Working at Height Regulations
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to any work where a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury. There is no minimum height: the old “2 metre rule” no longer exists. Falls from height remain one of the biggest causes of deaths in UK construction.
The hierarchy for work at height
- Avoid working at height where you reasonably can, for example by assembling on the ground or using long-handled tools.
- Prevent falls with a safe place of work or equipment: guard rails, scaffolds, mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), podium steps. Collective protection comes before personal protection such as a work restraint harness.
- Mitigate the distance and consequences of a fall where the risk remains: nets, airbags, fall arrest harnesses.
Can you still use ladders?
Yes, for low-risk, short-duration work where more suitable equipment is not justified. HSE's guide is roughly up to 30 minutes in one position for leaning ladders, with three points of contact, light work only, and the ladder secured or footed. Check ladders before each use and keep a record of detailed inspections.
Inspection rules
| Equipment | When to inspect |
|---|---|
| Scaffold (fall of 2 m or more) | After installation and before first use, at intervals of no more than 7 days, and after any event likely to affect its stability, such as high winds. Written report required. |
| Mobile tower | After assembly in each new location, and as above where it stays in place |
| Ladders and stepladders | Pre-use check by the user; periodic detailed inspection |
| Harnesses and lanyards | Pre-use check; detailed inspection at least every 6 months (more often in harsh use) |
What to put in your RAMS
- Why the work at height cannot be avoided.
- The access equipment chosen and who will erect and inspect it.
- Edge protection, exclusion zones below and protection from falling objects.
- Rescue plan for anyone in a harness or on a MEWP.
- Weather limits (wind, rain, ice).
- Training and competence: PASMA for towers, IPAF for MEWPs.
Work at height in your RAMS, done. RAMS Maker adds the right controls for ladders, towers, scaffolds and roofs to your risk assessment, and the free harness inspection sheet keeps the record.
Make RAMS Harness inspectionQuestions
What height is classed as working at height?
Any height from which a fall could cause injury, including working at ground level next to an opening or excavation.
Do I need a harness on a scaffold?
Not if the scaffold has proper guard rails and toe boards. Harnesses are for situations where collective protection is not practicable.
Who can inspect a scaffold?
A competent person, usually someone with scaffold inspection training such as CISRS Scaffold Inspection.
Checked against the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and HSE guidance INDG401, October 2026. Related: hierarchy of control · toolbox talks.