WAHR 2005: HSE Work at Height Rules

Regulatory citation: Work at Height Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/735)

What Are the Work at Height Regulations?

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to all work at height in Great Britain where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. They apply at any height, including work below ground level, and cover employers, the self-employed and anyone who controls work at height.

Why Work at Height Rules Matter

Falls from height are one of the biggest causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries in the UK. Many falls happen from low heights, such as ladders and vehicles.

Core Requirements

1. Plan, Supervise and Use Competent People

Work at height must be properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner by competent people. Weather conditions must be taken into account.

2. Follow the Hierarchy

Employers must avoid work at height where reasonably practicable. Where it can't be avoided, they must use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls. Where the risk can't be eliminated, they must use equipment or measures to minimize the distance and consequences of a fall.

3. Give Collective Protection Priority

Collective measures, such as guardrails and scaffolds, should be prioritized over personal measures, such as harnesses.

4. Choose Suitable Equipment

Equipment must be suitable for the work. Ladders and stepladders can be used where a risk assessment shows the task is low risk and short duration, or where there are site features that can't be altered.

5. Inspect Equipment

Work equipment for working at height must be inspected where safety depends on how it's installed or assembled, and at suitable intervals. Some equipment, such as scaffolds, has specific inspection requirements and records.

6. Protect Against Fragile Surfaces and Falling Objects

Work on or near fragile surfaces must be managed, and steps must be taken to prevent falling objects from causing injury.

Common Compliance Approaches

Do Work From the Ground

Use extendable tools, drones or prefabrication to avoid height work where possible.

Ladder Checks

Check ladders before use and remove damaged ones from service.

Rescue Planning

Plan how to rescue someone who falls while using fall arrest equipment.

Example: Work at Height in Practice

A facilities team needs to replace lights in a warehouse with 8-meter ceilings. Instead of using ladders, it hires a mobile elevating work platform operated by a trained worker, sets up an exclusion zone below, and checks the platform before use. The team schedules work outside busy periods to avoid forklift traffic.

Related regulations: OSHA Fall Protection, WHS falls regulations, HSE LOLER.

Note: This summary reflects the regulations as they apply in Great Britain, enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities. Northern Ireland has equivalent but separate legislation. Always check the current legislation and HSE guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as work at height?

Work at height is work in any place where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury, including work on a ladder, on a roof edge, near an opening in the floor, or near an excavation. There's no minimum height.

Are ladders banned under the Work at Height Regulations?

No. Ladders can be used where a risk assessment shows that using higher-level equipment isn't justified because of the low risk and short duration of the task, or because of site features that can't be changed.

What is the work at height hierarchy?

The hierarchy is to avoid work at height where possible, prevent falls using suitable equipment or an existing safe place, and minimize the distance and consequences of a fall where the risk can't be eliminated.