About Work at Height
Learn the definitions for Work at Height. And find out about related laws, industry standards and key statistics.
Definition: Work at Height
Work at height (WAH) is defined as the following work:
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Work |
Examples |
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Work in an elevated workplace. |
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Work near an open edge. |
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Work near a floor opening. |
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Work on a fragile surface. |
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Any other work environment (whether above or below ground) that poses a fall-from-height or fall-into-depth risk. |
N.A. |
Open edge of building under construction without proper barricade
Fragile roof skylight
Laws and Industry Standards
As an employer, you are expected to comply with Singapore's WSH laws. You should pay particular attention to:
- WSH (Work at Heights) Regulations
- WSH (Risk Management) Regulations
- WSH (Incident Reporting) Regulations
You should also observe relevant industry standards, such as:
- Code of Practice for Working Safely at Heights (PDF);
- Code of Practice for Working Safely at Heights - Mandarin (PDF); and
- Code of Practice on WSH Risk Management (PDF).
Please refer to the WSH (Approved Codes of Practice) Notification (PDF) for the full list of approved Codes of Practice.
Statistics
- Falls are the top contributor to workplace deaths.
- More than a third of the yearly total workplace fatalities are due to falls.
- Though fatal falls usually occur in high-risk industries such as construction, they also take place in other industries (where workers may be required to work at height (e.g. on ladders or roofs).
Refer to Workplace Safety and Health Reports for the latest WSH National Statistics Report.
