ANCHORED HEIGHT SAFETY | Standards Reference

Know what we inspect, why it matters, and what it means for your site

Standard Number Full / Correct Name Category What It Covers What This Means for You Inspection Frequency
AS/NZS 1891.4:2025 Industrial Fall-Arrest Systems and Devices — Part 4: Selection, Use and Maintenance Height Safety The core Australian/New Zealand standard governing how height safety systems — including roof anchors, static lines, and personal fall-arrest equipment — must be selected, used, inspected, and maintained. The 2025 edition is the current version, replacing the 2009 edition. This is the legal benchmark for every height safety inspection on your site. When AHS certifies your systems against this standard, you can be confident your site meets the law — and that your people are genuinely protected. Fixed systems: annual. Personal PPE (harnesses, lanyards): 6-monthly.
AS 1657:2018 Fixed Platforms, Walkways, Stairways and Ladders — Design, Construction and Installation Access Systems Sets design, construction, and installation requirements for fixed access infrastructure on buildings — including roof ladders, walkways, platforms, and stair systems. Covers geometry (rung spacing, handrail height, slope angle), load ratings, and materials. Your ladders, walkways, and platforms are the routes your team relies on. AHS checks every one against this standard so you know they're safe to use — and you're never exposed to a non-conformance. Assessed at each annual height safety inspection. No standalone recertification interval.
AS 1892.5:2020 Portable Ladders — Part 5: Selection, Safe Use and Care Portable Equipment Covers selection, safe use, inspection, and maintenance of portable ladders (extension, step, and multi-purpose). Sets requirements for user training, inspection before each use, load ratings, and retirement criteria for damaged or worn ladders. Portable ladders are often the most overlooked piece of access equipment on a site. AHS inspects against this standard so you're not carrying hidden risk — giving you confidence every time your team uses a ladder. Visual check by user before each use. Formal inspection at least annually by a competent person. Remove from service immediately if damaged.
AS 1319:1994 Safety Signs for the Occupational Environment Safety Signage The Australian standard for safety signs used in workplaces — covering design, colour coding, symbols, wording, and placement of warning, prohibition, mandatory, and emergency signs. Though published in 1994, it remains the current standard for workplace signage in Australia. Clear, compliant signage is your first line of defence on the roof. AHS checks every sign so your site communicates the right message to everyone accessing the roof — and auditors can see you take compliance seriously. Inspected at each annual inspection. Replace immediately if faded, damaged, or illegible — do not defer to next annual cycle.
AS ISO 55001:2024 Asset Management — Management Systems — Requirements (ISO 55001:2014 adopted as Australian Standard) Asset Management The international standard (adopted in Australia) for managing physical assets across their entire lifecycle — from acquisition through maintenance to decommissioning. Requires organisations to take a risk-based, systematic approach, including documented inspection schedules, performance tracking, and continuous improvement. Managing your height safety assets systematically is how you stay ahead of failures and audits. AHS's inspection and reporting framework aligns with this standard — so your records and decisions hold up under scrutiny. No fixed inspection interval — sets management system requirements. AHS annual inspections contribute to clients' ongoing ISO 55001 compliance documentation.
ISO 22846-1:2020 Personal Equipment for Protection Against Falls — Rope Access Systems — Part 1: Fundamental Principles for a System of Work Rope Access The international standard governing rope access work systems — covering how rope access operations must be planned, supervised, and executed. Part 1 sets fundamental principles including team composition, rescue plans, equipment requirements, and the minimum two-rope system. When rope access is required on your site, this standard ensures the work is done safely and to international best practice. AHS works to this standard so you never have to worry about compliance when technicians are at height. Applies to every rope access operation. Pre-task planning and rescue plan required before each job. Equipment inspected per AS/NZS 1891.4 intervals.
ISO 22846-2:2020 Personal Equipment for Protection Against Falls — Rope Access Systems — Part 2: Code of Practice Rope Access The companion code of practice to ISO 22846-1. Part 2 provides detailed practical guidance on implementing rope access work — including anchor selection, rigging configurations, descent and ascent techniques, communication protocols, and emergency rescue procedures. This companion standard provides the practical how-to for safe rope access operations. Together with Part 1, it means every rope access task on your site meets both the requirements and the method — giving you complete confidence in the work being done. Code of practice — requirements apply to every rope access operation conducted under ISO 22846-1. No standalone recertification interval.
Product Specification Manufacturer or Engineer-Issued Product Specification — Equipment Technical Documentation Product Spec Detailed documents issued by manufacturers or engineers that define a specific product's requirements, features, approved standards, installation requirements, load ratings, maintenance procedures, and inspection regimes. Examples include anchor point data sheets, static line system specifications, and engineer-certified installation drawings. Every height safety product on your site must have a current product specification on file — manufacturer's requirements, load ratings, and installation details. AHS checks this so you're never caught without the documentation that proves your equipment is fit for purpose. Held on file permanently. Reviewed at each annual inspection to confirm the installed product matches its specification. Updated if the product is replaced or modified.

You carry the responsibility for keeping your building safe and your people protected. The Anchored Height Safety Standards Reference is your complete guide to every standard we inspect against — so you always know what’s required, what to ask, and what to do next. Visit anchored.com.au/AHS-Standards

ANCHORED HEIGHT SAFETY | Standards Reference — ISO 55000 Series

Asset Condition Reporting & Lifecycle Management — Permanently Mounted Height Safety

ISO 55000 SERIES — PLAIN ENGLISH DESCRIPTION: The ISO 55000 series is the internationally recognised framework for managing physical assets across their full lifecycle — from installation through maintenance to planned replacement. Reporting asset condition is the feedback loop that makes the framework work in practice. By consistently documenting the health of your permanently mounted height safety assets, you create the data needed to predict when an asset will move from functional to critical — ensuring maintenance is scheduled exactly when needed, not too early (wasting budget) and not too late (risking failure). This visibility drives risk management, financial planning, and the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle at the heart of ISO 55001. Without documented condition data, an asset management system is just a plan on paper. With it, decisions on whether to repair, recertify, or replace are grounded in facts — demonstrating due diligence and protecting your people.

HEIGHT SAFETY ASSET CONDITION RATINGS — PERMANENTLY MOUNTED SYSTEMS

Category As-New Good Fair Poor FAIL
Definition No visible wear; fully meets OEM and AS/NZS specifications. Minor cosmetic wear; fully functional and compliant. Moderate wear; functional but requires closer monitoring. Significant degradation; near-terminal — borderline tagging out, if it is a safety-critical item, this would already be failed. Critical defect — immediate decommission. Life safety compromised.
Physical Indicators New or freshly recertified. No UV degradation, corrosion, or wear. Full documentation on file. Labels crisp and legible. Light surface scuffing; minor weathering. No structural corrosion. Static line terminations secure. All labels legible. Visible corrosion at fasteners. Minor paint loss. Cover plates cracked or missing. Labels faded but readable. Degradation trend established. Active corrosion pitting on anchor or baseplate. Fixing screws or rivets loose. Labelling illegible, static line or rigid rail deformed. Compliance unconfirmable. Fall-arrest load evidence. Anchor fractured or base plate detached. Through-corrosion. Substrate failure. Service life exceeded.
Management Action Continue standard annual inspection. File installation records and product specification. Maintain annual inspection. No repair required. Document condition for trend tracking. Flag for increased monitoring. Raise advisory to building owner. Schedule targeted maintenance. Begin replacement budget planning. Likely the last time this is not failed. Restrict access. Issue urgent maintenance order to prevent a future access issue / failure. Pending criticality, arrange a re-inspection in a shorter time frame to monitor closely until the asset has been repaired or replaced. Decommission immediately. Physical lockout. No at-height access until replaced. Maintain decommission record for ISO compliance.
ISO 55000 Lifecycle Stage Acquisition / Commissioning Operation & Maintenance (steady state) Operation — Declining Performance / Increased Risk Deterioration — Pre-Failure / End-of-Service-Life End of Life — Decommission & Replace

Source: ISO 55000:2014 / AS ISO 55001:2024 (Standards Australia) | AS/NZS 1891.4:2025 | © Anchored Height Safety Pty Ltd | anchored.com.au | March 2026