The Work at Height (WAHR) Regulations

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) (or Work at Height Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 (as amended)) have been made to prevent the deaths and injuries caused each year by falls at work. The Regulations apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury.

A place is at height if (unless these Regulations are followed) a person could be injured falling from it, even if it is at or below ground level.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (or Work at Height Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 (as amended)) apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. They place duties on employers, the self-employed and any person who controls the work of others (e.g. facilities managers or building owners who may contract others to work at height) to the extent they control the work.

You must do all that is reasonably practical to prevent anyone falling.

Duty holders must

• Avoid work at height where they can
• Use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where they cannot avoid working at height
• Where they cannot eliminate the risk of a fall, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall should one occur

The regulations require duty holders to ensure

• All work at height is properly planned and organised
• All work at height takes account of weather conditions that could endanger health and safety
• Those involved in work at height are trained and competent
• The place where work at height is done is safe
• Equipment for work at height is appropriately inspected
• The risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled
• The risks from falling objects are properly controlled

• Ensure that no work is done at height if it is safe and reasonably practicable to do it other than at height
• Ensure that the work is properly planned, appropriately supervised, and carried out in as safe a way as is reasonably practicable
• Plan for emergencies and rescue
• Take account of the risk assessment carried out under regulation 3 of the management of health and safety at work regulations

The work at height regulations 2005 do not ban the use of ladders. They require that ladders should only be considered where a risk assessment has shown that the use of other more suitable work equipment is not appropriate because of the low risk, and short duration of the task or considerations of where the work is located.

Schedule 6 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (or Schedule 7 of the Work at Height Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 (as amended)) deals with the requirements for ladders and states:

• Every employer shall ensure that a ladder is used for work at height only if a risk assessment under regulation 3 of the Management Regulations has demonstrated that the use of more suitable work equipment is not justified because of the low risk and the short duration of use; or existing features on site which he cannot alter.
• Any surface upon which a ladder rests shall be stable, firm, of sufficient strength and of suitable composition safely to support the ladder so that its rungs or steps remain horizontal, and any loading intended to be placed on it.
• A ladder shall be so positioned as to ensure its stability during use.
• A suspended ladder shall be attached in a secure manner and so that, with the exception of a flexible ladder, it cannot be displaced and swinging is prevented.
• A portable ladder shall be prevented from slipping during use by, securing the stiles at or near their upper or lower ends, an effective anti-slip or other effective stability device; or any other arrangement of equivalent effectiveness.
• A ladder used for access shall be long enough to protrude sufficiently above the place of landing to which it provides access, unless other measures have been taken to ensure a firm handhold.
• No interlocking or extension ladder shall be used unless its sections are prevented from moving relative to each other while in use.
• A mobile ladder shall be prevented from moving before it is stepped on.
• Where a ladder or run of ladders rises a vertical distance of 9 metres or more above its base, there shall, where reasonably practicable, be provided at suitable intervals sufficient safe landing areas or rest platforms.
• Every ladder shall be used in such a way that, a secure handhold and secure support are always available to the user; and the user can maintain a safe handhold when carrying a load unless, in the case of a step ladder, the maintenance of a handhold is not practicable when a load is carried, and a risk assessment under regulation 3 of the Management Regulations has demonstrated that the use of a stepladder is justified because of the low risk; and the short duration of use.