Health and Safety Policy Arrangements – Working at Height

Working at height involves any task where a person could potentially fall and cause injury, whether on a ladder, scaffolding, or elevated work platform. In the UK, the Work at Height Regulations 2005 are designed to prevent falls and ensure safe working practices. These regulations require employers to conduct thorough risk assessments and implement measures to prevent falls, such as using proper access equipment, guardrails, and fall arrest systems. Where work at height cannot be avoided, employers must ensure that work is properly planned, supervised, and carried out by competent personnel. This includes selecting the right equipment for the job, inspecting equipment regularly, and ensuring that workers are trained in the use of safety measures. Additionally, emergency procedures should be in place in case of an incident. By effectively managing the risks associated with working at height, employers can significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents and ensure a safer working environment.

Take a look at the information below for things you might want to include in your own H&S policy…

Feel free to copy / paste this list, and you can find out more about our full H&S policy here.

The [Proprietor / Directors] of [My Company] will ensure that;

  1. A detailed Risk Assessment will be carried out for all works involving working at height, taking into account; working over existing fixtures and fittings, weather conditions, use of ladders, working over water, etc. and all other aspects relating to the task that could influence the safety of personnel whilst working at height
  2. The Work at Height hierarchy of controls will be taken into account when carrying out the above risk assessment/s;
    1. Avoid work at height wherever possible
    1. Use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where work at height cannot be avoided
    1. Where the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall should one occur  
  3. All control measurers – equipment, scaffold, ladders, etc. used will be of good condition, suitable for the task, erected and dismantled by a competent person and inspected as required by the relevant regulations.
  4. Will take all precautions that are reasonably practicable to prevent falls from height (personnel, tools, equipment, materials, etc.)
  5. Ladders will be inspected daily/before use by a competent person, and ensure they are adequately tied to minimise movement
  6. Any defective equipment found/reported will be immediately withdrawn from use and reported to the supervisor
  7. All employees working at height will be provided with adequate supervision, training, instruction and information

Our minimum health and safety performance standards will be obtained from; but not restricted to;

  • The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
  • HSG 33 – Health and Safety in Roofwork
  • INDG 401 – The Work at Height Regulations 2005 – a brief guide
  • SG4 – Preventing falls in scaffolding and Falsework
  • TG20 – Guide to good practice for scaffolding with tube and fittings

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Written By Ian