Work at Height

Working at height is defined as:
• ‘work in any place, including a place at or below ground level, or obtaining access to or
egress from such a place, while at work, except by a staircase where, if suitable measures
were not taken, a person could fall a distance likely to cause personal injury’.
 
The facts
• Falling from a height of just one or two steps can cause serious injury. Work at any height
can cause injury.
• In 2018/19 falls from height accounted for 8% of employer-reported non-fatal injuries
whilst in the construction industry this figure was 19%.
• Ladders are probably the most used and misused pieces of access equipment.
• Most ladder accidents occur because the ladder is not secured at the top.
• For 5 years work at height has been the single biggest cause of workplace deaths - with
40 people killed in 2018/19
• Unsuitable access equipment (such as chairs and tables) can cause serious accidents even
in low risk premises such as offices and schools.
• It is important to ensure that contractors working on an organisation’s premises (for
example for roof maintenance or window cleaning) are properly controlled and do not
work in a dangerous way.
 
Hierarchy of risk control
• Keep away from working at height wherever possible by changing the task or the way it
can be carried out.
• Use other control measures to prevent falls.
• Always consider fall prevention measures, e.g. edge protection and personal
protection such as harnesses.
• Reduce the likelihood of injury by minimising the distance to fall or its consequences
Always consider safety netting, over active measures, such as having to clip a safety
harness on to a structure.
• Take account of how storage areas and high shelving or wall displays are accessed in
lower risk areas.
Guidelines to employers
• Plan, organise and supervise all work at height
• ensure employees are appropriately trained in safe working methods and the
equipment to be used
• make sure all those involved are competent and trained
• assess the risks and ensure that appropriate work equipment is selected and used
correctly
• manage the risks from fragile surfaces, such as thin roofing materials or skylights
• inspect and maintain all equipment and workplaces intended to control the risks of
working at height
• take account of weather conditions
• ensure planning includes arrangements for emergencies and rescue
• manage risks from falling objects.