Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, work at height has to be planned, supervised and carried out safely, and the sequence of thinking is to avoid it where you can, prevent falls where you cannot avoid it, and reduce the distance and the consequences of a fall where a risk remains. The rules apply to any place where a fall could cause injury, not only to roofs and scaffolds. This guide explains the basic duties in plain English so you can recognise them in a test question and on site.
Key takeaways
- The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply wherever a person could fall far enough to be injured, so a low level or a hole in the ground can count as work at height.
- The core sequence is to avoid work at height where reasonably practicable, then prevent falls, then minimise the distance and consequences of any fall.
- Measures that protect everyone, such as guardrails, come before measures that protect one person, such as a harness.
- Work at height must be planned, appropriately supervised and carried out by people who are competent for the task.
- Weather, equipment condition and the surface you will stand on are all part of the plan, not afterthoughts.
- This guide is independent and is not affiliated with CSCS or CITB, so check official HSE and legislation pages for the full text.
What counts as work at height
HSE describes work at height as work in any place where, if precautions were not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. That wording matters. It does not set a minimum height. It looks at whether a fall could cause injury.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to work at, above or below ground level, and they also cover getting to and from a place of work. So working near an open excavation, on a mobile platform, on a ladder, on a flat roof or beside an unprotected edge can all be work at height. The regulations place duties on employers and on those who control the work, and workers have duties too, such as using the equipment and safe systems they are given and reporting problems (see section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974).
For a full description of the duties, read the regulations themselves and the HSE work at height page. The explanation below is a plain English summary, not a replacement for either.
The basic hierarchy: avoid, prevent, minimise
The regulations set out a sequence of questions. You work through them in order.
1. Avoid work at height where reasonably practicable
The first question is whether the work needs to be done at height at all. Regulation 6(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 says work must not be done at height if it is reasonably practicable to do it safely otherwise. For example, tools with extension poles, assembling a component at ground level before lifting it into place, or choosing a design that avoids the need to climb. If the work can be done safely from the ground, that removes the risk.
2. Prevent falls where you cannot avoid the work
If work at height cannot be avoided, the next step is to use equipment or other measures to prevent a fall. That means choosing a safe place to work and a safe way to get there. It might be a working platform with guardrails, a properly erected scaffold or a mobile elevating work platform. The key idea is that the place you stand is made safe, so a fall does not happen in the first place.
3. Minimise the distance and the consequences of a fall
If a risk of a fall remains after you have done what you can to prevent it, the regulations require you to use equipment or measures that minimise the distance and the consequences of a fall. Examples include safety nets or airbags, and fall arrest systems. These do not stop a person from slipping, but they limit what happens next.
Collective before personal
Alongside that sequence is a priority rule. Measures that protect everyone at the work position, such as edge protection and guardrails, take priority over measures that protect only one person, such as a harness and lanyard. Collective protection does not rely on each individual doing the right thing every time. Personal protection is still used, but usually when collective protection is not reasonably practicable or to deal with a remaining risk.
Planning, supervision and competence
The regulations do not only talk about equipment. They require that work at height is:
- properly planned, including how to get to the place of work and how to deal with an emergency or rescue;
- appropriately supervised;
- carried out in a way that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe;
- done by people who are competent, or if they are being trained, under the direct supervision of a competent person.
Planning should take account of the weather. Conditions that could endanger health and safety, such as strong wind or ice, are something the plan should address, and work equipment needs to be suitable and in good condition. HSE's construction guidance, HSG150, covers managing health and safety on construction work more generally, including how planning fits into the wider project. Check the HSE page for the current edition.
Other duties worth knowing
The regulations also deal with a few specific hazards you will see in test questions:
- Fragile surfaces. Roofs and roof lights that cannot be trusted to carry a person's weight need particular care. Do not assume a surface will take your weight.
- Falling objects. Work at height creates a risk to people below. Materials and tools need to be controlled so they cannot fall on others, and areas below may need to be kept clear.
- Danger areas. Places where people could fall into something dangerous need to be guarded so that nobody can reach them unintentionally.
- Inspection. Work equipment used for work at height, and the fall protection at a work position, need inspecting. Check the regulations for exactly what is required and when.
Who is responsible
Employers, and others who control the work, have duties to organise and plan it safely. Individual workers have duties too. If you are asked to work at height, you should expect to know the plan, to have suitable equipment, and to be able to say if something is wrong. You should use equipment as you were trained and report defects or hazards (Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 7). If you are unsure, stop and ask. Nobody is expected to guess.
Work at height checklist
Use this checklist as a prompt before you start. It is a summary, not a legal document.
- Can this work be done from the ground instead?
- Has the work been planned, including how people get to and from the work position?
- Who is supervising, and are the people doing the work competent for the task?
- Is the equipment suitable for the job and in good condition, and has it been inspected as required?
- Is the surface safe to stand on, or is there a fragile surface that needs protecting?
- Is there collective protection, such as guardrails, before personal protection is relied on?
- Have you considered the weather and whether it makes the work unsafe?
- Is there protection for people below, and a plan if someone is injured or needs rescue?
Practice check
These two questions are original and written for this site. They are not from the real test.
Question 1. A roofing task can be done in a way that removes the need to work at height by preparing the component at ground level. According to the regulations, what is the right approach?
- A. Do the task at height and wear a harness
- B. Avoid work at height by doing it at ground level where reasonably practicable
- C. Do the task at height but limit it to short periods
- D. Ask a colleague to watch from below
Answer: B. The first duty is to avoid work at height where reasonably practicable. Harnesses, short periods and watchers all accept the risk instead of removing it.
Question 2. Which of these is collective protection?
- A. A harness and lanyard
- B. A hard hat
- C. A guardrail at an open edge
- D. A safety instruction given to one worker
Answer: C. A guardrail protects everyone at the edge without relying on each person's behaviour. A harness and lanyard protect only the wearer, and a hard hat protects the wearer from falling objects, not from a fall.
For more questions, see our free practice questions and the wider safety guides.
Where to go next
Ladders are one of the most common forms of access and are covered in our ladders and stepladders safety guide. For how guardrails, edge protection and fall arrest fit together, read fall prevention on site. If a term in this article is unfamiliar, the glossary can help.
FAQ
What does the Work at Height Regulations 2005 require?
It requires work at height to be planned, supervised and carried out by competent people. It also requires you to avoid work at height where reasonably practicable, prevent falls where you cannot avoid it, and minimise the distance and consequences of any fall that remains.
Does work at height only mean working on a roof or scaffold?
No. The regulations apply wherever a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury, including at or below ground level and when getting to and from a work position. A ladder, a mobile platform or an unprotected edge can all count.
Is a harness always the right fall protection?
No. Collective measures such as guardrails take priority over personal measures such as a harness. A harness is used where collective protection is not reasonably practicable or to deal with a remaining risk, and it needs a suitable anchor, training and a rescue plan.
Where can I read the full regulations?
The full text is on the Legislation.gov.uk page for the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and HSE explains the duties on its work at height page. Check both for the current wording, because this guide is only a plain English summary.
Sources
- HSE: Work at height
- Legislation.gov.uk: Work at Height Regulations 2005
- HSE: Health and safety in construction (HSG150)
- Legislation.gov.uk: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
Independent guide, not affiliated with, authorised by, approved by or endorsed by CSCS or CITB. Last updated 2026-10-08.