If you are one of the Apprentices and New Starters in Construction, working at height is part of the job - and so is the legal duty that comes with it. Here is what Apprentices and New Starters in Irish Construction need to know, and how a Working at Heights Course keeps you covered.
The responsibilities of Apprentices and New Starters
New and young workers are over-represented in fall statistics. Early, proper training sets the habits that protect a whole career. In day-to-day Construction work that means you should:
- Report anything unsafe
- Build safe habits from day one
- Ask before attempting unfamiliar tasks
- Complete Working at Heights training before working at height
The Construction hazards Apprentices and New Starters must control
In Construction, the falls that Apprentices and New Starters most often have to prevent involve unprotected leading edges on partially built floors, falling materials striking workers below and overturning MEWPs on soft or sloping ground. 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 Working at Heights Course makes compliance simple
The practical fix is straightforward. 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 Apprentices and New Starters in Construction.
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
Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of serious and fatal workplace injury in Ireland, year after year. The pattern is depressingly consistent for Apprentices and New Starters in Construction: a short task, a familiar setting, a ladder or platform that seemed fine, and a single moment of overreach. Proper training breaks that pattern by making the safe choice the automatic one.
Weather turns a routine job into a dangerous one faster than anything else in Ireland. Wind, rain, frost and poor light all raise the risk of Apprentices and New Starters in Construction, and the right call is often to stop and reassess rather than push on. Knowing where that line sits is part of being properly trained.
Frequently asked questions
Do Apprentices and New Starters in Construction need their own height training?
Yes. Whatever your role, if you plan, supervise or carry out work at height you need a Working at Heights Certificate.
What course suits Apprentices and New Starters best?
The Working at Heights Course covers the duties of Apprentices and New Starters and all other roles in one accredited, online programme.
How long does it take?
About 45 minutes online, with a same-day certificate, so Apprentices and New Starters in Construction stay compliant without losing a work day.
More on staying safe at height
The rescue plan is the part most teams forget. If a worker doing apprentices and new starters in construction 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. Apprentices and New Starters in Construction 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.
