Working at Height Policy
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 places duties on the company to the extent of our control (for
example facilities managers or building owners who may contract us to work at height).
The Regulations require us to ensure:
• All work at height is properly planned and organised;
• Those involved in work at height are competent;
• The risks from work at height are assessed and appropriate work equipment is selected and used;
• The risks from working on fragile surfaces are properly controlled;
• Equipment for work at height is properly inspected and maintained;
The Regulations include Schedules giving requirements for existing places of work and means of access for
work at height, collective fall prevention (e.g. guardrails and working platforms), collective fall arrest (e.g.
nets, airbags etc), personal fall protection (e.g. work restraints, fall arrest and rope access) and ladders.
Duty holders must:
• Avoid work at height where they can. We use pole/water-fed pole systems wherever possible.
• Use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where they cannot avoid working at height.
• Where they cannot eliminate the risk of a fall, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the
distance and consequences of a fall should one occur.
Prior to the amendment of the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 a height of two
metres was given as a baseline height above which appropriate measures had to be in place to prevent falls
of persons and objects. In the new Regulations this baseline does not exist, measures must be in place
whenever there is a risk of a person or object falling a distance that may cause harm to others or property.
When working at height the safest and most appropriate working platform must be used.
When making the decision what equipment to use, you must look at what the job includes, how long will it
last and where it needs to be done. It is not illegal to use a ladder to work at height but other means of
access such as fixed scaffold, tower scaffold or mobile elevated working platforms should be considered, in
preference to relying on ladders.
When we consider using a ladder we make sure that:
• The work is of short duration and involves only light work;
• Three points of contact can be maintained at all times;
• The work only requires one hand to be used;
• The work can be reached without stretching;
• Ladder stability devices are used;
• A good handhold is available;
• The ladder is safe to use and has been regularly inspected
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 places duties on the company to the extent of our control (for
example facilities managers or building owners who may contract us to work at height).
The Regulations require us to ensure:
• All work at height is properly planned and organised;
• Those involved in work at height are competent;
• The risks from work at height are assessed and appropriate work equipment is selected and used;
• The risks from working on fragile surfaces are properly controlled;
• Equipment for work at height is properly inspected and maintained;
The Regulations include Schedules giving requirements for existing places of work and means of access for
work at height, collective fall prevention (e.g. guardrails and working platforms), collective fall arrest (e.g.
nets, airbags etc), personal fall protection (e.g. work restraints, fall arrest and rope access) and ladders.
Duty holders must:
• Avoid work at height where they can. We use pole/water-fed pole systems wherever possible.
• Use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where they cannot avoid working at height.
• Where they cannot eliminate the risk of a fall, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the
distance and consequences of a fall should one occur.
Prior to the amendment of the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 a height of two
metres was given as a baseline height above which appropriate measures had to be in place to prevent falls
of persons and objects. In the new Regulations this baseline does not exist, measures must be in place
whenever there is a risk of a person or object falling a distance that may cause harm to others or property.
When working at height the safest and most appropriate working platform must be used.
When making the decision what equipment to use, you must look at what the job includes, how long will it
last and where it needs to be done. It is not illegal to use a ladder to work at height but other means of
access such as fixed scaffold, tower scaffold or mobile elevated working platforms should be considered, in
preference to relying on ladders.
When we consider using a ladder we make sure that:
• The work is of short duration and involves only light work;
• Three points of contact can be maintained at all times;
• The work only requires one hand to be used;
• The work can be reached without stretching;
• Ladder stability devices are used;
• A good handhold is available;
• The ladder is safe to use and has been regularly inspected
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