Many jobs involve working at height — construction, window cleaning, electrical repair, painting and more. Wherever there’s height, there’s the risk of a fall, and falls from height remain a leading cause of workplace fatalities and serious injuries in the UK. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 set out how this work must be planned and carried out, and place clear legal duties on employers. Here’s what both employers and employees need to know.
What counts as “working at height”?
HSE definition
Work at height means working anywhere a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury. That includes working above ground level (a ladder, scaffold or platform), at ground level near an edge or opening, and below ground level (such as a shaft or excavation).
Common myth — there is no “2 metre rule”
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 set no minimum height. A widespread belief is that the rules — or a harness requirement — only apply at two metres or more. That’s incorrect. The regulations apply wherever a fall could cause injury, however low. Many serious injuries happen from falls well under two metres, so the risk, not the height, is what matters.
The hierarchy: avoid, prevent, minimise
The regulations follow a simple order of priority. Work through it in sequence rather than jumping to PPE:
Order of control
- Avoid work at height where it’s reasonably practicable to do the job another way.
- Prevent falls using existing safe places of work or the right equipment (guardrails, working platforms).
- Minimise the distance and consequences of a fall where the risk can’t be eliminated — using nets, airbags or personal fall-protection systems.
Employer and employee duties
Keeping people safe at height is a shared responsibility. The employer carries the primary legal duty, but employees have obligations too.
Employers must
- Ensure anyone working at height is competent — properly trained, or supervised by someone who is
- Avoid work at height where the job can reasonably be done otherwise
- Provide and maintain the right equipment — platforms, ladders, guardrails, nets, airbags, personal fall-protection systems
- Avoid work from fragile surfaces unless absolutely necessary, with full protection if it is
- Plan for emergencies, including evacuation and rescue
- Inspect work surfaces and fall-protection equipment before work begins
- Ensure ladders are secured — they’re a means of access, not a working platform
Employees should
- Never cut corners to save time — a two-minute shortcut can cause a life-changing injury
- Keep three points of contact on a ladder (e.g. two feet and a hand), or use an alternative safety system
- Tell your employer if you’re not trained or competent for a task — never take on work you’re not qualified to do
- Challenge and refuse unsafe work — an employer cannot force you to break safety rules; you can report concerns to the HSE
- Improve your knowledge through relevant training
- Be fit to work — sleep deprivation, drugs or alcohol affect balance and dramatically raise the risk of a fall
Reduce the risks with a risk assessment
Any work that meets the regulations should be subject to a working-at-height risk assessment: identify the risks, eliminate them where possible, and introduce suitable control measures. Supervisors and managers can take a health and safety course to learn how to assess these risks — a NEBOSH certificate-level course covers the hazards, the law, how to carry out the assessment and how to put safe systems in place.
Training for working at height
The right course depends on the equipment and the role:
Working at Height training
General courses covering the regulations, risk assessment, equipment and safe procedures.
Ladder Association courses
Accredited ladder training — for Users, Inspection, and Combined User & Inspection — each with a LadderCard valid five years.
IPAF & PASMA
Equipment-specific qualifications — IPAF for MEWPs (cherry pickers, scissor lifts) and PASMA for mobile access towers.
NEBOSH Construction Certificate
For managers and supervisors needing a deeper grounding in construction health and safety, including work at height.
Frequently asked questions
At what height do the regulations apply?
At any height. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 set no minimum — they apply wherever a fall could cause injury. There is no “2 metre rule”; the old threshold was removed when the 2005 regulations came in.
At what height is a harness required?
There’s no fixed height that triggers a harness. Fall protection is required whenever a risk assessment shows a worker could fall and be injured — which can be well below two metres. The control measure should follow the avoid–prevent–minimise hierarchy, with personal fall protection used where higher-level controls aren’t reasonably practicable.
What must employees do under the regulations?
Employees must not carry out work at height unless they’re competent to do so, or are being supervised by a competent person while training. They should follow safe procedures, report any task they’re not trained for, and can refuse work that’s genuinely unsafe.
Can I refuse unsafe work at height?
Yes. An employer cannot require you to do work that breaches health and safety regulations and puts you in danger. You can raise the concern and, if needed, report it to the HSE.