Working at Height: Regulations Every Worker Should Understand

Falls from height remain the single biggest cause of workplace deaths in the UK. Whether you are climbing a ladder to reach high racking in a warehouse, working on a mezzanine floor, or using a cherry picker, understanding the rules could save your life.

What Counts as Working at Height?

Working at height means working in any place where a person could fall and be injured. This includes:

• Working on ladders or stepladders
• Working on scaffolding or mobile towers
• Working on roofs or near roof edges
• Working on mezzanine floors without adequate edge protection
• Working above an opening in a floor
• Using mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) — cherry pickers, scissor lifts
• Working near loading bays or dock edges

It does not require a significant height. You can be injured falling from a stepladder.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005

These regulations require employers to:

1. Avoid working at height wherever possible — can the task be done from ground level?
2. Prevent falls — use the right equipment: platforms, guardrails, edge protection
3. Minimise consequences if a fall cannot be prevented — safety nets, airbags, harnesses

Your Responsibilities as a Worker

• Report any unsafe conditions — missing guardrails, damaged equipment, slippery surfaces
• Use the equipment provided — if you have been given a harness, wear it correctly
• Do not take shortcuts — never climb racking, stand on pallets, or improvise platforms
• Follow training — only use equipment you have been trained to use
• Inspect equipment before use — ladders for damage, harnesses for wear, platforms for stability

Ladder Safety

Ladders should only be used for short-duration tasks (under 30 minutes) where other equipment is not practical:

• Maintain three points of contact at all times — two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand
• Ensure the ladder is on a firm, level surface
• Secure the top of the ladder or have someone foot it at the base
• Do not overreach — keep your belt buckle within the stiles
• Do not carry heavy or bulky items up a ladder
• Check the ladder before use — rungs, stiles, feet, and locking mechanisms

Reporting Unsafe Situations

If you are asked to work at height without proper equipment or training, you have the right to refuse. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, you cannot be disciplined for raising genuine safety concerns. Report the issue to:

• Your site supervisor or manager
• Your health and safety representative
• Your recruitment agency — TRS Recruit takes height safety very seriously
• The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) if the employer fails to act

If you are working through TRS Recruit and are asked to work at height without proper safety measures, stop work and contact us immediately. Your safety is non-negotiable.