📋 Construction Regulation 10.1(a) — every site must have a designated, competent Fall Protection Planner. Get designated →
SAQA 229994 · NQF Level 4 · IWH-PB Designated

South Africa FALL PROTECTION
PLANNER
COURSE

The management-level qualification for safety officers, site supervisors, and CR 10.1(a) appointees. Learn to develop, implement, and maintain a legally compliant fall protection plan — and earn your IWH-PB designation as a Fall Protection Planner.

SSETA
SSETA Accredited
IWH
IWH-PB Designated
OHS
Reg 8.1(a) Compliant
Course fee
R 3,500 excl. VAT
Per person · Group rates available
Duration
3 Days
Certificate
Same day
Valid for
3 Years
NQF Level
Level 4
IWH-PB designation: Fall Protection Planner
Prerequisite: Fall Arrest Level 1 (SAQA 229998)
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🔒 No payment required to enquire
SAQA Unit Standard229994
NQF LevelLevel 4
Credits3 Credits
AccreditationSSETA / QCTO
Professional BodyIWH-PB
IWH DesignationFall Protection Planner
3 Days
Course duration
R3,500
Per person excl. VAT
3yr
Certificate validity
NQF 4
Highest fall protection level
📋
Construction Regulation 10.1(a) — OHS Act 85 of 1993: Every construction site must have a person designated in writing as responsible for the fall protection plan. That person must be competent — defined as trained and qualified. A Fall Protection Planner designation (SAQA 229994 / IWH-PB) is the accepted standard of competence. Sites without a designated, qualified Fall Protection Planner are in direct violation of the OHS Act.
Who needs this course

Built for management & safety professionals

This is not a worker-level course. It is designed for the people responsible for keeping workers safe — the planners, supervisors, and appointees who own the fall protection plan.

📋
CR 10.1(a) Appointees
Designated persons responsible for fall protection under the OHS Act
🦺
Safety Officers & OHS Managers
Responsible for site compliance and fall protection documentation
🏗️
Site Supervisors & Foremen
Leading teams in fall risk positions who must manage the fall protection plan daily
⚙️
Construction Managers
Principal contractors required to demonstrate OHS Act compliance to clients
📡
Telecoms & Tower Supervisors
Managing teams in fall risk positions on masts, towers, and rooftop installations
Electrical & Utility Line Supervisors
Overseeing elevated work on Eskom infrastructure, substations, and overhead lines
Your role after qualification

What a Fall Protection Planner does

After completing SAQA 229994 you are legally designated to carry out these responsibilities on any construction site where workers are in a fall risk position.

📝
Develop the fall protection plan
Write a site-specific fall protection plan that identifies all fall hazards, control measures, rescue procedures, and responsible persons.
🔍
Conduct fall risk assessments
Identify and evaluate all fall risks before and during the project, and update the plan when conditions change.
Approve equipment & systems
Approve the fall arrest equipment, anchor systems, and lifelines to be used on the project against the fall protection plan.
👥
Manage workers at height
Ensure all workers in fall risk positions are trained and certified, and that rescue-qualified persons are always on site.
📊
Maintain records & documentation
Keep training records, equipment inspection logs, risk assessments, and the fall protection plan available for DoL inspection.
🔄
Review & update the plan
Continuously review the fall protection plan throughout the project lifecycle and update it when new hazards, equipment, or personnel are introduced.
Course curriculum

What you'll learn

  • 01OHS Act 85/1993 — Construction Regulations — in-depth study of Construction Regulation 10, employer duties, appointee responsibilities, and liability.
  • 02Fall hazard identification & risk assessment methodology — structured hazard identification, risk rating matrices, and hierarchy of controls for fall risks.
  • 03Fall protection plan development — writing a site-specific, OHS-compliant fall protection plan from scratch, including all required sections and appendices.
  • 04Fall arrest systems — advanced review — understanding the technical specifications of harnesses, anchor systems, lifelines, and collective protection measures.
  • 05Collective protection measures — safety nets, guardrails, toe boards, and other passive fall prevention systems that supplement personal fall arrest.
  • 06Managing workers in fall risk positions — training requirements, certification verification, supervision obligations, and contractor management.
  • 07Rescue planning — incorporating rescue procedures into the fall protection plan, designating rescue persons, and scenario-based rescue planning.
  • 08Equipment inspection & record keeping — pre-use inspection systems, equipment registers, rejection criteria, and documentation for DoL compliance.
  • 09Incident investigation — investigating fall incidents, near misses, and equipment failures, and updating the fall protection plan accordingly.
  • 10Practical assignment — write a fall protection plan — assessed practical task: develop a complete, site-specific fall protection plan against a provided scenario.
Entry requirements
Valid Fall Arrest Level 1 certificate (SAQA 229998) — prerequisite, non-negotiable
Certified copy of South African ID or valid passport
Valid medical fitness certificate confirming fitness for work in a fall risk position
Intermediate literacy and numeracy in English — this is a written, management-level qualification
Ideally 2+ years of experience working on sites with fall risks

What's included
Full training manual and fall protection plan templates
Theory assessments and practical fall protection plan assignment
IWH Certificate of Competency — issued same day on passing
Digital certificate for employer and DoL submission
SAQA 229994 statement of results — 3 Credits, NQF Level 4
Certificate valid 3 years from date of issue
IWH-PB: Fall Protection Planner designation
Course progression

The complete qualification path

The Fall Protection Planner is the apex qualification in the fall protection pathway — the management-level credential that puts you in charge of the whole programme.

✓ Prerequisite
Level 1 · Entry
Fall Arrest Operator
SAQA 229998 · NQF L1 · 2 Credits
R850 excl. VAT · 1 day
✓ Recommended
Level 2 · Rescue
Fall Arrest Technician
SAQA 229995 · NQF L2 · 3 Credits
R1,300 excl. VAT · 2 days
You are here
Level 4 · Management
Fall Protection Planner
SAQA 229994 · NQF L4 · 3 Credits
R3,500 excl. VAT · 3 days
Student reviews

What our students say

Safety officers, site supervisors, and OHS managers from construction, mining, and telecoms across South Africa.

★★★★★

"I've been writing fall protection plans for years without the formal qualification. This course gave me the proper framework and legal grounding I was missing. The DoL inspection shortly after was completely stress-free."

ZN
Zanele Nkosi
OHS Manager · Johannesburg Construction
★★★★★

"Altra Med ran the FPP course on-site for 4 of our supervisors. The practical assignment — writing an actual fall protection plan for a scenario — was excellent. They left ready to apply it the next day."

HL
Heinrich Louw
Construction Director · Cape Town
★★★★★

"As a safety officer in telecoms, being designated as a Fall Protection Planner was a career step I needed. The IWH designation carries real weight with our clients. Three-day course, well-structured."

OM
Olwethu Mthethwa
Safety Officer · Durban Telecoms

Accredited, designated & DoL-recognised

Our Fall Protection Planner course (SAQA 229994) satisfies Construction Regulation 10.1(a) of the OHS Act 85 of 1993. Quality-assured by SSETA. Graduates receive the IWH-PB Fall Protection Planner designation — recognised by the Department of Labour and all major SA employers.

SSETA
SAQA
IWH-PB
Reg 10.1(a)
NQF Level 4
DoL Recognised
Common questions

FAQ

A Fall Protection Planner is the person legally designated under Construction Regulation 10.1(a) of the OHS Act 85 of 1993 as responsible for the fall protection plan on a construction site. Every construction site where workers are in a fall risk position must have one — designated in writing and proven competent. Without a qualified, designated Fall Protection Planner, the site and the employer are in violation of the OHS Act.

The course is aligned to SAQA Unit Standard 229994: "Develop and implement a fall protection plan." NQF Level 4, 3 Credits, quality-assured by SSETA. On successful completion you are designated as a Fall Protection Planner by the IWH Professional Body — the nationally recognised designation for this role. You also receive a SAQA statement of results and an IWH certificate of competency.

Yes. A valid Fall Arrest Level 1 certificate (SAQA 229998) is a mandatory prerequisite for the Fall Protection Planner course. If you do not yet have Level 1, we can arrange both in sequence. The Level 2 Fall Arrest Rescue course (SAQA 229995) is not a hard prerequisite but is strongly recommended, as a Fall Protection Planner must understand rescue requirements when writing the fall protection plan.

Yes. The practical assessment — developing a complete fall protection plan for a provided scenario — is completed during the 3-day course under the guidance of the facilitator. There is no take-home assignment or separate submission date. Learners who pass the theory and practical assessments on day 3 receive their IWH certificate of competency on the same day.

Yes. We deliver the Fall Protection Planner course on-site at your facility anywhere in South Africa. On-site delivery is particularly suitable for construction companies, principal contractors, and telecoms firms that need multiple supervisors or safety officers qualified at the same time. Groups of 3 or more qualify for reduced rates. Contact us on +27 83 442 5052 or [email protected] for a quote.

The Fall Arrest Rescue course (SAQA 229995, NQF Level 2) is a worker/technician-level qualification focused on wearing fall arrest equipment and physically performing rescues. The Fall Protection Planner course (SAQA 229994, NQF Level 4) is a management-level qualification focused on planning, risk assessment, documentation, and legal compliance. A Fall Protection Planner must understand rescue requirements, but does not have to perform them personally.

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