Working at height refers to any task where a person could fall and sustain an injury, not just from high elevations, and requires careful planning, risk assessment, and appropriate control measures like using guardrails or safety harnesses under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 in the UK. Employers must take all reasonable steps to prevent falls, avoid working at height where possible, and ensure work is carried out by competent people with the correct equipment and training.
What constitutes “working at height”?
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- You are working at height if you are working above ground or floor level and could fall.
- You are working at height if you are working above ground or floor level and could fall.
- This includes risks from falling through openings in floors, from fragile surfaces, or from a low-level platform.
- There is no minimum height; falls from low heights can cause serious injury.
Key principles for working safely
- Avoid: working at height whenever possible.
- Assess: the risks before work starts, identifying how to prevent falls.
- Plan: the work carefully, ensuring it’s supervised and carried out by trained and competent people.
- Use: the correct equipment for the task, such as ladders, scaffolding, or mobile work platforms.
- Protect: workers with measures like guardrails (passive protection), safety harnesses, or other fall restraint and arrest systems.
Employer and worker responsibilities
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Employershave a duty to ensure work at height is performed safely and to provide appropriate controls, equipment, and training.
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Employeesare expected to follow safety procedures, use equipment correctly, and report hazards.
In the UK, the Work at Height Regulations 2005 are the guiding legislation, aiming to prevent death and injury from falls from height by placing clear duties on employers to ensure safe working practices.