From Compliance to Capability: Rethinking Falls Prevention in High-Risk Work Environments
Wednesday 21 October 2026
12:40 pm - 1:00 pm
High Risk Safety Summit

Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of serious injury and fatality across industry, despite sustained regulatory focus and widespread awareness. The issue is no longer knowing the risks. The issue is competency. In an environment driven by compliance frameworks and certification pathways, many workers are deemed ÒcompetentÓ based on minimal training and limited verification. This creates a dangerous gap between knowledge and safe execution in high-risk, real-world conditions. In this session, Scott Barber, CEO of the Working at Height Association (WAHA), challenges the industryÕs reliance on Òticket-basedÓ competency and explores the systemic factors contributing to this disconnect, from constrained vocational training models to the realities of subcontracting and workforce mobility.

Speakers
Back to agenda