UK Statutory Instrument SI 2005 United Kingdom

Work at Height Regulations 2005

These Regulations impose health and safety requirements with respect to work at height, with certain exceptions including by instructors or leaders in recreational climbing and caving. These Regulations give effect as respects Great Britain to Directive 2001/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ No L195, 19.7.2001, p.46), …

Read it on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
HSE
Status
In Force
Penalty ceiling
Imprisonment 12 of 17 obligations carry up to 2 years imprisonment. 5 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Employer13 Any Person3 Self-Employed Person1

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Employer — also bound by 701 other Acts
TULRCA 1992 72 duties
Any Person — also bound by 2684 other Acts
Self-Employed Person — also bound by 78 other Acts

What it requires

Regulations creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.004 Organisation and planning (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Plan, supervise, and safely organise all work at heightEmployer
s.005 Competence Regulated
  • Ensure competence of anyone working at height or supervising itEmployer
s.006 Avoidance of risks from work at height (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Avoid work at height and prevent fallsEmployer
s.007 Selection of work equipment for work at height (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Select appropriate work equipment for working at heightEmployer
s.008 Dock Operations Imprisonment
  • Ensure safety standards are met during dock operations at heightEmployer
s.008 Requirements for particular work equipment (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure all work at height equipment meets specific safety standardsEmployer
s.009 Fragile surfaces (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Avoid or protect work near fragile surfacesEmployer
s.010 Falling objects (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Prevent injuries from falling, moving, or thrown objectsEmployer
s.011 Danger areas (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Secure and signpost danger areas where people could fallEmployer
s.012 Inspection of work equipment (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Inspect work at height equipment and maintain safety recordsEmployer
s.013 Inspection of places of work at height (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Check surfaces and fall protection before working at heightEmployer
s.014 Special provision in relation to caving and climbing Imprisonment
  • Maintain equivalent safety levels for caving and climbing instructionSelf-Employed Person
s.014 Duties of persons at work (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Use height safety equipment correctly and report defectsAny Person
11 other provisions — procedural and definitional
sch. 5 para. 1 sch. 5 para. 1
sch. 5 para. 2 sch. 5 para. 2
sch. 5 para. 3 sch. 5 para. 3
s.001 Citation and commencement (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Interpretation (opens in a new tab)
s.003 Application (opens in a new tab)
s.015 Exemption by the Health and Safety Executive (opens in a new tab)
s.016 Exemption for the armed forces (opens in a new tab)
s.017 Amendment of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (opens in a new tab)
s.018 Repeal of section 24 of the Factories Act 1961 (opens in a new tab)
s.019 Revocation of instruments (opens in a new tab)
Schedules

Schedules

4 of 47 shown
s.005 REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONAL FALL PROTECTION SYSTEMS (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Select, fit, and use personal fall protection systems safelyAny Person
s.sch002 Any structure or part of a structure which supports means... Regulated
  • Ensure support structures for fall protection are strong enoughAny Person
s.sch004 A safeguard shall be used only if— Regulated
  • Only use safeguards after risk assessment and adequate trainingEmployer
s.sch006 Every employer shall ensure that a ladder is used for... Regulated
  • Use ladders for work at height only after a risk assessmentEmployer
43 other schedules
s.sch001 Schedule 1 para.wrapper1n2
s.sch002 Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Schedule...
s.sch002 Means of protection shall— (a) be of sufficient dimensions, of...
s.sch002 In relation to work at height involved in construction work—...
s.sch002 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), there shall not be a...
s.sch003 Interpretation
s.sch003 The dimensions, form and layout of scaffolding decks shall be...
s.sch003 While a scaffold is not available for use, including during...
s.sch003 Scaffolding may be assembled, dismantled or significantly altered only under...
s.sch003 Condition of surfaces
s.sch003 Stability of supporting structure
s.sch003 Stability of working platforms
s.sch003 Safety on working platforms
s.sch003 Loading
s.sch003 Additional requirements for scaffolding
s.sch003 Depending on the complexity of the scaffolding selected, an assembly,...
s.sch003 A copy of the plan, including any instructions it may...
s.sch004 Any reference in this Schedule to a safeguard is to...
s.sch004 A safeguard shall be suitable and of sufficient strength to...
s.sch004 A safeguard shall— (a) in the case of a safeguard...
s.sch004 Suitable and sufficient steps shall be taken to ensure, so...
s.sch005 Suitable and sufficient steps shall be taken to prevent any...
s.sch006 Every ladder shall be used in such a way that—...
s.sch006 Any surface upon which a ladder rests shall be stable,...
s.sch006 A ladder shall be so positioned as to ensure its...
s.sch006 A suspended ladder shall be attached in a secure manner...
s.sch006 A portable ladder shall be prevented from slipping during use...
s.sch006 A ladder used for access shall be long enough to...
s.sch006 No interlocking or extension ladder shall be used unless its...
s.sch006 A mobile ladder shall be prevented from moving before it...
s.sch006 Where a ladder or run of ladders rises a vertical...
s.sch007 The name and address of the person for whom the...
s.sch007 The location of the work equipment inspected.
s.sch007 A description of the work equipment inspected.
s.sch007 The date and time of the inspection.
s.sch007 Details of any matter identified that could give rise to...
s.sch007 Details of any action taken as a result of any...
s.sch007 Details of any further action considered necessary.
s.sch007 The name and position of the person making the report....
s.sch009 In relation to work at height where people are engaged...
s.sch009 In this Schedule— “dock gate” means any lock gate or...
s.schedule/5/part/2/paragraph/wrapper2n2 schedule/5/part/2/paragraph/wrapper2n2
s.schedule/5/part/5/paragraph/wrapper3n2 schedule/5/part/5/paragraph/wrapper3n2

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Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.