What is the Work at Height Regulations?

If you’re involved in installing, modernising, or maintaining lifts, chances are you’ll be working at height. This carries significant risks, in particular the danger of falling or being struck by a falling object. To help mitigate risks and prevent injuries, the Work at Height Regulations were introduced in 2005. They apply to anyone responsible for controlling jobs involving work at height, ensuring that such work is properly planned, supervised, and carried out by competent professionals. In this blog, we explore the regulations in more detail and discuss how those in the lift industry can stay safe when working at height.

Working at height in the lift industry
There are several circumstances when you might work at height in the lift industry. These can include: installing or maintaining lift systems in shafts, working on ladders (for access into a pit), scaffolds or suspended platforms, working on top of car lifts and when trying to reach elevated controls, cables and motor components. In each case safety precautions should be in place to avoid falls or falling objects that could injure a person below.

Work at Height Regulations hierarchy
There is a hierarchy of control in place that provides a structured approach to safety. These guidelines start with the most effective solution. In the lift industry these include:

1. Avoid working at height when possible
2. Use fall protection measures such as permanent fitted guard rails
3. Use personal fall restraints such as a harness to prevent a fall
4. Use a fall arrest system to stop someone falling

In addition to these, administrative controls should also be used with temporary barriers and signage to prevent people from accessing areas where there is a risk of falling.

Measures to address risks
Where risks are present, control measures must be agreed by the lift contractor and client to ensure both parties meet their legal responsibilities. Typical measures should encompass risk assessments prior to any work commencing, planning emergency rescue procedures, inspecting any equipment before use, such as ladders and scaffolding to ensure they meet safety standards, as well using lanyards and similar devices to prevent falling objects. The area of work should also be well organised to avoid trip hazards.

Ensuring competence is met
Another part of the Work at Height Regulations is ensuring that those working in this type of environment are properly trained and competent. Worryingly, the HSE published statistics* that revealed 50% of fatalities of workers in 2023/2024 were from falls from height. It is therefore extremely important that engineers faced with tasks at height are regularly trained on the use of fall protection equipment and emergency response. Not only will this help towards building evidence of competency and to maintain skills for the job they are doing, but it should also reduce the number of injuries and deaths.

Need a training solution? Book our Working at Height CPD course to get your knowledge up to date.

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Source
*https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals-overview.htm