The Fatal Facts
Falls from height remain the single largest cause of workplace fatalities in UK construction. Each year, around 40 workers die and thousands more are seriously injured from falls. Many of these accidents are preventable with proper planning and controls.
This checklist ensures your working at height risk assessments are comprehensive and compliant with the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Understanding the Regulations
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply whenever there's a risk of falling that could cause personal injury. The regulations require duty holders to:
- Avoid work at height where possible
- Use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where height work cannot be avoided
- Where the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated, use equipment to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall
Pre-Assessment Questions
Before starting your risk assessment, consider:
Can Height Work Be Avoided?
- Can the work be done from ground level?
- Can components be prefabricated at ground level?
- Can the item be brought to ground level for work?
- Can long-handled tools extend reach from ground?
If Height Work Is Necessary:
- What is the height involved?
- How long will workers be at height?
- What tasks will be performed?
- What tools and materials are needed?
- How many workers will work at height?
- What weather conditions might be encountered?
Comprehensive Risk Assessment Checklist
1. Access Equipment Selection
Is the selected equipment appropriate?
- Scaffold towers for longer-duration work at fixed locations
- Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) for access to multiple positions
- Podium steps for low-level work
- Ladders only for short-duration, light work
- Rope access for difficult-to-reach locations (specialist work)
2. Collective Protection Measures
Have you considered collective protection (protects everyone)?
- Guard rails at least 950mm high with intermediate rail
- Toe boards minimum 150mm high
- Safety nets positioned correctly
- Soft landing systems
- Airbags
- Edge protection systems
3. Personal Fall Protection
Where collective protection isn't practicable:
- Work restraint systems (prevent reaching the edge)
- Work positioning systems (support at the work position)
- Fall arrest systems (stop a fall occurring)
- Appropriate anchor points identified and rated
- Rescue plan in place for suspended workers
4. Scaffolding Checklist
If using scaffolding:
- Designed and erected by competent persons
- Based on firm, level foundations
- Tied to the structure at required intervals
- Fully boarded working platforms
- Guard rails and toe boards in place
- Safe access (internal ladders, not climbing frames)
- Scaffold tag showing inspection status
- NASC SG4 compliance for tube and fitting
- Manufacturer's instructions followed for system scaffold
- Weekly inspections documented
- Inspection after adverse weather
- Inspection after any modification
5. Ladder Checklist
If ladders are appropriate:
- Work duration is short (30 minutes maximum in one position)
- Work is light (one hand free for handhold)
- Ladder is industrial grade (Class 1 or EN 131)
- Pre-use checks: stiles, rungs, feet, locking mechanisms
- Correct angle (1:4 ratio or 75 degrees)
- Extends at least 1m above landing point
- Secured at top, bottom, or both
- On firm, level ground
- Three points of contact maintained
- Not used in adverse weather
6. MEWP Checklist
If using mobile elevating work platforms:
- Correct type for the task (scissor lift, boom, etc.)
- Suitable for ground conditions
- Operators trained and competent (IPAF or equivalent)
- Daily pre-use inspections completed
- Thorough examination certificate current (6-monthly)
- Safe working load understood
- Overhead hazards identified (power lines, structures)
- Ground stability assessed
- Exclusion zone established if needed
- Rescue plan for basket failure
7. Fragile Surfaces
Are fragile surfaces present?
- Rooflights, skylights, plastic sheeting identified
- Asbestos cement roofing identified
- Liner panels on industrial roofs identified
- Warning signs in place
- Barriers to prevent access to fragile areas
- Crawling boards or stagings if work required
- Safety nets below fragile materials
- Workers briefed on locations
8. Falling Objects
Have you controlled the risk of falling objects?
- Toe boards on all platforms
- Brick guards on scaffolds
- Tool lanyards for hand tools
- Debris netting
- Exclusion zones below work area
- Fans or covered walkways for public protection
- Materials secured when not in use
- Waste removed regularly
9. Environmental Factors
Have you assessed environmental conditions?
- Wind speed limits established for the equipment
- Procedure for adverse weather
- Lighting adequate for the task
- Slip hazards from rain, ice, snow, contamination
- Temperature effects on worker concentration
- UV exposure for outdoor work
10. Emergency and Rescue
Is emergency planning adequate?
- Rescue plan in place for all height work scenarios
- Rescue equipment available and accessible
- Personnel trained in rescue procedures
- Communication method for workers at height
- First aid provision appropriate for height-related injuries
- Emergency services access considered
Competence Requirements
Verify that workers have appropriate competence:
- Scaffold erectors: CISRS certification
- MEWP operators: IPAF or equivalent
- Harness users: Training in inspection and use
- Supervisors: Understanding of height work requirements
- All workers: Task-specific briefing
Inspection Requirements
Ensure inspection regimes are in place:
| Equipment | Inspection Frequency |
|---|---|
| Scaffolding | Before first use, every 7 days, after adverse weather |
| MEWPs | Daily pre-use check, 6-monthly thorough examination |
| Ladders | Pre-use visual check each time |
| Harnesses | Pre-use check, 6-monthly thorough examination |
| Anchor devices | Per manufacturer's instructions, at least annually |
Documentation
Maintain records of:
- Risk assessments and method statements
- Equipment inspection reports
- Scaffold inspection registers
- Training certificates
- Thorough examination reports
- Rescue plans
- Incident reports
Conclusion
Working at height requires rigorous risk assessment and control. Use this checklist to ensure nothing is overlooked—but remember that every situation is unique. Apply professional judgement and seek specialist advice for complex scenarios.
When you use DocGen to generate RAMS for height work, the AI identifies common height-related hazards from your site video. Always review and supplement this with your professional assessment of the specific conditions.