Working at Height Regulations: What Every Tradesperson Must Know

Who the regulations apply to

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to all work at height in Great Britain where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. "Work at height" means any place where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury — including at or below ground level (e.g. working in a trench or excavation).

As a self-employed tradesperson, you are both the employer and the worker under the regulations. You must take all reasonably practicable steps to prevent falls that could injure yourself or others. There is no minimum height threshold — if a fall could cause injury, the regulations apply.

The hierarchy of controls: collective over individual

The regulations require you to work through a hierarchy when planning work at height:

1. Avoid work at height altogether where possible — could the task be done from ground level?
2. Use collective protection that prevents falls — scaffolding, edge protection, guard rails
3. Use collective protection that minimises the consequences of a fall — airbags, nets, soft-landing systems
4. Use personal fall protection — harnesses and lanyards (last resort, requires specialist training)

Ladders sit outside this hierarchy in a specific way: they are considered acceptable for low-risk, short-duration tasks, but are not a default solution. You must be able to justify why a ladder was chosen over a more stable platform.

When a ladder is acceptable

The HSE's guidance says ladders are suitable when the work is of short duration, the risk is low, and it is not reasonably practicable to use other equipment. In practice, this means:

• Using a ladder to reach a loft hatch: fine
• Using a ladder to change a light fitting on a high ceiling for 10 minutes: probably fine
• Using a ladder as a working platform to fit a radiator, lay cables along a ceiling, or plaster a high wall for two hours: not acceptable — a tower or working platform is required
• Using a ladder on a roof: not acceptable unless specifically justified — a scaffold or roof ladder is usually required

Whatever ladder you use must be in good condition, set at the correct angle (1 in 4 ratio — one unit out for every four up), tied or footed, and extending at least 1 metre above the landing point if used as access to a higher level.

PASMA vs IPAF: mobile towers and MEWPs

PASMA(Prefabricated Access Suppliers' and Manufacturers' Association) is the training scheme for mobile aluminium towers. If you regularly use a tower scaffold in your work, a PASMA course (one day, around £150–£200) gives you the knowledge to erect, move and dismantle towers safely. It's not legally required but widely expected on commercial sites and by some insurers.

IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) covers Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) — cherry pickers, scissor lifts, and boom lifts. IPAF certification is essential if you hire and operate MEWPs. The licence covers specific machine categories and is typically one or two days of training.

For most domestic tradespeople, a PASMA-compliant tower is the most practical alternative to a ladder for work taking more than 30 minutes at height. Towers are hireable for around £50–£100 per week from most plant hire companies.

Roof work: edge protection and fragile surfaces

Roof work carries the highest risk. The regulations require edge protection (guard rails and toe boards) on any flat roof or low-pitch roof where someone could fall. For pitched roofs, a full scaffold or working platform is usually needed unless the work is very minor.

Fragile surfaces (asbestos cement, fibre-cement sheets, glass, corrugated plastic) must never be walked on without specific precautions — crawl boards spread over rafters, physical barriers preventing access to the fragile areas, or working from a MEWP alongside. Falling through a fragile roof is one of the most common causes of fatal falls in construction.

Scaffolding: when it's needed and who to use

Scaffolding is required whenever the work cannot safely be done from a tower, ladder or MEWP — typically any job involving prolonged work at height on an external elevation. This includes most external render, cladding, re-roofing, and chimney work.

Scaffolding must be erected, altered and dismantled by a competent person — in practice, a scaffolding contractor holding CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme) cards. Never attempt to erect tube-and-fitting scaffold yourself unless you hold the relevant CISRS card. The scaffold must be inspected before use and every seven days thereafter (or after any event likely to have affected its stability).

Inspection requirements

All equipment used for work at height must be inspected:

• Ladders: visually inspect before each use — rungs, stiles, feet, any locking mechanisms. Record defects and remove from service immediately.
• Mobile towers: inspect after erection, after any event that could affect integrity, and at suitable intervals during use.
• Scaffolding: inspect before first use, every seven days, and after any event (storm, impact).
• Personal fall protection: inspect before every use; formally inspect and record every six months.

For scaffolding and work at height platforms on sites lasting more than seven days, you must keep a written record of inspections. For shorter work, a brief note in a site diary or phone note is good practice even if not strictly required.

What happens if you don't comply

The HSE can issue Improvement Notices and Prohibition Notices. A Prohibition Notice stops work immediately until the hazard is controlled. For serious breaches — especially where injury has occurred — prosecution can follow, with unlimited fines and up to two years' imprisonment for the most serious cases.

Beyond the legal consequences: if you're injured because you didn't follow the regulations, your public liability or employers' liability insurer may refuse the claim. Compliance is as much about protecting your livelihood as following the law.

Practical checklist for every job at height

• Can the job be done from ground level? If yes, do it from ground level.
• If not, what's the best equipment for the duration and risk? (Ladder <30 min low risk / tower >30 min / scaffold for prolonged external work)
• Is the equipment in good condition? Inspect before use.
• Is the ground stable and level? Sort it before erecting anything.
• Is there a risk of objects falling on people below? Exclude the area or use toe boards.
• Is the weather safe? Don't work at height in high winds or on ice.
• Have you told someone where you are and what you're doing? Lone working at height is higher risk — have an emergency plan.