Work at height regulations
The Work at Height Regulations (2005) came into force on 6 April 2005. They are intended to prevent deaths and injuries caused by falls at work. In 2005/06 falls from height caused 46 fatalities at work and 3350 major injuries.
The regulations apply to all work at any height (even if it is at or below ground level) where there is risk of a fall that may cause injury. The regulations impose duties on:
Duty holders must adopt the following hierarchy:
- Where possible, avoiding work at height.
- Where work at height cannot be avoided, take measures to prevent falls.
- Where risk cannot be eliminated, take measures to minimise the distance and consequences of falls.
Where work at height is necessary, duty holders are required to ensure that:
- Risks are assessed and managed (including the risks of working on or near fragile surfaces and risks from falling objects).
- People involved in work at height are competent, trained, or supervised if they are being trained.
- Work at height is properly planned and organised (including planning for emergencies and for rescue).
- Account has been taken of weather conditions that could endanger health and safety (work should be postponed if weather conditions endanger health or safety).
- Appropriate equipment is used, inspected and properly maintained (giving use of collective protection measures priority over personal protection measures).
People working under the control of others must:
Schedules are provided at the end of the regulations, setting out requirements for specific circumstances:
- Schedule 1: Existing places of work and means of access or egress at height.
- Schedule 2: Guard-rails, toe boards, barriers and similar collective means of protection.
- Schedule 3: Working platforms.
- Schedule 4: Collective safeguards for arresting falls.
- Schedule 5: Personal protection systems.
- Schedule 6: Ladders.
- Schedule 7: Particulars to be included in a report of inspection
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- BS 7883.
- BS 7883 guide released.
- CDM.
- Collective restraint systems.
- CONIAC produces essential messages on safe work at height.
- Crane regulations.
- Dynamic self-retracting lanyard.
- Fall arrest system.
- Fall prevention systems.
- FASET.
- Glazier.
- Health and Safety.
- Hoists.
- How to use a ladder.
- Injuries on construction sites.
- Ladder.
- Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER).
- Near miss.
- Roped access for conservation projects.
- Safety briefing.
- Safety in high places.
- Safety systems for working at heights.
- Scaffold register.
- Scaffolding.
- Toolbox talk.
- Types of crane.
- Urban exploration UE.
- Work at height.
- Work at height checklist for managers.
- Work at height rescue plan.
- Working at height - our duty to prevent harm and protect each other.
- Working at height training.
- Working platform.
[edit] External references
Featured articles and news
Quality Planning for Micro and Small to Medium Sized Enterprises
A CIOB Academy Technical Information sheet.
A briefing on fall protection systems for designers
A legal requirement and an ethical must.
CIOB Ireland launches manifesto for 2024 General Election
A vision for a sustainable, high-quality built environment that benefits all members of society.
Local leaders gain new powers to support local high streets
High Street Rental Auctions to be introduced from December.
Infrastructure sector posts second gain for October
With a boost for housebuilder and commercial developer contract awards.
Sustainable construction design teams survey
Shaping the Future of Sustainable Design: Your Voice Matters.
COP29; impacts of construction and updates
Amid criticism, open letters and calls for reform.
The properties of conservation rooflights
Things to consider when choosing the right product.
Adapting to meet changing needs.
London Build: A festival of construction
Co-located with the London Build Fire & Security Expo.
Tasked with locating groups of 10,000 homes with opportunity.
Delivering radical reform in the UK energy market
What are the benefits, barriers and underlying principles.
Information Management Initiative IMI
Building sector-transforming capabilities in emerging technologies.
Recent study of UK households reveals chilling home truths
Poor insulation, EPC knowledge and lack of understanding as to what retrofit might offer.
Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment
Overview, regulations, detail calculations and much more.
Why the construction sector must embrace workplace mental health support
Let’s talk; more importantly now, than ever.
Ensuring the trustworthiness of AI systems
A key growth area, including impacts for construction.