Working at Heights

The Working at Heights course from the American Institute of Safety Professionals provides comprehensive training on preventing falls from elevation across all industries and all elevated work situations: scaffolds, ladders, aerial lifts, roof work, open-sided floors, wall openings, floor holes, steel erection, and any work surface where a worker could fall to a lower level. Falls from height are the leading cause of death in construction and the second leading cause in general industry. This course integrates OSHA requirements from both construction (29 CFR 1926 Subpart M) and general industry (29 CFR 1910 Subpart D) into a single comprehensive height safety programme.

The curriculum covers fall hazard identification across all work situations, the hierarchy of fall protection (elimination, passive protection, fall restraint, fall arrest, administrative controls), fall prevention planning, guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems (harness selection, lanyard/SRL types, anchorage, fall distance calculation), fall restraint and positioning systems, scaffold fall protection, ladder safety, aerial lift fall protection, roof work safety (leading edges, low-slope, steep-slope), edge protection systems, rescue planning (suspension trauma, rescue methods, rescue equipment), and height safety programme management (competent person, training, inspections, equipment management). All training is delivered 100 percent online through Microsoft Teams and the American Institute of Safety Professionals LMS.

Upon completion, graduates receive a certificate, wallet card, and transcript, employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Identify fall hazards across all elevated work situations and apply the appropriate trigger height (4 feet general industry, 6 feet construction, 10 feet scaffolds, 15 feet steel erection connectors).
• Apply the hierarchy of fall protection: eliminate height exposure (work at ground level), passive protection (guardrails, covers, nets), active protection (PFAS, positioning, restraint), and administrative controls (restricted access, warning lines).
• Select, inspect, and use personal fall arrest systems: full-body harness (selection, fitting, inspection), connecting devices (lanyards, SRLs, shock absorbers), anchorage (5,000 lbs or engineered), and fall distance calculation (free fall + deceleration + stretch + safety factor).
• Apply fall protection for specific work situations: scaffolds (10-ft trigger, guardrails/PFAS), ladders (fixed ladder safety systems), aerial lifts (PFAS attached to lift), roof work (warning lines, safety monitors, controlled access zones, PFAS), and open-sided floors/platforms.
• Plan rescue after fall arrest: suspension trauma physiology (positional asphyxia within minutes), rescue methods (self-rescue, assisted, mechanical), rescue equipment, and the OSHA requirement that rescue must be available before PFAS is used.
• Manage the height safety programme: competent person designation, worker training, equipment inspection and management (pre-use, periodic, post-fall), and the programme governance that ensures height safety is systematic rather than ad hoc.

Core Curriculum Topics

• Fall Hazard Identification: all elevated work situations, trigger heights by standard
• Hierarchy of Fall Protection: elimination, passive, restraint, arrest, administrative
• Guardrail Systems: top rail (42”), mid-rail, toe board, structural capacity
• Safety Net Systems: installation, testing, clearance distances
• PFAS: harness, lanyards, SRLs, anchorage, connectors, fall distance calculation
• Fall Restraint and Positioning: travel restraint, positioning for surface work
• Scaffold Fall Protection: 10-ft trigger, Subpart L requirements for users
• Ladder Fall Protection: fixed ladder safety systems, portable ladder safety
• Aerial Lift Fall Protection: PFAS attached to lift, power line clearance
• Roof Work: leading edges, low-slope, steep-slope, warning lines, monitors
• Rescue Planning: suspension trauma, methods, equipment, pre-use requirement
• Programme Management: competent person, training, inspections, equipment lifecycle

Participants will receive online training through Microsoft Teams and LMS. Courses are offered by accredited broadcasters and backed by expert instruction and official study materials. All assessments are conducted online and successful participants are awarded certificates that are accepted internationally.

The Working at Heights program is designed for construction workers, maintenance staff, supervisors, safety officers, and managers who perform or oversee tasks at elevated locations. This course focuses on fall hazard identification, risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and the correct use of fall prevention and fall protection systems to prevent serious injuries and fatalities.

Core Modules

Participants will explore essential topics to ensure safe working at heights:

Optional / Advanced Modules

Participants may explore additional topics to strengthen working at heights safety performance:

The Working at Heights program equips participants with practical knowledge, hazard recognition skills, and professional strategies required to safely perform tasks at elevation, prevent falls, ensure regulatory compliance, and promote a strong safety culture in high-risk work environments.

• No prior training required
• No academic degree required
• All instruction in English; working proficiency required

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. Employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

The program is designed to offer flexible online learning with a minimum instructional contact time of 8 hours. Most learners successfully complete the course within one month, allowing them to progress at their own pace while balancing professional commitments.

Candidates can take this exam through an assigned portal from the American Institute of Safety Professionals. A passing score is 70% or higher, and exam results are provided right after by email to the address provided. The exam is open-book, allowing candidates to validate their answers. Any candidates who do not pass have 1 month after their exam to go through the training materials and can take the exam 3 additional times.

For questions about American Institute of Safety Professionals online fees, replacement certificates, additional hardbound materials or any other financial-related issues please feel free to contact accounts@amiosp.com

• Anyone who works at height in any industry
• Supervisors responsible for height safety compliance
• Safety officers managing fall protection programmes
• Competent persons designated for fall protection
• Workers using PFAS, scaffolds, ladders, or aerial lifts

Prerequisite: None. The comprehensive height safety course for all industries.

• Working at Heights — YOU ARE HERE (comprehensive height safety)
• OSHA Focus Four — Fall Hazards (construction Subpart M deep-dive)
• Walking and Working Surfaces (general industry Subpart D)
• Safe Scaffold Erection and Inspection (scaffold specialist)
• International Diploma in Construction Safety Management (Unit 4: height)