Access and Working at Height
Working at Height Training
A practical guide to working at height training, equipment-specific courses and how the main access routes fit together.
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What to check before booking
What counts as height work
Working at height can include any place where a fall could cause personal injury.
Training is not interchangeable
IPAF, PASMA, harness and ladder training are related but cover different work activities.
Match the task
Confirm the course matches the task, equipment, supervision level and workplace risk assessment.
What is working at height?
HSE guidance describes work at height as work in any place where, if precautions were not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. That can include roofs, ladders, towers, MEWPs, fragile surfaces, openings, edges and some below-ground situations.
Working at height training should help people understand risks and controls, but one short course does not make every height task safe. Employers still need suitable planning, supervision, competent people and the right equipment for the work.
General Working at Height Training
General working at height training is usually aimed at workers, supervisors or managers who need to understand the principles of avoiding and controlling falls. It is broader than IPAF, PASMA, harness or ladder training.
- what counts as work at height and why falls happen
- avoiding work at height where reasonably practicable
- selecting suitable equipment for the task and environment
- planning, supervision, competence and emergency arrangements
How IPAF fits in
IPAF training is relevant where the work involves MEWPs such as scissor lifts, booms or vehicle-mounted platforms. IPAF categories such as 3a, 3b and 1b relate to different types of powered access equipment and should be matched to the machine being used.
- MEWP operator categories and machine-specific familiarisation
- boom and vertical lift hazards
- pre-use checks, safe operation and emergency lowering
- manager-level planning through MEWPs for Managers where appropriate
How PASMA fits in
PASMA training is relevant where the work involves mobile access towers or low level access equipment. It does not cover MEWPs. Tower users, low level platform users and managers may need different PASMA routes depending on their role.
- tower assembly, dismantling, moving and inspection
- low level access equipment under the relevant course scope
- specialist tower setups such as stairs where required
- manager-level control and supervision of tower work
Harness and fall protection training
Harness training may be needed where personal fall protection is part of the safe system of work. It should cover correct selection, fitting, use, inspection and rescue considerations, depending on the learner role and course level.
- restraint and fall arrest principles
- fitting, adjustment and connection points
- pre-use checks, defect reporting and storage
- rescue planning and inspection responsibilities
Ladder safety / ladder user training
Ladders and stepladders may be suitable for low-risk, short-duration tasks when the risk assessment shows they are appropriate. HSE guidance says ladder users must be competent, or supervised while being trained.
- choosing the right ladder for the task
- pre-use checks and recognising defects
- positioning, securing and avoiding overreaching
- knowing when a ladder is not suitable and another access method is needed
These courses are related, not interchangeable
IPAF, PASMA, harness, ladder and general working at height training all support safer work at height, but they do different jobs. A MEWP operator course does not make someone competent to build a tower, and tower training does not make someone competent to operate a boom lift.
- match training to the equipment and task
- check provider scope before booking
- confirm whether the employer needs user, supervisor, manager or inspection-level training
- ask about practical assessment, cards, certificates and refresher requirements
Related access and working at height guides
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