Whether you’re an operative, manager, or safety officer, selecting the right height safety training is critical to managing risk, achieving compliance, and protecting lives. But with so many courses available from basic awareness to advanced rescue, it can be hard to know where to start.
In this guide, we’ll break down the 8 essential height safety courses offered by Leading Edge Safety, explain who they’re designed for, and help you choose the one that’s right for your role. What makes these courses stand out is that they blend in-person theory with practical training, something that is missing from cheaper online alternatives.
Duration: 3.5 hours
Perfect for: New starters, occasional height workers
This half-day course is the ideal introduction to height safety. You’ll learn the basics of working at height, how to correctly use a harness, the difference between restraint and arrest systems, and how to spot and manage common risks.
Take this if you’re entering a role that involves occasional work at height and need to meet legal safety requirements.
Course Link for Work at Height Basic Awareness »
Duration: 6 hours
Perfect for: Operatives, technicians, installers
Designed for those who regularly work at height, this course covers practical use of fall protection equipment, inertia reels, anchorage systems, and dropped object awareness. It includes significant hands-on training, making it ideal for field workers.
Take this if you’re on site often and need full practical competence.
Course Link for Work at Height Operatives »
Duration: 8 hours
Perfect for: Site managers, supervisors, project leads
This course provides comprehensive training for managers and team leaders overseeing height work. It includes legal responsibilities, permit-to-work systems, risk assessments, rescue planning, and overseeing PPE usage.
Take this if you’re responsible for other workers and need to ensure legal compliance and site-wide safety.
Course Link for Work at Height Managers »
Duration: 6 hours
Perfect for: Anyone who regularly uses ladders
This full-day course focuses solely on ladder safety. You’ll cover accurate selection, positioning, secure climbing, inspection protocols, and hazard prevention, vital for tradespeople and facilities teams who use ladders frequently. Ladders are genuinely safe and incredibly convenient when used correctly.
Take this if your job involves working from ladders and you want to minimise fall risk and ensure compliance.
Course Link for Ladder Safety »
Duration: 4.5 hours
Perfect for: Safety officers, team leaders, PPE managers
Become a competent person to inspect PPE used for working at height. Learn how to check harnesses, lanyards, connectors, and rescue kits—ensuring safety equipment stays compliant and fit for purpose.
Take this if you’re managing PPE or auditing safety systems on-site.
Course Link for PPE Inspector»
Duration: 5 hours
Perfect for: Sites using fall arrest systems
This course teaches how to recover a suspended worker using a single rescue method safely. It includes casualty management, risk factors post-fall (like suspension trauma), and practical use of rescue kits.
Take this if your site uses fall arrest systems—rescue is a legal requirement.
Course Link for Single Method Height Rescue »
Duration: 8 hours
Perfect for: High-risk industries, complex worksites
A more advanced course, covering multiple rescue techniques, including raising, lowering, and self-rescue. Ideal for teams working on wind turbines, telecom towers, or complex sites where advanced recovery is essential.
Take this if you need advanced rescue planning for high-risk or multi-level environments.
Course Link for Multi-Method Height Rescue »
Duration: 4 hours 15 minutes
Perfect for: Technicians, riggers, safety leads
Dropped objects can kill. This specialist course teaches how to identify drop risks, select and inspect tethering equipment, and implement systems to protect those below. A must-have for anyone working above others with tools.
Take this if your team uses hand tools at height and you’re implementing drop prevention protocols.
Course Link for Drop Prevention »
| Course | Duration | Focus / Depth | Who should take it | Best for / when to take |
| Basic Awareness | 3h 30m | Intro to height safety, harness, and anchorage | New staff, occasional staff, light exposure roles | Introductory training before starting height-related tasks / First exposure to height work |
| Level 1 Operatives | 6 hours | Practical training for regular height tasks | Regular height workers / Operatives, field workers | When performing height work daily or weekly / Frequent work at height |
| Level 2 Managers | 8 hours | Oversight, compliance, rescue planning | Site managers, supervisors | When responsible for planning, overseeing or signing off on height work |
| Ladder Safety | 6 hours | Ladder-specific safety and techniques | Ladder users / Anyone using ladders often | When ladders are your primary access method / When ladder use is frequent |
| PPE Inspection | 4h 30m | PPE inspection & certification | Safety leads /PPE managers | When you’re inspecting, issuing or auditing PPE / When responsible for safety gear |
| Height Rescue – Single Method | 5 hours | Single rescue after fall incidents | Fall-arrest users / Rescue teams, safety leads | When you need to provide a rescue plan for a known risk / If using fall-arrest systems |
| Height Rescue – Multi Method | 8 hours | Multi-rescue after fall incidents | High-risk teams / Rope access techs, high-risk roles | For complex environments with advanced rescue needs / Complex rescue planning |
| Tool Tethering | 4h 25m | Dropped object prevention & system implementation | Tool users at height / Technicians, safety officers | When working over people/structures or managing tool safety systems / where tool drop risk is high |
Choosing the right height safety course comes down to how often you work at height, what tasks you do, and what responsibilities you hold. If you’re new to this type of work or do it only occasionally, starting with the Basic Awareness course is a good idea.
For those who work at heights regularly and require hands-on skills or refresher, the Level 1 Operatives course, which emphasises practical use of equipment, is crucial for developing real competence. On the other hand, supervisors and site managers should opt for the more comprehensive Level 2 Managers course. This course dives deeper into legal responsibilities and rescue planning.
If your job involves specialised tasks like inspecting personal protective equipment, conducting rescues, or securing tools with tethers, you’ll want to take the relevant competent-person or rescue courses.
To help you find the best course for your needs, just follow the simple Q&A flow below.
Start
If you’re starting out → Basic Awareness
If you’re working at height regularly → Level 1 Operatives
If you supervise others at height → Level 2 Managers
If you use ladders daily → Ladder Height Safety
If you manage or inspect PPE → PPE Inspection Course
If your team uses fall arrest systems → Height Rescue (Single)
If you’re in complex or high-risk environments → Height Rescue (Multi)
If tools are used at height over people/gear → Tool Tethering Competent Person
Height safety training is more than just ticking a box; it’s an essential investment in saving lives. Selecting the appropriate course that aligns with your role and the risks involved not only ensures compliance with legal standards but also boosts operational efficiency and, most importantly, keeps you safe.
Are you looking to schedule a course or develop an entire training program? Check out the various options available at Leading Edge Safety, or contact us for customised training sessions designed specifically for your team’s requirements.
If you’re feeling uncertain about which course to choose, don’t hesitate to reach out to a training advisor at Leading Edge Safety. They can help guide you towards the best solution for your workforce.
Leading Edge is a UK based height safety training provider and PPE manufacturer. From small teams to multinational blue-chips, we empower people to work safely at height across a wide range of industries. Copyright 2025 Leading Edge Safety. Devloped by Czargroup Technologies
