THE ANSWER, FIRST
Work at height concerns the risk of an injurious fall, not a universal minimum height. Avoid it where practicable; otherwise plan and control the risk.
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Who is responsibleYour next stepsBefore spending moneyWhat you can do yourselfPutting it into practiceRecords to keepWhen to reviewCommon questionsOfficial sourcesWho is responsible?
Work where a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury if precautions were not in place.
Plan, supervise and carry out work at height using competent people and suitable equipment. Avoid the work at height where reasonably practicable, then prevent falls or minimise their consequences.
START HERE
Your next three steps
- 1
Consider whether the task can be done from the ground.
- 2
Choose precautions for the task, surface and conditions.
- 3
Use suitable equipment with competent people and appropriate supervision.
BEFORE YOU PAY
Make sure you’re buying the right job
- Explain the task, height, duration and access.
- Ask whether it can be completed from the ground.
- Check the proposed equipment, supervision and emergency arrangements.
Watch out: A short task or a low height does not automatically remove the need to assess the risk.
Compare the whole cost of two quotesWhat can you do yourself?
Plan the work and check whether safer access or avoiding the task at height is possible. Only use equipment and methods you are competent to use.
When to get competent help
Get appropriate competence for difficult access, fragile surfaces and tasks your staff cannot safely plan or carry out.
Compare the proposed method as well as the day rate
Before you commission work
Describe the location, access, task and constraints before inviting quotes. Ask whether the task can be done without work at height and how the provider has planned the work. A low price that assumes you supply access equipment is different from one that includes a complete, suitable arrangement.
Follow through on the result
Clarify who provides equipment, manages the work area and coordinates with other occupants. Ask how changes in conditions will be handled. If the agreed method becomes impracticable, refer it back to the competent planner rather than accepting an improvised substitute to keep the job on schedule.
Keep a useful record
Aim for information that helps the next person make a sound decision.
- The task and assessment of the fall risk.
- The selected access method and precautions.
- Equipment checks, competence and emergency arrangements.
When to review it
Plan before the task and reassess when conditions change.
Ask a supplier to distinguish a legal deadline, a recommendation based on risk and a condition in your contract or insurance. They are not interchangeable.
Questions to put to a provider
- Can this task be done without work at height?
- How will collective protection be used?
- What is the rescue arrangement if something goes wrong?
Common questions
Is work below two metres automatically exempt?
No. The definition concerns a fall that could cause injury, not a blanket two-metre threshold.
Check the official sources
Read the current guidance for the place where you operate. A link is not an endorsement of this website by the regulator.
Source-checked guidance. Specialist editorial sign-off is pending; this is not an assessment of your business. It does not cover every specialist activity or replace competent, case-specific advice.
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