What Does ‘Working at Height’ Mean?

Working at height means work where a fall could cause personal injury. For a more detailed explanation of what working at height means, read on.

There are a lot of different work situations that count as "Working at Height." Plus, when it comes to working at height, there are a number of different rules and regulations that must be adhered to. In 2005, the UK government passed a piece of legislation titled 'The Work at Height Regulations 2005' which contains details, definitions, and important working at height guidelines. When working at height, proper precautions can save lives.

You may still be wondering: what does working at height mean? If you'd like the answer, then read on! We've compiled a full guide on the real meaning of working at height.

What Does "Working at Height" Mean?

Essentially, working at height means you are working in an elevated position where harm could occur from a fall. The official meaning of 'working at height' - according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - is as follows:

"Work at height means work in any place where, if precautions were not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury."

By this definition, working at height could mean working on a roof, or climbing up a ladder, or even standing on the ground near a hole that you could fall into. However, permanent staircases in buildings do not fall under the category of working at height.

Note that there's a difference between a fall and a slip/trip. According to the HSE guidelines, "a fall from height has to involve a fall from one level to a lower level". If you are working at height, then you always need to be wary of falls from height, and take proper safety precautions.

Working at Height Meaning

If you'd like to know more about what working at height means, then we recommend reading the official working at height guidelines. The information you can find there includes more details on the full definition of working at height, the regulations surrounding this topic, and what safety equipment to use in different work environments.

Working at Height FAQs

Here at SafetyLiftinGear, we're fully dedicated to protecting workers, especially when there's a risk of falling. Click the link below to browse our huge range of fall protection products that can be used when working at height.

Working at Height Equipment

If you're not sure what kind of fall protection system is best for your work environment, don't hesitate to get in touch with our height safety experts.

READ MORE: Things to Consider When Working at Height