A working at heights ticket is a Statement of Attainment for the nationally recognised unit RIIWHS204E Work Safely at Heights. You get it by completing training and a practical assessment with a registered training organisation; in Brisbane that is usually a short course of half a day or a day. At FMS Training (RTO 45189) it is $310 at Lawnton.
It is not a government licence, so there is no WorkSafe Queensland application, no card fee and no fixed expiry date. It is proof to an employer or site that you have been trained and assessed as competent to work at height.
Working at heights ticket: the essentials
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What is the ticket? | RIIWHS204E Work Safely at Heights, a nationally recognised unit of competency |
| What do you receive? | A Statement of Attainment from the registered training organisation |
| Is it a licence? | No. It is a qualification unit, not a high risk work licence |
| Can it be done fully online? | No. The assessment requires you to work safely at heights in person on at least two occasions |
| How long does it take at FMS Training? | About half a day of theory online, then a half-day practical at Lawnton |
| Does it expire? | No fixed government expiry; many sites ask for a refresher every one to two years |
| Cost at FMS Training | $310 per person, the same whether it is your first course or a refresher |
Who needs a working at heights ticket?
The law in Queensland does not name a “ticket”. What it does say is that a business must manage the risk of falls, and workers must have the training they need to work safely. In practice, builders, principal contractors, mine and resources sites, and facilities managers ask for RIIWHS204E before you start, because it is the standard way to show that training has been done.
Trades and roles that are commonly asked for it include:
- carpenters, roofers, solar installers, electricians, plumbers and painters
- scaffold and rigging crews (alongside their own licences)
- maintenance, facilities and warehouse staff who work on racking, mezzanines or roofs
- telecommunications and signage installers
- labourers on construction sites
WorkSafe Queensland sets clear lines for construction: fall prevention is required where someone could fall three metres in housing construction work, or two metres in other construction work, and at those heights training alone is not an acceptable control. Training sits alongside physical protection; it does not replace it. More detail is in Working at heights regulations in Queensland.
How do you get a working at heights ticket in Queensland?
- Choose a registered training organisation that delivers RIIWHS204E with a face-to-face practical. Check the unit code is on the booking page.
- Complete the theory. At FMS Training this is done online first, at your own pace, so you are not sitting in a classroom.
- Attend the practical. A half-day session at our Lawnton training centre in north Brisbane, using real height safety equipment. All equipment is provided.
- Be assessed. The trainer assesses you on the job tasks the national standard requires.
- Receive your Statement of Attainment. This is your ticket. Keep a digital copy, because sites ask for it at induction.
If you want to know why a fully online course can’t give you the unit, read Can you do a working at heights course online?
How much does a working at heights ticket cost in Brisbane?
At FMS Training the course is $310 whether it is your first time or a refresher, with all equipment supplied. There is no government fee on top.
Prices across Brisbane, and what changes them, are compared in How much is a working at heights course in Brisbane?
Does a working at heights ticket expire?
There is no expiry date set by the government. Many employers and sites set their own rule and ask for a refresher every one to two years, or after a long break from height work. See Does a working at heights ticket expire?
Is a working at heights ticket the same as an EWP ticket?
No. A working at heights ticket covers safe work at height in general. Operating a boom-type elevating work platform of 11 metres or more needs a separate high risk work licence (WP), and scissor lifts and smaller booms are covered by separate training. See Working at heights vs EWP ticket.
Why people choose FMS Training for their working at heights ticket
- Less time off the tools. Theory online first, then one half-day practical at Lawnton.
- All equipment provided, so you don’t need to bring your own harness.
- Regular practical dates, booked online in minutes. See the next dates on the course page.
- Teams welcome. We can run the practical at your workplace for a group.
- Award-winning and well reviewed: Outstanding Education Service winner in the 2025 and 2026 Moreton Bay Local Business Awards, with a 4.9-star Google rating.
Sources: WorkSafe Queensland, work at heights in construction; training.gov.au, RIIWHS204E and its assessment requirements.