From 1 July 2026, SafeWork SA has reduced the threshold for high-risk construction work at height from three metres to two metres, bringing South Australia into line with the national model Work Health and Safety Regulations.

Under the change, any construction work performed above two metres is now classified as high-risk construction work, meaning a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) must be in place before work begins.

SafeWork SA said the change was driven by injury data showing a significant number of serious falls occurring between two and three metres. Between 2020 and 2022, there were 149 recorded instances in South Australia of a person falling from above two metres, more than 100 of which occurred in the residential construction sector — with 68 per cent of those falls happening between two and three metres.

The regulator said the lower threshold is intended to ensure work at height is properly assessed and controlled before it begins, rather than relying on the previous three-metre trigger, which it said failed to capture a substantial share of high-risk activity.

Businesses undertaking construction work in South Australia should review their SWMS documentation and risk assessments to ensure compliance with the revised threshold.