---
title: Height Safety Equipment Inspection — Updated Guidance on Intervals and Standards
description: WorkSafe has updated height safety equipment inspection guidelines, emphasizing pre-use checks, periodic inspections, and rigorous testing to ensure safety compliance.
---

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# [Height Safety Equipment Inspection — Updated Guidance on Intervals and Standards](https://deg.nz/insights/height-safety-equipment-inspection-updated-guidance-on-intervals-and-standards)

 Written by [DEG](https://deg.nz/insights/author/deg) | Apr 28, 2026 5:23:14 AM

WorkSafe has updated its guidance on the inspection and testing intervals for height safety equipment — including harnesses, lanyards, pole straps, and fall arrest systems. If your team works at height, this affects your compliance programme and potentially your insurance position.

What the updated guidance covers:

Pre-use inspection remains the frontline requirement. Every item of height safety equipment must be visually inspected by the user before each use. This is not a compliance tick — it is a practical safety check, and failures found at this stage must result in the item being immediately withdrawn from service.

Periodic inspection by a competent person is required at intervals not exceeding 6 months for equipment in regular use, or 12 months for equipment in light use or storage. The inspector must be able to identify defects that a user pre-use check would miss — including degradation of webbing fibres, corrosion of hardware, and damage to shock-absorbing elements.

Testing requirements: For electrical workers using height safety equipment near live conductors, insulated lanyards and pole straps must be dielectrically tested at recognised intervals. A visual inspection alone is not sufficient. WorkSafe has reinforced that insulation testing must be carried out by an accredited laboratory — visual signs of insulation integrity are not an acceptable substitute for electrical testing.

Retirement criteria: WorkSafe has aligned its guidance with manufacturer recommendations and international practice on retirement — equipment involved in a fall arrest event must be retired immediately, regardless of apparent condition. This is now explicit in the updated guidance.

DEG Calibration & Compliance carries out ISO/IEC 17025 accredited testing of height safety equipment including harnesses, lanyards, pole straps, safety ropes, shock-absorbing lanyards, self-retracting lanyards, flash hoods, and arc flash suits. Dielectric testing for electrical workers is included in our accredited scope.

Get in touch: admin@deg.nz

Reference links:  
WorkSafe — Working at height:  
https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/falls-from-height/

WorkSafe — Height safety equipment guidance:  
https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/falls-from-height/height-safety-equipment/

WorkSafe — Managing risks of falls at height (good practice guidelines):  
https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/dmsdocument/1716-managing-the-risk-of-falls-at-heights

[View full post](https://deg.nz/insights/height-safety-equipment-inspection-updated-guidance-on-intervals-and-standards)

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