Work at Height (Amendment) Regulations 2007
July 2008
Issue
These regulations, which came into force on 6 April 2007, complete the implementation of the Temporary Work at Height Directive (2001/45/EC). The Work at Height(Amendment) Regulations alter the Work at Height Regulations 2005 in their application to the provision of instruction or leadership to one or more persons engaged in climbing or caving by way of sport, recreation, team building or similar activities.
Outcome
There are three key points for providers to be aware of:
- When there is an element of (or preparation for) instruction or leadership the regulations allow for climbers and cavers at work to use nationally accepted good practice for that sport (ie what the Mountain Leader Training Boards and the British Caving Association teach on their training schemes).
- When a provider, or their staff, is working at height undertaking significant maintenance, checking, repair etc (eg route setting on a wall or significantly modifying a high ropes course) there is no element of leadership or instruction and the working system must meet the requirements of the Working at Height Regulations in full. However, even here the working practices should be selected having assessed the risks of the methods available. Minor, short duration work may best be done using practices already very familiar to the operator.
- In all cases, a risk assessment should be done to justify the option chosen.
