In Australian workplaces, particularly in construction and infrastructure, falls from height remain one of the most persistent and deadly risks.

Despite years of regulatory enforcement, safety campaigns, and investment in equipment, the statistics tell a stubborn story. In 2023 alone, falls from height accounted for 15% of all workplace fatalities, a 32% increase on the five-year average. These figures suggest that while existing frameworks may have stabilised the issue, they have not transformed it. To move the needle meaningfully, we need a different kind of intervention—one that begins not with systems or checklists, but with leadership.

The role of leadership in safety is often acknowledged, but not always well understood. Too often, safety leadership is equated with policy approval, periodic reviews, or high-level communication. However, the real influence of leadership lies not in what is said or mandated from above, but in how those values are translated into everyday behaviours, decisions, and cultural norms. Strong leadership is visible, involved, and consistently aligned with safe outcomes, even when that comes at the cost of productivity or short-term gains.

Critically, many organisations fall into the trap of top-down safety leadership that fails to engage or empower those on the ground. A common mistake is treating safety as a compliance obligation, something to be measured through audits and injury rates rather than embedded as a strategic business value. When safety becomes about forms and KPIs, rather than about people and purpose, it fosters disengagement. Workers begin to see it as a bureaucratic exercise, rather than something that exists to protect them and those around them.

Another common misstep is the imposition of safety initiatives without genuine worker involvement. Leaders may introduce new equipment, procedures, or technologies without understanding the practical realities of their use. This often leads to resistance or workaround behaviours that reintroduce risk through the back door. True innovation in safety is most effective when it is co-designed, with operational workers, supervisors, and subject matter experts all having a voice in the process.

Then there’s the issue of inconsistency. Workers observe what leaders prioritise when things are tight, do they push for productivity over procedure, or pause to deal with a risk? Culture is shaped by what is tolerated as much as by what is promoted. When leaders “talk the talk” but don’t “walk the walk,” credibility suffers. Workers may begin to assume that safety is conditional, important until it becomes inconvenient.

There’s also a tendency to focus on lagging indicators such as lost-time injuries or recordable incidents. While these metrics have their place, they often hide more than they reveal. A site with zero injuries might simply be a site where incidents go unreported. Leading indicators, like near miss reports, proactive hazard identification, training

participation, and psychological safety, offer a more accurate picture of a safety culture’s maturity.

Training is another area where leadership assumptions can fall short. Sending workers to a course or having them complete an online module does not guarantee competence. Real skill development requires task-specific, practical instruction, behavioural reinforcement, and opportunities to practice decision-making in high-risk contexts. Leadership must be willing to invest in adaptive and ongoing training, not just induction-level compliance.

Perhaps most importantly, some leaders overlook the cultural and psychological barriers to change. Workers may resist safety interventions for reasons that are not technical, but human: pride, fear of embarrassment, peer pressure, or mistrust of management. Successful safety leadership acknowledges these realities and works to build environments where it is safe to speak up, admit uncertainty, and learn from mistakes.

What all of this shows is that leadership in safety is less about commanding from the top and more about cultivating engagement from within. It’s about enabling innovation not by mandate, but by building a culture that is open to new ideas, transparent about risks, and united in its purpose to protect people.

Transforming safety performance, especially in high-risk environments like working at height, demands this kind of leadership. It requires executives and managers to step into the safety conversation with humility, curiosity, and resolve. It calls for a reimagining of safety not as a function, but as a shared mindset, where innovation isn’t just about the latest gear, but about smarter systems, stronger relationships, and a more empowered workforce.

In the end, the organisations that succeed in building resilient, high-performing safety cultures will be those whose leaders do more than sponsor initiatives. They will be the ones who lead visibly, consistently, and collaboratively, knowing that the future of safety depends not just on better rules, but on better leadership.

Scott Barber – CEO, Australian Working at Height Association (WAHA)

Scott a purpose-driven CEO, marketer, writer, safety advocate and SME, with over 20 years’ experience designing, driving and facilitating communication and education as fundamental engagement tools. He passionately believes we are stronger when we collaborate and strives to build partnerships and communities to facilitate positive change.
Specialising in safety and rescue, both operationally and as a consultant, he uses his experience across multiple industries to deliver solutions targeting specific stakeholders using communication as the critical driver for change.