The latest reports from the Health and Safety Executive show that over 50 workers died from falling from a height in 2023-24, making it the leading cause of workplace death in the UK.
Employers have a duty to protect workers through clear planning, proper equipment, and a proportionate, risk-based approach. Failure to do so can result in prosecution and hefty fines, such as the recent £500,000 fine for the death of a night shift worker at a site in Yorkshire.
In light of this, it is vital for your business to be properly prepared for risks associated with working at height. Remember any activity where someone could fall and be injured – whether working above ground level, near an edge, a fragile surface, or a hole – may be treated as working at height, and engage your responsibilities as an employer.
Do a risk assessment
The first step in ensuring a safe workplace is to carry out regular risk assessments. These will help you identify potential hazards, including any areas where people may be working at height.
For more on risk assessments, including ready-to-go risk assessment documents, see our Annual action plan (health and safety) toolkit here.
Taking action after a risk assessment
If your risk assessment identifies a potential fall-from-height hazard, you are legally required to act. That means eliminating hazards where possible and reducing the risk from those you cannot remove. You don’t need to implement every possible safety measure – just what is reasonably practicable, based on the level of risk and the nature of your business.
Common ways to manage risks include:
i. restricting access to hazardous areas or changing work layouts;
ii. upgrading equipment or providing suitable personal protective equipment (PPE);
iii. improving maintenance of premises and equipment;
iv. providing staff training and clear health and safety policies; and
v. ensuring welfare facilities are available where needed.
You can also look at our Q&A on taking action following a risk assessment.
Reducing the need to work at height
The most effective way to prevent falls is to avoid working at height in the first place. Explore safer alternatives, such as using extendable tools from ground level, or designing systems of work that eliminate the need to climb or access raised areas.
See our Q&A here on working from heights here, for more.
Preventing falls with proper planning
When working at height is unavoidable, you must ensure the work is:
i.properly planned and supervised;
ii. carried out by competent staff; and
iii. supported by the right equipment and weather-appropriate timing.
For low-risk, short-duration jobs, ladders are acceptable – but only if your staff are trained to use them safely and visually inspect them before use. HSE guidance advises that ladders should not be used for tasks lasting more than 30 minutes. For more on appropriate tools, see our Q&A here.
Minimising harm if a fall occurs
if a fall does happen, the consequences can be severe. You must:
i. reduce the distance and impact of any potential fall;
ii. install protective systems like safety nets, ropes, or fall-arrest gear; and
iii. train workers to use safety equipment correctly.
These steps don’t have to be costly. Many practical safety measures – such as providing handrails or highlighting step edges – come at minimal cost and can greatly reduce risk. Remember, you cannot charge your employees for health and safety equipment – see Q&A here for more.
Preventing falling objects
You must also take action to prevent tools or materials from falling and injuring people below. This includes:
i. restricting access beneath work areas at height;
ii. securing loose items and equipment; and
iii. including object-related risks in safety training and planning.
Your obligations cover not just the workspace, but access routes like lobbies, stairs, and private roads – especially in bad weather or poor lighting. For more, see our Q&A here.
Conclusion: prepare thoroughly, keeping costs proportionate
Remember health and safety law does not require you to spend unlimited amounts. Instead, you must take reasonable steps, proportionate to your business size and the level of risk involved. For low-risk hazards, simple changes such as installing a railing may be enough.
You only need to consider expensive solutions if the risk is serious, the solution is effective, and less costly alternatives aren’t available.
The content in this article is up to date at the date of publishing. The information provided is intended only for information purposes, and is not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Sparqa Legal’s Terms of Use apply.
Rahul joined Sparqa in 2025 from the Commercial Court, where he served as a Judicial Assistant. He has active interests in commercial, corporate and employment developments which he pursues alongside teaching undergraduate law.