Safe Working at Height

Why consider the risks of falls from height?

Falls from height are responsible for many serious and fatal injuries every year. If a person falls from a height above two meters the likelihood is that they will sustain serious injury.

Many work activities involve working at height. Working from ladders, scaffolds and platforms are obvious examples, but there are many more activities where people are required to work at height.

Examples include roof work, working over tanks and pits, at the edge of elevated structures, or on top of vehicles or trailers.

The risks of working at height

The main hazards associated with working at height are people falling and objects falling onto people below. These may occur as a result of inadequate edge protection, or from objects in storage being poorly secured.

Workers in maintenance and construction and many other people in a variety of jobs could be at risk of falling from height at work. Examples include: painters, decorators and window cleaners and those who undertake one-off jobs without proper training, planning or equipment.

Assessing risks from working at height

If work at height cannot be avoided, a risk assessment should be carried out before any work at height is undertaken. The assessment should highlight the measures that must be taken to ensure people are not at risk of falling from height.

The risks associated with working at height must be assessed. The Health and Safety Executive recommends a five-step approach to risk assessment, and the risk of slips, trips and falls should also be considered.

Step 1 Look for hazards associated with falls from height around the workplace. Where are people required to work at height? Do they carry out work from ladders, platforms, scaffolds, or unprotected or fragile roofs?

Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how. Who comes into the workplace? Are they at risk? Are some groups more at risk than others?

Step 3 Consider the risks. Are there already measures in place to deal with the risks? Look at areas with unguarded openings or without guardrails and covers. Are regular inspections carried out?

Step 4 Record your findings if you have five or more employees.

Step 5 Regularly review the assessment. If any significant changes take place, make sure that precautions are still adequate to deal with the risks.