Work at Height Regulations
Winner Access offers professional advice and the safest equipment to help you work at height . Below is a brief summary of the Work at Height Regulations ( WAHR ) 2005 . For more information visit www . hse . gov . uk / falls .
What is ‘ work at height ’?
A place is ‘ at height ’ if ( unless these Regulations are followed ) a person could be injured falling from it , even if it is at or below ground level .
‘ Work ’ includes moving around at a place of work ( except by a staircase in a permanent workplace ) but not travel to or from a place of work . For instance , a sales assistant on a step ladder would be working at height , but we would not be inclined to apply the Regulations to a mounted police officer on patrol .
Do the rules apply to you ?
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause a personal injury . They place duties on employers , the self employed , and any person who controls the work of others ( eg facilities managers or building owners who may contract others to work at height ) to the extent they control the work .
If you are an employee or working under someone else ’ s control you must :
l report any safety hazard to them l use the equipment supplied ( including safety devices ) properly , following any training or instructions ( unless you think that would be unsafe , in which case you should seek further instructions before continuing ).
What you must do as an employer
You must do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling .
Dutyholders must :
l avoid work at height where they can l use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where they cannot avoid working at height ; and l 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 .
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