Working at height is legally defined under the UK Work at Height Regulations 2005 as work in any place from which a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. Crucially, there is no minimum height threshold — a fall from a low ladder onto a sharp object can be just as dangerous as a fall from a roof.
Examples include
- Ladders, stepladders, and trestles
- Scaffolding and mobile towers
- Roofs (especially fragile roofs)
- Elevated platforms and MEWPs
- Near excavations or openings in floors
- Loading bays and mezzanines
Hierarchy of controls
- Avoid work at height where reasonably practicable
- Use existing safe workplaces (permanent platforms, anchor points)
- Collective protection (guardrails, safety nets, airbags)
- Personal protection (harness + lanyard / SRL)
- Ladders only for short-duration, low-risk work
Core duties
Risk assessment, proper planning, equipment selection and inspection, and worker competency are central to compliance.