For Construction employers and workers, this guide explains when and why a refresher is needed and how quick it is, and how a Working at Heights Course ties it to your day-to-day Construction work.
Refresher Training in Construction
A two-storey block where roofers, blocklayers and a MEWP operator all work above ground on the same day, each needing their own safe system of work. When it comes to when and why a refresher is needed and how quick it is, Construction teams have to control hazards such as unprotected leading edges on partially built floors, falling materials striking workers below and falls through fragile roof lights and openings. Construction sites also fall under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013, with the PSCS coordinating work-at-height between contractors. Safe Pass covers site access but is not a Working at Heights ticket.
The Construction action list
- Record a risk assessment for each Construction task at height
- Choose collective protection before personal protection
- Certify the team with a Working at Heights Course
- Inspect equipment and keep the logs
- Plan rescue before work begins
The Working at Heights Course makes compliance simple
You do not need a classroom or a lost work day to fix this. Our Working at Heights Course is delivered fully online, takes about 45 minutes, and issues a downloadable certificate the same day. It is CPD certified, RoSPA approved and QQI aligned, and it is written specifically for Construction teams across Ireland.
The Working at Heights Training covers the avoid-prevent-minimise hierarchy, ladder and stepladder safety, MEWPs and scaffolds, harnesses and anchor points, and how to carry out a proper risk assessment. Every learner finishes with a recognised Working at Heights Certificate that stands up to HSA inspection and supports your insurance position.
Training that goes beyond the tick-box
The cheapest control is always to avoid the work at height in the first place. For Refresher Training in Construction, that can mean long-handled tools, lowering the task to ground level, or designing the job so no one needs to climb. Where that is impossible, collective protection such as guardrails and platforms beats personal protection every time.
Supervision is the quiet control that holds everything together. Even a perfectly trained worker drifts under time pressure, so someone on site needs the knowledge and the authority to stop unsafe work involving Refresher Training in Construction before it becomes an incident. That only happens when supervisors are trained too.
Frequently asked questions
When do I need a Working at Heights refresher?
Typically every 3 years, or sooner after an incident, a change of role, or a long gap from height work.
How does this affect Construction specifically?
In Construction, the same rules apply with sector-specific hazards. Our Working at Heights Training covers both.
Is online training enough for Construction?
Yes for the core legal and safe-system knowledge; add equipment-specific tickets where the Construction task requires them.
More on staying safe at height
The rescue plan is the part most teams forget. If a worker doing construction work at height falls and is left hanging in a harness, suspension trauma can become life-threatening within minutes. Calling the emergency services is not a rescue plan; having the equipment, the trained people and the method to recover them quickly is. Our Working at Heights Training makes that planning routine.
Get certified today
Do not wait for an HSA inspection or a near miss to act. Construction employers and workers can complete the Working at Heights Course online in 45 minutes and download a certificate the same day. For 10 or more learners, see our team training rates, or contact our team for a tailored quote.
Start the online Working at Heights Training now and put a recognised certificate in every worker's file before the next job at height begins.
