A Practical Guide to Warehouse Height Safety & Access Systems
How to identify risks, choose the right systems, and meet compliance obligations in warehouse environments.
Warehouses aren’t built for standing still. They’re high-volume, high-movement environments - designed for throughput, not for fall protection. But working at height happens everywhere: on roofs, mezzanines, racking, service platforms, and loading docks.
This guide outlines the critical safety risks, relevant Australian regulations, and the practical steps facility managers, safety leads, and asset owners can take to create safer, more compliant warehouse operations.
1. Where Height Risks Exist in Warehouses
Height risks are embedded in everyday tasks. Some are obvious; others are easy to miss in planning stages.
- Common height-related activities:
- Accessing rooftop HVAC, solar systems, and skylights
- Replacing high bay lighting or ventilation fans
- Servicing racking, conveyors, or gantries
- Performing inspections and compliance checks on plant
- Working near mezzanine or void perimeters
- Emergency or ad hoc access by maintenance contractors
Less visible risks include:
- Inadequate clearance for safe ladder use
- Missing or poorly positioned anchor points
- Restricted roof access (no fixed ladder or access hatch)
- Staff or contractors using workarounds to save time
2. Understanding Your Legal Obligations
Work Health and Safety (WHS) Legislation
Under Australia’s WHS Act and Regulations, employers and PCBUs (Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking) must eliminate or minimise the risk of falls from one level to another, as far as reasonably practicable.
This includes providing:
- Safe access to areas where work is carried out
- Systems to prevent falls (e.g. guardrails, walkways)
- Personal protection (if fall prevention is not reasonably practicable)
- Maintenance and inspection of all safety systems
Failure to manage these risks can result in prosecution - even if no incident occurs.
3. Key Australian Standards for Warehouse Access and Fall Protection
Warehouse systems must comply with the following core standards:
Standard & What It Covers
AS 1657:2018 - Fixed ladders, stairways, walkways, and guardrails
AS/NZS 5532:2013 - Single-point anchors for harness-based systems
AS/NZS 1891 series - Fall arrest systems and equipment compatibility
Code of Practice, Managing the Risk of Falls - How to apply the hierarchy of control (Safe Work Australia)
It is not enough to install compliant components - the entire system must be designed, installed, and certified according to these standards.
4. The Hierarchy of Control: What Compliance Looks Like in Practice
Compliance isn't just having PPE on site. It means designing your environment to eliminate or reduce the need to work at height, and ensuring that any remaining access is protected.
From most to least effective:
- Eliminate the need to access height (e.g. relocate plant to ground level)
- Use fall prevention systems (e.g. guardrails, walkways, stairs)
- Use fall arrest systems (e.g. anchor points + harness, static lines)
- Use administrative controls (e.g. procedures, permits, supervision)
- Use PPE as a last resort
Warehouses often require a mix of engineered controls - walkways, rails, ladders, platforms - backed by fall arrest where necessary.
6. Design Considerations for Warehouse Height Safety
When planning warehouse access and protection systems:
- Engage early: Late-stage retrofits are more expensive and less effective
- Map out all maintenance and inspection tasks - including infrequent ones
- Design for usability: Systems that are too hard to use will be bypassed
- Factor in multiple trades: Electrical, HVAC, fire, pest control - anyone needing access
- Allow for future servicing: System longevity depends on accessibility and re-certification
Good safety design balances functionality, durability, and operational flow.
7. Inspection, Maintenance & Record-Keeping
Compliance doesn’t end at installation. Systems must be:
- Inspected regularly – e.g. anchors every 12 months per AS/NZS 1891
- Maintained to original design specification
- Recertified on schedule, with records stored and accessible
- Supported by training for anyone authorised to use fall arrest systems
A system without documentation or inspection history is not compliant, regardless of how it looks.
8. Key Questions for Warehouse Operators & Safety Leads
- Have all access and servicing tasks at height been identified and risk assessed?
- Do all elevated areas have appropriate fall prevention or arrest systems?
- Are those systems compliant, certified, and documented?
- Who is responsible for system inspection and re-certification?
- Are external contractors using the system correctly and safely?

Meet Warehouse Compliance Access with Fire Escape Stairs
For multi-level warehouses or mezzanine structures,
fire escape stairs are a key compliance requirement under the NCC. They provide essential emergency egress and must integrate with other access systems to ensure safe, uninterrupted evacuation from elevated areas. Where stairs intersect with
roof access or height safety zones, systems should be planned together to meet both fall protection and egress standards.
Summary: Height Safety is a System, Not just a Product
Warehouse fall risks can’t be solved with a single anchor or a policy. They require integrated, engineered systems that are designed for real-world conditions - and maintained over time.
Compliance is not just a regulatory checkbox. It’s a framework for protecting lives, ensuring continuity, and reducing liability in environments where working at height is often necessary but easily neglected.
What Sets Safetylyne Apart
Warehouse-specific expertise – We understand the spatial, operational, and safety complexities of warehouse environments.
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End-to-end delivery
– No subcontracting, no patchwork systems, no design gaps.
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Lifecycle support
– Design, certification, inspection, and recertification all under one roof. 25 years warranty on access systems (subject to regular inspections).
+ Architectural coordination
– We ensure systems integrate cleanly with building design, services, and movement flows.
+ Premium execution – Every system we build is made to last - and made to work.
Need Warehouse Height Safety That Works?
Whether you're operating an existing warehouse or building a new one, Safetylyne delivers height access and fall protection solutions that keep your people safe - and your compliance simple.
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Get in touch to discuss your warehouse safety requirements.
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