescues while fatigued or after long shifts
  • • Insufficient consideration of psychological stress and trauma associated with rescue from heights, particularly where serious injury or fatality is involved
  • • No system to ensure adequate numbers of trained personnel are available per shift to safely execute rescue roles without over-reliance on a few individuals
  • • Inadequate rostering and workload planning leading to key competent rescue personnel not present when high-risk height work is undertaken
  • • Absence of support mechanisms for debriefing and psychological support following critical height incidents
12. Documentation, Records and Audit
  • • Incomplete or inconsistent documentation of rescue-from-heights policies, procedures, plans and risk assessments
  • • Inadequate record keeping of training, competencies, drills, equipment inspections and incidents related to work at height and rescue
  • • Difficulty demonstrating compliance with WHS Act 2011 due diligence requirements due to poor evidence of systems being implemented and reviewed
  • • Lack of regular auditing of rescue-from-heights systems leading to undetected deterioration in capability
  • • Paper-based systems resulting in lost or inaccessible records when urgently needed during or after an incident

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

Don't worry if a specific hazard isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom hazards at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the risk ratings and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice: Guidance on controlling risks associated with falls and rescue planning.
  • Safe Work Australia – First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice: Requirements for first aid and post-rescue medical response.
  • AS/NZS 1891 series: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices, including harnesses, lanyards, and fall-arrest hardware used in rescue.
  • AS/NZS 4488: Industrial rope access systems — Selection, use and maintenance relevant to rope-based rescue techniques.
  • AS 3745: Planning for emergencies in facilities, including emergency response structures, communication and control.
  • AS 4825: Tunnel fire safety and emergency response principles where applicable to complex structures and confined vertical environments.
  • AS ISO 45001:2018: Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements with guidance for use.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

$79.5

Safe Work Australia Aligned