How Often Do Height Safety Systems Need to Be Inspected?

The 12-month rule

AS/NZS 1891.4:2025 requires that all height safety equipment be inspected by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months. This applies to every component of the system: anchor points, static lines, guardrails, walkways, ladders, hatches, and all associated hardware including connectors, energy absorbers, and runners.

The 12-month interval is a maximum, not a recommendation. Some building types and environments warrant more frequent inspections. Coastal buildings, industrial sites with chemical exposure, and buildings with high-frequency roof access should be inspected every 6 months.

What triggers an out-of-cycle inspection

In addition to the annual programme, AS/NZS 1891.4 requires inspection after any event that may have affected the system. This includes:

• A fall arrest event where the system has been loaded
• Severe weather including hail, cyclones, and extreme wind events
• Structural modifications to the building or roof
• Any impact to the system from construction activity, crane operations, or equipment installation
• Visible damage or deterioration reported by roof workers

After a fall arrest event, every component in the arrest chain must be inspected and any loaded components must be removed from service. Energy absorbers that have deployed, lanyards that have been shock-loaded, and harnesses that have arrested a fall must be destroyed and replaced.

Who is a competent person

The standard requires inspections to be conducted by a competent person. This is someone who has the knowledge, training, and experience to identify defects and assess compliance. In practice, this means someone who understands the design intent of the system, the relevant standards, and the failure modes of each component type.

A building owner or facility manager is generally not a competent person for height safety inspection purposes. The inspection should be conducted by a specialist height safety company with qualified inspectors.

What the inspection covers

A thorough annual inspection covers:

• Visual assessment of all anchor points for corrosion, cracking, deformation, and fixing integrity
• Proof load testing of anchor points where required by the system design or where visual inspection indicates a concern
• Wire rope condition on static line systems, checking for broken strands, kinking, corrosion, and correct tension
• Guardrail structural integrity including post connections, infill panels, and base plate fixings
• Walkway condition including slip resistance, structural connections, and load distribution
• Ladder fixings, cage integrity, rung condition, and vertical lifeline components
• Hatch operation, sealing, locking mechanisms, and integrated safety rails
• All connectors, end terminations, and hardware for wear, corrosion, and correct function

What happens when something fails

When any component fails inspection, the inspector must tag it as non-compliant and issue a report documenting the defect. The tagged component must not be used until it has been repaired or replaced and re-inspected.

Building owners receive a detailed inspection report that identifies each deficiency, its severity, and the recommended remediation. Critical deficiencies that present an immediate fall risk should be isolated immediately, with temporary exclusion zones or barriers in place until the system is remediated.

Record keeping

Inspection records must be maintained for the life of the system. Records should include the date of inspection, the name and qualifications of the inspector, the condition of each component, any deficiencies identified, remediation actions taken, and the next inspection due date.

Digital record-keeping systems make portfolio-wide compliance management significantly easier for facility managers with multiple buildings.

References

• AS/NZS 1891.4:2025: Selection, use and maintenance of fall protection equipment
• AS 5532:2025: Manufacturing requirements for anchor devices
• WHS Act 2011: Duties of PCBUs regarding maintenance of plant and structures