Working at heights is one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities and serious injuries in Australia. Using an elevating work platform manages some of the risk — but using an EWP still means working at height, and in many workplaces operators are required to hold both EWP operator training (RIIHAN301E or a WP HRWL) and a separate working-at-heights competency (RIIWHS204E: Work Safely at Heights). Understanding which credential covers which risk, and when both are required, matters before you arrive on site.
What is RIIWHS204E?
RIIWHS204E — Work Safely at Heights — is a nationally recognised unit of competency from the Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package. It covers the knowledge and skills needed to identify fall risks, select and correctly use height-safety equipment (harnesses, lanyards, anchor points, restraint systems), and apply safe work at heights procedures across a range of work environments.
Completing RIIWHS204E through an RTO produces a statement of attainment commonly referred to as a working-at-heights ticket or working-at-heights certificate. Like the EWP ticket, it is a site and employer requirement rather than a government licence — but it is required on virtually every managed construction site and in most industrial and resources environments in Australia.
Does using an EWP count as working at heights?
Yes. Operating an EWP involves working at height — the fall risk exists from the moment the platform is elevated. The EWP itself is a risk-control measure (it provides a work platform with guardrails) but it does not eliminate fall risk entirely. Operators can still fall from the platform in the event of collision, entrapment, tip-over or improper use.
Because of this, site safety management systems typically require EWP operators to understand height-safety principles — including when to use a harness inside the platform, how to correctly attach a lanyard to the platform's anchor point, and what to do in an emergency. This is the knowledge RIIWHS204E builds.
When is RIIWHS204E required alongside EWP training?
Regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction and by the specific work being done, but as a practical matter most Australian construction sites, mining operations and major infrastructure projects require operators to hold both an EWP competency and a working-at-heights competency before being permitted to use a platform.
The working-at-heights requirement is typically embedded in the principal contractor's site safety management system or induction requirements rather than in WHS legislation directly. On a managed construction site in any Australian state, the combination of EWP ticket and working-at-heights ticket is the de facto minimum for access to elevated work.
RIIWHS204E is commonly required alongside EWP training for:
- Construction and civil project sites managed by principal contractors
- Mining and resource operations with site-based safety management system requirements
- Industrial facilities with formal height-safety management programs
- Telecommunication and utility operations where operators work at height on and off the EWP
- Government and defence facilities with formal safety induction programs
Combined EWP and working-at-heights training
Many RTOs offer combined training programs that cover both RIIHAN301E (EWP operation) and RIIWHS204E (work safely at heights) in a single course. These combined programs are often marketed as 'EWP + Working at Heights,' 'Yellow Card + Heights' or similar. They are particularly popular because most workers who need an EWP ticket also need the working-at-heights credential, and completing both in one course saves time and cost.
Some providers also offer three-way combined programs covering RIIHAN301E, RIIWHS204E and basic rigging or rescue content. Check with providers in your state for the specific combination programs they offer and whether the format covers the machine types you will be operating.
Harness use inside an EWP — what does the standard say?
Whether an operator must wear a harness inside an EWP depends on the machine type, the work environment and the applicable safety management requirements. AS 2550.10 and Safe Work Australia guidance note that for some EWP types — particularly boom-type EWPs — wearing a harness attached to the platform's designated anchor point is required because the risk of ejection from the platform in a collision or entrapment scenario is higher.
For scissor lifts operating on level, controlled surfaces, harness requirements are less universal — but site rules frequently go further than the minimum legislative requirement. The working-at-heights competency ensures operators understand when harness use is required and how to use the equipment correctly, rather than relying on guesswork at the machine.
Rescue procedures for EWP operators
RIIWHS204E includes coverage of emergency procedures and rescue — what to do if an operator at height becomes incapacitated or a platform fails to lower. For EWP operators, this understanding is directly relevant: knowing how to activate emergency lowering systems, how to signal for rescue and what the response procedure looks like from the ground is part of operating any EWP safely.
On sites where heights rescue plans are a formal requirement, workers with RIIWHS204E training are better equipped to execute or participate in those plans — which is a practical reason many principal contractors require it regardless of whether legislation specifically mandates it.
This guide is general information prepared by EWP Australia and is grounded in publicly available Australian Standards and Safe Work Australia material. It is not a substitute for the current published edition of the relevant standard or for site-specific engineering advice. Always work from the current standard and consult a competent person for your specific equipment and application.