Working at Height Risk Assessment Tool
Share this course with friends and followers on social media.
Falls from height are the single biggest cause of workplace deaths in the UK. Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, every employer must risk-assess any work at height and apply the hierarchy of control — and there's no minimum height, so a loading dock, a kick stool or an open excavation edge all count. The hard part isn't knowing the rules; it's planning the job in the right order and catching the failures before someone gets hurt. This tool does exactly that.
It walks you through the Regulation 6 hierarchy in order — avoid, prevent, then minimise — and is built to catch the specific failures the HSE prosecutes most often: reaching for a harness as the first resort instead of collective protection, using fall arrest with no rescue plan, uncontrolled fragile surfaces, and the wrong equipment grabbed because it was to hand. It flags each gap, gives you a prioritised set of control actions in hierarchy order, and produces a recorded action plan for the task.
It's a self-contained file that runs in any web browser: nothing to install, no account, no subscription, no internet needed once downloaded. Assess one task at a time and re-run it for every job, access method or site — yours to keep and use as often as you need.
What it does
- Walks the Regulation 6 hierarchy of control in order — avoid, prevent, minimise
- Detects the prosecuted failure patterns, not just a hazard count — PPE-as-first-resort, fall arrest with no rescue plan, uncontrolled fragile surfaces, wrong equipment for the task
- Branches by access type (ladder, tower, scaffold, MEWP, roof) and raises the priority for roof work and public-exposure areas
- Gives a specific control action for every gap, ordered by where it sits in the hierarchy
- Checks equipment suitability, inspection and competence, and weather and ground conditions
- Produces a dated, printable assessment record with a 12-month review date
- Points you toward working at height training to build competence in the team
Who it’s for
Site and project managers, facilities and maintenance managers, contractors and tradespeople, and anyone planning or supervising work at height — from a one-off access job to regular roof, scaffold or MEWP work.
How you get it
Instant digital download after purchase. A single HTML file — open it in any browser on a PC, Mac, tablet or phone. No software, no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a substitute for a risk assessment or method statement?
No. It's a planning and assessment aid that applies the Regulation 6 hierarchy of control to your answers, helping you plan the work, decide controls and record your findings. It does not replace a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, a task-specific method statement, or the duty to use competent people. Roof work, fragile surfaces, high falls and complex access should be assessed and signed off by a competent work-at-height professional.
Is there a minimum height before the regulations apply?
No. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 have no minimum height — work at height is anywhere a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury. A loading dock, a kick stool, a low platform or an open excavation edge all count, which is why the tool assesses the task and its controls rather than a height threshold.
What does the hierarchy of control mean in practice?
It's the order the law requires you to work through: first avoid working at height if you can; if you can't, prevent falls using collective protection (guardrails, platforms, scaffold) before personal protection (a harness); and if a fall is still possible, minimise the distance and consequences. The tool walks these tiers in order and flags where the plan jumps ahead — for example relying on a harness before collective protection has been considered.
Do I need to install anything or be online?
No. It's a single self-contained file that runs in any modern web browser. Once downloaded it works completely offline, with no software, account or subscription.
Is it based on official guidance?
Yes. The hierarchy and checks follow the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and HSE guidance. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with the HSE or any other body — it's an independent tool built on published guidance. You can find working at height training courses here.
Important. This is an assessment aid, not legal advice and not a guarantee of compliance. It helps you carry out and document your own assessment; it does not replace a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, a method statement, or professional advice. Outputs are indicative only and should be checked by a competent person. These tools are the property of drewmitchell.co.uk and are licensed for your own use; they may not be resold or redistributed.
This tool is part of a growing range of practical health & safety templates and tools — built to do the work for you, not hand you a blank form. Each one is an instant download that runs offline on any device, with no account or subscription. Browse all Health & Safety Templates & Tools.
You will instantly receive a confirmation email with your order details and your digital download will follow instantly.
These templates and tools are provided as general aids to help you organise and document your own health and safety arrangements. They are not legal, professional, or safety advice, and they do not guarantee compliance with any law, regulation, or standard.
You are responsible for deciding whether a template or tool is suitable for your specific workplace, activities, and circumstances, and for completing, adapting, and acting on it using competent judgment. Where the law requires a competent person, a formal assessment, or professional advice, you should obtain it.
Where a tool performs calculations or produces figures, ratings, action levels, or other results, those outputs are based on the information you enter and on general guidance, and are indicative only. They are not a site-specific assessment and must be independently checked by a competent person before you rely on or act on them.
Interactive tools run entirely in your browser; they do not store or transmit the data you enter.
These templates and tools are the property of drewmitchell.co.uk. They are licensed for your own use and may not be resold, redistributed, or republished without permission.
drewmitchell.co.uk accepts no liability for any loss, injury, damage, or non-compliance arising from the use of, or reliance on, these materials. Use is entirely at your own risk.