Work at Height Legislation
UK’s new Work at Height Regulations – what the new fall protection hierarchy means in practice. by M.E. Holden Msc, Bsc., C.Dip A.F., C.Eng., MICE, MIStructE, MICArb, MIWEM, Principal Specialist Inspector with lead on Technical Work at Height Issues in HSE’s Corporate Topic Group, Member of HSE’s internal sub group drafting the Regulation and chairman of ACWAHT
When they came into force the Work at Height Regulations (WAHR) implemented the Temporary Work at Height Directive1 in the UK. The key elements of the development approach taken by HSE in the drafting of the Regulations were: • To take an opportunity to try to reduce the numbers of deaths and major injuries caused by falls from height in the workplace. (Falls from height are the biggest single cause of fatal injuries, and the second biggest cause of major injuries, caused by accidents at work). To bring together all the current legal requirements related to safe work at height, into a cohesive, single set of goal-setting Regulations which would be flexible enough to apply to all industries and still allow for technical innovation to take place. (Many regulations currently apply , they contain an unnecessary degree of overlap and some are so prescriptive they stop development of new products and ideas). To ensure that the Regulations are practical and tackle high-risk work whilst avoiding unworkable requirements. (They do not ban the use of ladders but correctly require justification for their selection and use) To adopt a risk-based approach, so that measures taken to comply with the Regulations are proportionate to the risks involved, and can build upon existing good practice in the various industries they will apply to and compliance with the current law. (They enable the use of the most appropriate work equipment for the task at hand taking all factors into account).
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The WAHR, will apply to virtually2 all sectors of the UK industry, and bring together principles relating to work at
When they came into force the Work at Height Regulations (WAHR) implemented the Temporary Work at Height Directive1 in the UK. The key elements of the development approach taken by HSE in the drafting of the Regulations were: • To take an opportunity to try to reduce the numbers of deaths and major injuries caused by falls from height in the workplace. (Falls from height are the biggest single cause of fatal injuries, and the second biggest cause of major injuries, caused by accidents at work). To bring together all the current legal requirements related to safe work at height, into a cohesive, single set of goal-setting Regulations which would be flexible enough to apply to all industries and still allow for technical innovation to take place. (Many regulations currently apply , they contain an unnecessary degree of overlap and some are so prescriptive they stop development of new products and ideas). To ensure that the Regulations are practical and tackle high-risk work whilst avoiding unworkable requirements. (They do not ban the use of ladders but correctly require justification for their selection and use) To adopt a risk-based approach, so that measures taken to comply with the Regulations are proportionate to the risks involved, and can build upon existing good practice in the various industries they will apply to and compliance with the current law. (They enable the use of the most appropriate work equipment for the task at hand taking all factors into account).
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•
•
The WAHR, will apply to virtually2 all sectors of the UK industry, and bring together principles relating to work at