Working Safely on Structures

Learn about the risks of working on structures and the measures needed to prevent falls from height.

Working on Structures

Working on structures such as permanent or temporary building frameworks, platforms, columns, and formwork poses significant fall risks. Without proper planning and effective fall prevention measures, workers could fall from height, resulting in serious injury or death.

Common fall hazards include:

  • Unprotected edges, open sides or elevated work area
  • Unprotected floor openings, lift shafts or other openings
  • Unsafe means of access and egress
  • Incomplete or unsecured work platforms
  • Unstable or partially completed structures during erection, alteration or dismantling works

Before work on structures begins, employers should assess the risks and consider:

  • Whether working at height can be avoided
  • The stability and structural integrity of the structure and work area
  • The presence of unprotected edges, openings, voids or fragile surfaces
  • The availability of safe means of access and egress
  • The suitability of work platforms, scaffolds or mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs)
  • The movement of workers, materials and equipment
  • The weather and other environmental conditions
  • The availability and adequacy of fall prevention measures, such as guardrails, edge protection and covers over openings
  • The competency, training and supervision of workers

Laws and Industry Standards

Employers must comply with Singapore's WSH legislation, including:

  • WSH (Work at Heights) Regulations 2013
  • WSH (Risk Management) Regulations
  • WSH (Scaffolds) Regulations 2011
  • WSH (Construction) Regulations 2007

Employers should also refer to relevant industry standards, such as:

  • Code of Practice for Working Safely at Heights (English | Mandarin)
  • Code of Practice on WSH Risk Management
  • Singapore Standard SS 528 Part 1 to 6: 2006 (2014) – Personal Fall-Arrest Systems
  • SS 570: Personal protective equipment for protection against falls from a height Part 1: Single-point anchor devices
  • SS 570: Personal protective equipment for protection against falls from a height Part 2: Flexible horizontal lifeline systems
  • SS 616: Code of Practice for safe use of mobile elevating work platforms
  • SS 659: Code of practice for scaffolds
  • SS EN 13374: Temporary edge protection systems – Product specifications – Test methods

For the full list of approved codes of practice, refer to the WSH (Approved Codes of Practice) Notification.

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Resources

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