South Australian Changes to High-Risk Construction Work from 1 July 2026

The Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) are changing to reduce the working at height threshold for high-risk construction work from 3 m to 2 m from 1 July 2026.

This means that any worker, sole trader, apprentice or contractor, working at a height above 2 m will now be classed as high-risk construction work. This means the you will need to have a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) in place before you start high risk construction work.

This change is in response to increasing numbers of injuries from falls of over 2 m. It also aligns the height rule with all other Australian states and territories who all have set the threshold at 2 m. 

For help during the transition SafeWork SA has prepared some fact sheets: High-Risk Construction Fact Sheet for Workers and High-Risk Construction Fact Sheet for PCBUs. 

Please also see AGWA's Safety Topic of the Month for April 2026 on Slips, Trips and Falls and in particular, April's Toolbox Talk on Training on Falls from Heights.

Let's manage safety together and make sure that every worker gets to go home at the end of the workday!

AGWA Resources

Not sure where to start?  AGWA has developed a number of resources for you to use. To find these please go to the AGWA website (www.agwa.com.au) and Go to the Technical & Business Tab. You will then see a section on Safety.

Always remind workers that safety is everyone’s business, and they responsible for their own safety as well as looking out for their mate’s.