Working at Height in the UK: The Essentials (WAH Regulations 2005)

Last updated: 8 October 2025
Author: Jade Anderson, Senior Reporter — UK-Safety.News

TL;DR: Avoid work at height where possible. If you must, plan it, use the right equipment, and prevent falls—of people and objects.

What Counts as ‘Work at Height’?

Any place where a person could fall and be injured—above or below ground level. Includes ladders, scaffolds, MEWPs, fragile roofs, pits, and excavations.

The WAH Hierarchy

1) Avoid

Do it from the ground (long-reach tools, redesign, remote methods).

2) Prevent

Collective protection first (guardrails, towers), then personal systems (restraint, fall arrest).

3) Minimise consequences

Nets, airbags, debris control; secure tools and materials.

Equipment Essentials

Use suitable equipment for the task: checked ladders, towers built to spec, certified MEWPs, harnesses with compatible anchor points and rescue plans.

Site Controls & Supervision

Supervisor Checks

✅ Permits and method statements
✅ Weather and ground conditions
✅ Exclusion zones and toe boards
✅ Fragile surface signage and access control
✅ Rescue plan understood and tested

Further Resources

About the Author: Jade Anderson focuses on construction and engineering safety topics, with a practical lens for supervisors.

Plan safer height work

WAH permit + rescue plan

Ready-to-print forms to control risk.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.