According to HSE: ‘The most common kind of fatal accident continues as falls from a height, accounting for over a quarter of fatal injuries to workers in 2024/25.’ This same study concluded that the number of people who died as a result of a fall from a height in the workplace during this time period was 35. This makes it the leading cause of workplace deaths. Despite this, many workplaces continue to be lax in their training for employees who regularly use a ladder or scaffolding structure for their job.
Working at height is part of everyday operations across construction, maintenance, warehousing, facilities management, telecommunications, and a wide range of industrial sectors. Whether the task involves roof work, access equipment, scaffolding, or routine maintenance, employers and contractors have a legal responsibility to ensure that work is carried out safely.
In the UK, these responsibilities are covered under the The Work at Height Regulations 2005 and, as access equipment specialists, TopTower takes them seriously.
What are The Work at Height Regulations 2005?
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 were introduced to reduce injuries and fatalities caused by falls from height in the workplace.
The regulations apply to any work where a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury. Importantly, this does not only refer to high rise construction work. In practice, the regulations can apply to relatively routine tasks carried out on ladders, scaffolding, platforms, staircases, roofs, mezzanine levels, or fragile surfaces.
The legislation places responsibilities on employers and those responsible for controlling work at height, including facilities managers and site supervisors, to ensure work carried out at height is properly planned, supervised, subject to sufficient training, and carried out using the appropriate equipment including safety equipment.
What counts as ‘work at height’?
One of the most common misconceptions is that working at height only applies to large scale construction environments. In reality, the definition is much broader. If there is a risk of injury from a fall, then it falls under the bracket of ‘work at height’.
A task may fall under the regulations if there is a risk of a person:
Falling from a ladder, scaffold tower, platform, or roof
Falling through a fragile surface
Falling into an opening, shaft, or excavation
Being injured by falling from ground level into a lower area
The legal responsibilities of employers and contractors
The regulations place a clear duty on employers and those in control of work at height to manage risk properly. They follow a hierarchy of control, which means employers should first consider whether work at height can be avoided altogether before introducing equipment or protective measures.
For contractors, this also means considering how tasks are organised on site.
In practice, businesses are expected to ensure that:
Work at height is properly planned
The correct access equipment is selected
Workers are competent and appropriately trained
Risks are assessed before work begins
Equipment is inspected and maintained
Unsafe work at height is avoided
What is the hierarchy of control
One of the central principles within the Working at Height Regulations is the hierarchy of control, which can be applied to all potential workplace hazards. This provides a structured approach to reducing risk and helps businesses determine the safest way to carry out work at height.
Rather than immediately selecting access equipment, the regulations require employers to work through a series of considerations in order.
1. Avoid working at height where possible
Avoiding work at height altogether is always the most effective way to eliminate fall risk so the first step is to assess whether the task can be completed without leaving the ground.
For example:
Could equipment be lowered to ground level for maintenance?
Could inspections be carried out remotely?
Could long handled tools remove the need for elevated access?
2. Prevent falls where work at height is necessary
Where working at height cannot be avoided, the next priority is preventing falls from occurring.
This typically involves selecting suitable equipment that provides stability and protection, such as:
Guardrailed working platforms
Edge protection systems
Properly secured access equipment
The chosen solution should match both the task and the environment in which it will be used.
3. Minimise the consequences of a fall
If a fall risk still remains after preventative measures are in place, additional controls should be introduced to reduce the severity of potential injuries.
Examples may include:
Personal safety equipment
Fall arrest systems
Safety nets
Soft landing systems
Emergency rescue procedures
Choosing suitable equipment for the task
Selecting the right access equipment is one of the most important aspects of compliance.
The regulations require equipment to be suitable for both the nature of the task and the environment in which it is being used.
And this isn’t unfounded; using the wrong equipment is one of the most common factors identified in workplace accidents involving work at height.
Risk factors that should be considered when assessing a task include:
Working height required
Duration of the task
Frequency of access
Number of workers involved
Need for tools or materials at height
Ground conditions and surrounding environment
Different tasks may require different solutions:
Use a ladder for:
Low risk tasks
Short duration work
Work at a minimal height
Situations where 3 points of contact is easily maintained
Work that requires minimal movement
Use scaffolding towers for:
Longer duration tasks
Greater stability
Work where guardrail protection is beneficial
Work that requires the use of tools and materials
Competency and training
The regulations also require anyone involved in work at height to be competent.
Competency refers to having the appropriate knowledge, practical training, and experience to carry out the work safely and recognise potential risks before they become hazards.
This applies not only to workers using access equipment, but also to supervisors overseeing work at height, those responsible for planning tasks, personnel assembling or inspecting scaffold towers and access systems, and managers responsible for site safety and compliance.
Workers must understand:
How to correctly use the equipment provided
Safe setup and positioning procedures
Weight limits and equipment restrictions
How environmental conditions can affect stability and safety
The risks associated with overreaching, unstable ground, or improper use
What to do if equipment is damaged or unsafe
Training should also reflect the type of equipment being used. For example, someone using a ladder occasionally for short duration work will require different instruction compared to a worker assembling mobile scaffold towers or carrying out complex tasks at height on a daily basis.
Employers should ensure that inexperienced workers are supervised appropriately until they can demonstrate safe working practices consistently.
Inspection and maintenance obligations
Access equipment used for working at height must be inspected regularly and maintained in safe condition. This includes ladders, scaffold towers, platforms, guardrails, and associated safety equipment.
Businesses should have clear procedures for identifying defective equipment and removing it from service where necessary. Routine inspection records may also form part of compliance documentation and risk management processes.
Inspections must be conducted:
Before first use
After assembly or relocation
After each use
Following adverse weather conditions
If equipment has been damaged or altered
Risk assessments and planning
Under the regulations, work at height should never be approached casually or improvised on site.
Proper planning is a legal requirement. Before any work begins, businesses should assess the specific risks associated with the task, the environment, the staff on site, and the equipment being used.
The level of detail required will vary depending on the complexity of the task. A short duration maintenance job may require a straightforward assessment, while larger construction or industrial projects will often need more comprehensive planning and supervision.
A suitable risk assessment should identify:
Potential fall hazards
Environmental risks such as weather, ground conditions, or nearby obstructions
The most appropriate access equipment for the task
Whether additional fall prevention measures are required
The number of people involved in the work
Rescue or emergency procedures if an incident occurs
Examples of non compliance
Many breaches of the regulations arise from routine shortcuts or poor working practices rather than deliberate negligence.
Some common examples include:
Using damaged or unsuitable ladders
Overreaching while working from ladders
Failing to secure access equipment properly
Working on fragile surfaces without protection
Lack of worker training or supervision
Carrying out tasks at height without a risk assessment
Consequences of failing to comply
Failure to comply with The Work at Height Regulations can have serious consequences for businesses and contractors. This can impact the safety of your staff and extend to serious financial implications and loss of trust in your business.
These may include:
Workplace injuries or fatalities
HSE investigations
Fines and enforcement notices
Project delays
Increased insurance costs
Reputational damage
In serious cases, businesses and individuals may face prosecution where failures in planning, supervision, or equipment selection have contributed to an incident.
If you’re working at height and are unsure about the most appropriate equipment for the parameters of the work, TopTower is happy to discuss the options available to you. We offer a wide selection of portable scaffold towers, ladders, and ladder accessories to help keep your team as safe as possible for the duration of the project. You can browse our wide selection of products on our website, or get in touch with us to learn more.
