White Card Working at Heights 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: At what height does fall prevention become mandatory under Australian WHS Regulations?
- 5 metres
- 10 metres
- 2 metres (Correct answer)
- 1 metre
Correct answer: 2 metres
Fall prevention measures are required for work at heights of 2 metres or more under WHS Regulations.
Question 2: What is the preferred fall prevention method under the hierarchy of controls?
- Personal harness systems
- Warning signs only
- Passive systems such as guardrails and edge protection (Correct answer)
- Safety nets
Correct answer: Passive systems such as guardrails and edge protection
Passive systems like guardrails are preferred because they protect everyone automatically without relying on individual worker actions.
Question 3: How often must a safety harness be inspected?
- Once a year
- Before each use and formally every 6 months per AS/NZS 1891 (Correct answer)
- Only when damaged
- When purchased only
Correct answer: Before each use and formally every 6 months per AS/NZS 1891
Harnesses require pre-use visual inspection each time and formal inspection by a competent person at least every 6 months.
Question 4: What is the maximum free-fall distance for a fall arrest system?
- 5 metres
- 10 metres
- 2 metres (Correct answer)
- No limit
Correct answer: 2 metres
The maximum free-fall distance is 2 metres under AS/NZS 1891, limiting arrest forces on the body.
Question 5: What colour scaffold tag means the scaffold is safe for use?
- Red
- Yellow
- Green (Correct answer)
- Blue
Correct answer: Green
A green scaffold tag indicates the scaffold has been inspected by a competent person and is safe for use.
Question 6: What is 'suspension trauma'?
- Fear of heights
- A life-threatening condition where blood pools in the legs while suspended motionless in a harness after a fall (Correct answer)
- Damage to the harness
- A legal term
Correct answer: A life-threatening condition where blood pools in the legs while suspended motionless in a harness after a fall
Suspension trauma can cause renal failure and death within 30 minutes if a person hangs motionless in a harness — this is why rescue must be rapid.
White Card Working at Heights 1
At what height does fall prevention become mandatory under Australian WHS Regulations?