Working at Height: Stop vs Proceed Decision Tree
Why this matters
Falls are one of the leading causes of serious injury and death in the trades. The danger is not the height itself, it is the moment of getting on, off, reaching, or trusting something that was not set up to hold you. A fall does not give you time to react. This tree puts fall protection first, then asks whether the conditions actually let you proceed, because at height the setup is the job.
Start here: is fall protection in place and correct?
Before you climb, set up the means to not fall, or to be caught if you do. This comes before the task itself.
- Assess the height and the surface. How far is the fall, and onto what? Edges, openings, fragile surfaces, and uneven ground all change the answer.
- Pick the right access for the height and reach. A stable ladder of the correct length and type, a properly set scaffold, or an aerial platform. The access has to put your body where the work is without reaching, leaning, or standing on the top.
- Use fall protection where required. Where a fall hazard exists above the level that requires protection, use the proper system: guardrails, a personal fall arrest setup with a rated anchor, or a platform with rails. A harness clipped to nothing, or to something not rated to hold a fall, is not fall protection.
- Verify before you trust it. Confirm the ladder is on solid level footing and secured against sliding or tipping. Confirm a scaffold is fully planked, level, and complete. Confirm your anchor point is actually rated to arrest a fall.
If you cannot set up correct access and correct fall protection, stop. Do not improvise height. Get the right equipment or hand off the task.
If you are on a ladder
Ladders cause a large share of height injuries because they feel routine.
- If the ladder is the wrong length, forcing you to stand on the top rungs or stretch: stop and get the right ladder. The top is not a step, and reaching is how ladders kick out.
- If the footing is soft, uneven, slick, or near a door that could open into it: do not climb until it is stabilized and secured.
- If you need both hands for the task or have to lean past your body line: a ladder is the wrong choice. Use a platform or scaffold instead.
- Keep your body centered between the rails and maintain stable contact while moving.
If you are on a roof or near an edge or opening
Edges and holes are unforgiving because the fall is straight off.
- If there is an unprotected edge or floor opening within fall distance: protect it (guardrail, cover, or arrest system) before you work near it.
- If the surface may be fragile, brittle, or weakened (it could give way under your weight): treat it as not walkable until proven otherwise. Spread load or use proper means, do not test it with your foot.
- If weather has made the surface wet, icy, or windy enough to affect footing or balance: stop. Height plus slick plus wind is a fall waiting to happen.
If you are on a scaffold or aerial platform
- If the scaffold is incomplete, not fully planked, not level, or missing rails: do not get on it until it is right.
- If an aerial platform is on unstable ground, overloaded, or being used to reach beyond its designed envelope: stop and reposition rather than stretch.
- Stay inside the platform. Do not climb the rails to gain reach.
Quick reference: stop vs proceed
| Condition | Proceed | Stop and fix first |
|---|---|---|
| Ladder length | Correct, no reaching | Forces top-rung use or stretching |
| Footing | Solid, level, secured | Soft, uneven, slick, unsecured |
| Fall protection | Rated system in place | Missing, or anchored to nothing rated |
| Surface | Known load-bearing | Fragile or possibly weakened |
| Weather | Dry, calm enough | Wet, icy, or high wind affecting balance |
| Edges/openings | Guarded or covered | Open within fall distance |
The honest call
If proceeding requires you to reach, lean, stand on the top, trust an unrated anchor, or accept footing you would not trust on the ground, the answer is stop. Reschedule for the right equipment, bring a helper to foot and stabilize, or hand the task to someone rigged for it. The delay costs a little time. A fall costs far more, and it happens in under a second with no chance to correct.
References
- OSHA fall protection standards for general industry and construction, including required protection heights and personal fall arrest
- OSHA ladder and scaffold safety requirements
- Manufacturer documentation for ladder, scaffold, and aerial platform load ratings and proper use
- See related: The Awkward or Confined Space Judgment Decision Tree; When to Call for a Second Set of Hands Decision Tree