An audit carried-out by Western Australia’s Working At Heights Association has revealed hundreds are in danger on sites across the state.

Nearly half of WA’s high-level workers risk their lives at the top of the rapidly-expanding skyline according to a survey by the peak industry body.

The Working At Heights Association audit covered both single and multi-storey buildings across Perth, including universities, warehouses, retail stores and offices. It made the somewhat startling revelation that 268 out of 608 roof anchors, which connect safety harnesses to buildings, were found to be incorrectly installed. The report said they would be utterly useless in the event of a fall.

WAHA secretary Gordon Cadzow said it was evidence that height safety is not given enough weight in the industry, saying; “twenty Australians are killed at work by falls from height each year - a figure that has remained constant over the last eight years... the problem is that it's not being policed ... the statistics aren't able to tell you whether inadequate fall prevention systems contributed to the final outcome.”

Mr Cadzrow said there is currently no penalty for incorrect installation of fall prevention devices. He strongly hopes the audit which has shown so many fall short of adequate height safety will bring about genuine change before more lives are lost.