Provides an essential overview of working at height safely in the UK workplace.
This course provides an essential overview of working at height safely in the UK workplace. It covers the primary legislation governing height work, the mandatory hierarchy of control for managing fall risks, how to select appropriate access equipment, and the specific safety rules for ladders, working platforms, and fall arrest systems. Designed for all workers regardless of role, the course draws on HSE guidance and takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR), hierarchy of control, risk assessment, reasonably practicable, collective protection, personal protection, fall arrest systems, suspension trauma, guardrails and toeboards, scaffolding, mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), PUWER, LOLER, HASAWA, CDM, ladder safety, 3-point contact, 1-in-4 rule, belly button rule, falling object prevention
This lesson introduces why working at height safety matters, with context drawn from the latest UK workplace fatality statistics. Falls from height remain the leading cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain, and this module frames the course around the idea that most incidents are preventable with the right knowledge, covering both falls by workers and injuries caused by falling objects.
This lesson covers the legal definition of "work at height" under WAHR 2005, which is risk-based, not height-based, and explores how broadly it applies across everyday tasks. You'll also explore the key legislation that governs height work, including WAHR, HASAWA, MHSWR, PUWER, LOLER, and CDM, and understand the shared duties placed on both employers and employees.
This lesson explores the mandatory three-step hierarchy that requires dutyholders to first avoid work at height entirely, then prevent falls using collective measures, and finally minimise the consequences of a fall where risk cannot be eliminated. You'll learn what "reasonably practicable" means in practice and how it shapes proportionate decision-making on site.
This lesson introduces how to identify and choose the most appropriate access equipment for a given task, from ladders and podium platforms to scaffolding, MEWPs, and specialist systems. You'll understand that collective protection (guarded platforms) must always be prioritised over personal protection, and that equipment choice is a legal requirement under WAHR 2005.
