🪜 Working at Height

1. Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, what is the FIRST thing you should do about a task that involves working at height?

1. Avoid working at height if it is reasonably practicable to do so
2. Put on a fall-arrest harness before starting
3. Erect a guard rail around the work area
4. Make sure a first-aider is on standby

The hierarchy of control starts with avoiding work at height altogether where it is reasonably practicable, for example by doing the work from the ground. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

2. According to the Work at Height Regulations 2005, at what height does work at height become a risk that must be controlled?

1. Only above 2 metres
2. Only above 3 metres
3. Any height where a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury
4. Only on scaffolds and roofs

There is no minimum height in the regulations; work at height is any place where a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury, even below ground level. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

3. Falls from height are best described as which of the following in UK construction?

1. A rare event that mainly affects roofers
2. The single biggest cause of death in construction
3. Only a risk on sites over four storeys high
4. A hazard that no longer causes serious injury

Falls from height remain the largest single cause of fatal injury in the UK construction industry, which is why the regulations are so strict. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005 / HSE guidance

4. In the work at height hierarchy, where it is not possible to avoid working at height, what should be done next?

1. Issue everyone with a safety harness as the first option
2. Use work equipment or other measures to PREVENT a fall
3. Place crash mats below the work area
4. Reduce the number of workers on site

After avoiding work at height, the next step is to prevent falls using collective measures such as guard rails, working platforms, towers or MEWPs before considering fall-arrest equipment. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

5. Which of these is a 'collective' fall-prevention measure rather than personal protection?

1. A safety harness clipped to an anchor point
2. A guard rail fitted around a working platform
3. A safety helmet worn by the operative
4. A personal fall-arrest lanyard

Collective measures such as guard rails protect everyone in the area without relying on each person, so they are preferred over personal protection like harnesses. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

6. Where a fall cannot be completely prevented, the Work at Height Regulations require you to use measures that do what?

1. Increase the speed of the work so less time is spent at height
2. Minimise the distance and consequences of a fall
3. Make sure only one person works at height at a time
4. Remove the need for any risk assessment

When prevention is not fully possible, the final stage of the hierarchy is to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall using equipment such as nets, soft landing systems or fall-arrest gear. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

7. You have been asked to fit guttering to a single-storey building. Which approach best follows the work at height hierarchy?

1. Stand on the top rung of a ladder to reach the gutter quickly
2. Use a properly erected tower or MEWP with edge protection
3. Ask a workmate to hold the bottom of a leaning ladder
4. Climb onto the roof and shuffle along to the gutter line

A tower scaffold or MEWP provides a stable working platform with collective edge protection, which prevents falls far better than working off a ladder or the roof. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

8. A short task at height could be done either from the ground using an extension tool or by climbing a ladder. What should you do?

1. Climb the ladder because it is quicker
2. Do the work from the ground if it is reasonably practicable
3. Climb the ladder but wear a harness
4. Ask a colleague to climb the ladder instead

The first principle is to avoid working at height where reasonably practicable, so doing the job from the ground is the correct choice. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

9. Who must be involved in planning, supervising and carrying out work at height to ensure it is done safely?

1. Only the site manager
2. Competent people who are trained for the task
3. Any worker who happens to be available
4. Only the equipment supplier

The regulations require that work at height is planned, supervised and carried out by competent people who have the right training, knowledge and experience. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

10. Before any work at height is carried out, what must be done to manage the risks?

1. A suitable and sufficient risk assessment
2. A signed waiver from each operative
3. A weather forecast for the whole month
4. A photograph of the finished job

Work at height must be properly planned, which includes a suitable and sufficient risk assessment so the right control measures can be selected. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005 / MHSWR 1999

11. A method statement specifies a MEWP for a task, but on the day only a ladder is available. What is the correct action?

1. Use the ladder, as it is broadly similar to a MEWP
2. Stop and not start the work until the correct equipment is provided
3. Carry on but tell no one to avoid delay
4. Use two ladders lashed together for extra height

You must not deviate from the agreed method statement; the work should stop until the specified equipment is available, as substituting a ladder reintroduces fall risk. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

12. Why does the work at height hierarchy place a personal fall-arrest harness near the BOTTOM of the list of controls?

1. Harnesses are too expensive to provide
2. It only protects the individual and relies on correct use after a fall has begun
3. Harnesses are illegal on construction sites
4. It prevents all falls from occurring

A harness is personal protection that only works for the wearer and only after a fall has started, so collective measures that prevent falls are always preferred. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

13. Fragile surfaces such as roof lights and asbestos cement sheets should be treated in what way during work at height?

1. Walked across quickly to spread the load
2. Identified and protected, with falls through them prevented
3. Ignored if they look solid enough
4. Painted a different colour and then used as a walkway

Falls through fragile surfaces are a major cause of death; they must be identified and protected by barriers, covers or working platforms so no one can fall through. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005 / HSE guidance

14. While working at height you notice the weather has changed and strong winds have picked up. What should you do?

1. Carry on, as wind is never a problem at height
2. Stop work and reassess, as adverse weather can make work at height unsafe
3. Remove the guard rails so the wind passes through
4. Work faster to finish before it gets worse

Work at height must take account of weather conditions; strong winds can make platforms and tasks dangerous, so work should stop and be reassessed. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

15. Under HASAWA 1974, what duty does an operative have when carrying out work at height?

1. To take reasonable care of their own and others' safety
2. To buy their own fall-protection equipment
3. To write the site method statement
4. To inspect the scaffold every morning

Section 7 of HASAWA 1974 requires every employee to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others affected by their acts. Source: HASAWA 1974, s.7

16. What is the main purpose of a guard rail on a working platform?

1. To stop people and materials falling off the edge
2. To hang tools and equipment from
3. To mark the boundary of the site
4. To support the weight of the platform

Guard rails provide collective edge protection by stopping people from falling over the edge of a working platform. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

17. What is the main purpose of a toe board fitted at the edge of a working platform?

1. To make the platform look finished
2. To stop materials and tools being kicked off the edge
3. To give workers somewhere to rest their feet
4. To act as a step up onto the platform

A toe board stops tools, materials and debris from being knocked off the platform and falling onto people below. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

18. You arrive at a working platform and find a section of guard rail has been removed and not replaced. What should you do?

1. Use the platform but stay away from that edge
2. Not use the platform and report it so the guard rail is reinstated
3. Replace the guard rail with a length of rope
4. Carry on, as one missing rail makes little difference

A platform with missing edge protection is unsafe; you should not use it and must report it so the guard rail is properly reinstated before work continues. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

19. Edge protection on a working platform typically consists of which combination?

1. A single rope at waist height
2. A top guard rail, an intermediate rail and a toe board
3. Only a toe board at floor level
4. Warning tape stretched across the open side

Proper edge protection is made up of a main guard rail, an intermediate (mid) rail to close the gap, and a toe board to stop materials falling. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

20. Why is an intermediate (mid) rail fitted between the top guard rail and the toe board?

1. To strengthen the scaffold tubes
2. To stop a person falling through the gap between the top rail and toe board
3. To provide a handrail for climbing
4. To make the platform wider

The intermediate rail closes the gap between the top rail and toe board so a person cannot fall through the unprotected space. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

21. You find a hole in a floor slab covered by a loose, unmarked sheet of plywood. What is the safest action?

1. Leave it, as the cover is good enough
2. Make sure the cover is secured, able to take the load and clearly marked, and report it
3. Pull the cover off so people can see the hole
4. Stand the plywood up against a wall nearby

Covers over openings must be strong enough to carry expected loads, fixed so they cannot be dislodged, and clearly marked to warn of the hazard. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

22. A cover placed over a floor opening to prevent falls should always be which of the following?

1. Light enough to lift with one hand and left loose
2. Strong enough to take the load, fixed in place and marked to warn of the opening
3. The same colour as the floor so it is not noticed
4. Removed at the end of every break

An opening cover must be capable of supporting the loads placed on it, secured against accidental displacement, and marked so people know there is an opening beneath. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

23. You need to remove a guard rail temporarily to land a load of materials onto a platform. What should you do afterwards?

1. Leave the guard rail off to save time on the next delivery
2. Replace the guard rail immediately once the load is landed
3. Replace it only at the end of the shift
4. Ask someone to stand in the gap instead

Edge protection removed for access must be replaced as soon as possible after the task, and the area kept safe while it is off. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

24. You see someone has stacked bricks right up against the toe board on a scaffold, above the height of the toe board. What is the risk?

1. There is no risk because the toe board is fitted
2. The bricks could fall over the toe board onto people below
3. The toe board will be too clean
4. The scaffold will become too light

A toe board only stops materials at its own height; stacking materials above it means they can topple over the edge, so materials must not be piled higher than the toe board. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

25. A leading-edge job means a guard rail cannot be fitted at the open edge for a short period. What is the correct way to manage the remaining fall risk?

1. Accept the risk because guard rails are impossible
2. Use other measures such as safety nets or a fall-arrest system to minimise the fall
3. Tell workers to be careful and carry on
4. Mark the edge with paint only

Where collective edge protection cannot be provided, the hierarchy requires fall-minimisation measures such as nets or fall-arrest systems to control the residual risk. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

26. Why is edge protection (guard rails and toe boards) generally preferred over giving each worker a safety harness when working near an open edge?

1. It is cheaper than buying harnesses
2. It is a collective measure that protects everyone without relying on correct individual use
3. It allows workers to lean further over the edge
4. It removes the need to plan the work

Edge protection is a collective control that protects all workers automatically, whereas a harness only protects the wearer and depends on it being clipped on and used correctly. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

27. Walking across a floor, you notice a small uncovered opening with no barrier around it. What should you do first?

1. Step over it and carry on with your work
2. Guard or cover the opening and report it so it is made safe
3. Throw some rubble into it to fill it
4. Take a photo and post it online

An unprotected opening is a fall hazard; it should be guarded or covered and reported so a proper, marked cover or barrier can be fitted. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

28. Who is responsible for making sure guard rails and edge protection are not removed or interfered with on site?

1. Only the scaffolding contractor
2. Everyone, including operatives who must not interfere with safety provisions
3. Only the client
4. Only the HSE inspector

Under HASAWA 1974 s.8 no one may intentionally interfere with or misuse anything provided for health and safety, so all workers must leave edge protection in place. Source: HASAWA 1974, s.8 / Work at Height Regulations 2005

29. Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, what is the FIRST thing you should consider before carrying out any task at height?

1. Whether the work at height can be avoided altogether
2. Which type of safety harness to wear
3. How many people are needed to do the job
4. What colour the warning signs should be

The hierarchy of control in the Work at Height Regulations 2005 starts with avoiding work at height wherever it is reasonably practicable to do so.

30. Falls from height are the single biggest cause of what in UK construction?

1. Workplace deaths
2. Minor cuts and bruises
3. Lost tools
4. Late finishes

Falls from height remain the most common cause of fatal injury in construction, which is why the Work at Height Regulations place such emphasis on avoiding the risk. Source: HSE guidance / Work at Height Regulations 2005

31. You need to clean some high-level windows on a building. Which approach best follows the duty to avoid work at height where reasonably practicable?

1. Use an extending pole system to clean them from the ground
2. Free-climb up the window frames
3. Lean a ladder against the glass and climb up
4. Stand on the window ledge to reach the top panes

Using an extending pole to work from the ground avoids work at height entirely, which is the top priority in the hierarchy of control. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

32. Is there a minimum height below which the Work at Height Regulations 2005 do NOT apply?

1. No - they apply to any height where a person could be injured by a fall
2. Yes - they only apply above 2 metres
3. Yes - they only apply above 3 metres
4. Yes - they only apply above 6 metres

There is no minimum height; the regulations apply wherever a fall could cause personal injury, including at ground level into an excavation. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

33. A job at height could either be done by assembling part of a structure safely on the ground first, or by working entirely at height. What should you do?

1. Assemble as much as possible at ground level to reduce time spent at height
2. Always do everything at height to save moving materials
3. Pick whichever is fastest regardless of safety
4. Leave the decision to whoever turns up first

Assembling at ground level reduces the amount of work that must be done at height, which supports the duty to avoid and minimise work at height. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

34. In the Work at Height Regulations hierarchy, after AVOIDING work at height, what is the next priority?

1. Prevent falls using collective measures such as guardrails or a working platform
2. Issue everyone a personal fall-arrest harness
3. Place crash mats on the ground below
4. Put up warning signs around the area

The hierarchy is avoid, then prevent falls (preferring collective protection such as guardrails or a MEWP), then minimise the distance and consequences of any fall. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005

35. Which of these is an example of COLLECTIVE fall prevention rather than personal protection?

1. A guardrail fitted around a working platform
2. A safety harness clipped to an anchor
3. A personal energy-absorbing lanyard
4. A safety helmet with a chin strap

Guardrails protect everyone in the area without each person needing to take action, so they are collective protection and are preferred over personal measures. Source: Work at Height Regulations 2005