Working at Height Training


The Working at Height Training course is a focused, safety-critical programme designed to equip workers, supervisors, and managers with the knowledge, awareness, and competence required to plan, supervise, and perform work at height safely. Work at h

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Duration
1 day
Course overview

Designed for
real-world delivery.

The Working at Height Training course is a focused, safety-critical programme designed to equip workers, supervisors, and managers with the knowledge, awareness, and competence required to plan, supervise, and perform work at height safely. Work at height continues to be one of the leading causes of fatal and major workplace injuries globally, with falls accounting for a significant proportion of construction, manufacturing, telecoms, energy, and facilities-related fatalities each year. This course addresses the legal, technical, and behavioural dimensions of safe working at height, ensuring delegates understand both their personal responsibilities and the wider organisational duties under applicable workplace health and safety legislation. Work at height is generally defined as any work in a place where, if precautions are not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. This includes work on roofs, scaffolding, ladders, mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), elevated platforms, towers, edges, fragile surfaces, and excavations where a person could fall in. Industries including construction, oil and gas, utilities, telecommunications, maintenance, logistics, events, and facilities management all rely on competent workers and supervisors to plan and execute work at height safely. The course is aligned with widely recognised safe-working principles drawn from applicable national and regional work-at-height regulations and good-practice codes across the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This course is delivered through expert-led instruction, demonstration, scenario-based exercises, and practical activities. Delegates explore hazard identification, risk assessment, the hierarchy of control, equipment selection, inspection, rescue planning, behavioural safety, and emergency procedures. The course covers commonly used equipment including personal fall protection systems (harnesses, lanyards, fall arrest, work positioning, work restraint), ladders, podium steps, scaffolds, MEWPs, and edge protection systems. Practical components are delivered with safety briefings, demonstration equipment, and structured assessment activities where permitted by the venue and delivery format. On completion, delegates will be able to recognise work-at-height hazards, contribute to risk assessments and method statements, select and inspect appropriate equipment, follow safe systems of work, and respond appropriately in emergencies. For organisations, investing in Working at Height training strengthens regulatory compliance, reduces injury and fatality risk, supports a positive safety culture, and demonstrates due diligence to clients and insurers. The course is designed to be sector-agnostic with industry-specific examples drawn from construction, energy, telecoms, manufacturing, and facilities management.
16
Curriculum modules
From foundations to advanced topics.
3-5h
Contact hours
Live instruction with practice exercises.
1
Certifications supported
Industry-recognised qualifications referenced in this programme.
Detailed course outline

The full
curriculum.

Topics covered
  • Definition of work at height
  • Statistics on falls from height
  • Overview of applicable national and regional work-at-height regulations
  • Regional good-practice adoption across the UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Americas
  • Employer and employee duties
  • Enforcement and penalties
Topics covered
  • Common work-at-height hazards
  • Hierarchy of control: avoid, prevent, mitigate
  • Risk assessment principles
  • Method statement preparation (RAMS)
  • Permit-to-work systems
  • Toolbox talks and pre-task briefings
Topics covered
  • Ladders and stepladders: selection, inspection, and safe use
  • Podium steps and low-level platforms
  • Mobile scaffolds and tower scaffolds
  • Fixed scaffolds (awareness level)
  • Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs): scissor lifts, boom lifts, cherry pickers
  • Edge protection systems
  • Roof access systems
Topics covered
  • Harnesses, lanyards, and connectors
  • Work restraint, work positioning, and fall arrest systems
  • Anchor points and anchor selection
  • Fall clearance and swing fall hazards
  • Equipment inspection and care
  • Donning and adjusting harnesses correctly
Topics covered
  • Fragile surfaces and roof work
  • Confined spaces and excavations involving height
  • Adverse weather and environmental considerations
  • Working near power lines or moving plant
  • Public exclusion zones
Topics covered
  • Importance of rescue planning
  • Suspension intolerance and post-fall first aid
  • Rescue methods and equipment
  • Emergency communication
  • Drills and rescue rehearsals
Topics covered
  • Influence of fatigue, time pressure, and complacency
  • Safety leadership and intervention
  • Stop work authority
  • Safety culture and continuous improvement
  • Lessons learned from real incidents
Topics covered
  • Practical demonstration of equipment use (where applicable)
  • Inspection exercises
  • Rescue scenario practice
  • Final written knowledge review
  • Course review and Q&A
  • Instructor-led training delivered by experienced safety practitioners
  • Comprehensive course manual
  • Demonstration equipment for practical activities (where venue permits)
  • Case studies and incident analyses
  • Templates and checklists for inspections, RAMS, and toolbox talks
  • Daily knowledge checks and continuous assessment activities
  • Practical and final written knowledge review (where applicable)
  • Pre-course safety briefing and PPE guidance
  • Post-course reference materials
  • Trainer support throughout the course
  • LMS access for eLearning delegates (awareness modules)
  • Certificate of Completion issued by the training provider on successful completion
Course features

What sets this
programme apart.

Comprehensive coverage of work-at-height legal frameworks and good-practice standards

Detailed treatment of the hierarchy of control for work at height

Hands-on demonstration of personal fall protection equipment (where venue permits)

Coverage of ladders, podium steps, scaffolds, MEWPs, and roof access

In-depth treatment of risk assessment and method statement (RAMS) preparation

Rescue planning and emergency response training

Behavioural safety and human factors content

Real-world case studies and incident analyses

Delivery by experienced health and safety practitioners

Coverage of fragile surfaces, edge protection, and exclusion zones

Daily knowledge checks and continuous assessment

Practical exercises and group activities

Final written and practical review (where applicable)

Templates and checklists for inspections, RAMS, and toolbox talks

Certificate of Completion issued at the end of the programme

Who it’s for

Designed for
practitioners and leaders.

This course is designed for anyone who works at height or supervises those who do.

  • Construction Workers and Site Operatives
  • Scaffolders and Scaffold Inspectors (Awareness Level)
  • Roofers, Cladders, and Window Cleaners
  • Telecoms and Power Line Workers
  • Maintenance Technicians and Facilities Engineers
  • Electricians, Plumbers, and HVAC Engineers
  • Painters and Decorators
  • Warehouse and Logistics Operatives using mezzanines or racking access
  • Event Riggers and Lighting Technicians
  • Supervisors and Site Managers
  • Health and Safety Officers and Coordinators
  • Procurement and Contractor Management Professionals
  • Office and facilities personnel occasionally accessing height (e.g., loft, plant rooms)
Skills you’ll gain

Outcomes that
translate to work.

On successful completion of this course, delegates will be able to:

  • Define work at height and identify when applicable regulations apply
  • Explain employer and employee duties under applicable regulations
  • Apply the hierarchy of control to work-at-height activities
  • Identify common work-at-height hazards in relevant industries
  • Contribute to risk assessments and method statements (RAMS)
  • Select appropriate work equipment for different tasks
  • Use and inspect ladders, podium steps, scaffolds, and MEWPs correctly
  • Use and inspect personal fall protection systems
  • Distinguish work restraint, work positioning, and fall arrest systems
  • Recognise hazards associated with fragile surfaces and edge work
  • Plan emergency response and rescue activities
  • Apply safe behaviours and recognise human factors that affect safety
  • Recognition of work-at-height hazards in different environments
  • Application of the hierarchy of control
  • Contribution to risk assessments and method statements
  • Safe selection and use of ladders, podium steps, and scaffolds
  • Safe operation awareness of MEWPs
  • Use and inspection of personal fall protection equipment
  • Understanding of work restraint, work positioning, and fall arrest
  • Rescue planning and emergency response awareness
  • Safe working behaviours and intervention skills
  • Equipment inspection and reporting
  • Toolbox talk delivery and reinforcement
  • Application of relevant regulations and codes of practice
Delivery methods

Flexible ways
to learn.

Classroom

Traditional in-person delivery at a training venue with practical demonstrations, equipment handling, and structured exercises. This is the recommended format for full competence.

Virtual Instructor-Led (VILT)

Live instructor-led training via a virtual classroom for theory, demonstration, and knowledge review. Practical assessment requires classroom or onsite delivery.

eLearning

Self-paced awareness-level training through a structured Learning Management System. Suitable for theoretical knowledge but must be supplemented with practical training for competence in physical equipment use.

Corporate Onsite

Tailored delivery at the client’s premises, using the client’s actual equipment and work environments where appropriate. Ideal for in-house teams and most relevant to the organisation’s specific risks.

Career opportunities

Where this
course takes you.

Relevant job roles

Builds essential safety credentials for safety-critical industries Supports onward progression into specialist operator and access programmes Improves employability in construction, energy, telecoms, and facilities

Industry demand

Reflects current safety expectations and incident trends Coverage of emerging risks including renewables and high-rise Interactive, hands-on classroom delivery Flexible delivery formats including Classroom, VILT, eLearning, and Corporate Onsite Trainer support throughout

Career progression

  • Operative → Supervisor → Site Manager → Project Manager
  • Worker → Trained Inspector → Safety Coordinator → Health and Safety Manager
  • Technician → Specialist (with further rope access training) → Safety Lead

Departments where skills apply

  • Operations and Site Delivery
  • Maintenance and Facilities
  • Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE)
  • Contractor and Supplier Management
  • Project and Construction Management
Frequently asked

Questions, answered.

1. What is ‘work at height’?
Work at height is any work in a place where, if precautions are not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. This includes work on, above, or below ground level, and includes access to such places.
2. Which regulations does the course cover?
The course covers widely recognised safe-working principles drawn from applicable national and regional work-at-height regulations and good-practice codes across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
3. How long is the completion certificate valid?
Good practice is to refresh work-at-height training every three years, although employers may require more frequent refreshers depending on the role and risk profile.
4. Are there any prerequisites?
No formal prerequisites, but delegates should be physically fit, willing to wear PPE, and able to follow written instructions in the language of delivery.
5. How long is the course?
Classroom and Virtual Instructor-Led delivery runs for 1 day. eLearning awareness training takes 3 to 5 hours.
6. Does the course include practical training?
Classroom and Corporate Onsite delivery include practical exercises and equipment demonstrations. VILT and eLearning are primarily theoretical.
7. What certificate will I receive on completion?
Delegates who successfully complete the course receive a Certificate of Completion issued by the training provider.
8. Does the course cover MEWPs and scaffolding?
Yes, at awareness level. Operator competence for powered access platforms, mobile towers, and scaffolding requires separate dedicated training programmes administered by specialist scheme bodies.
9. What delivery methods are available?
The course is offered in four formats: Classroom, Virtual Instructor-Led (VILT), eLearning, and Corporate Onsite.
10. Can the course be tailored for our organisation?
Yes. Corporate Onsite delivery supports customisation, including use of the client’s actual equipment, sector-specific risks, and on-site walkthroughs.
11. What materials are provided?
Delegates receive a comprehensive course manual, checklists for inspections and toolbox talks, RAMS templates, and revision resources.
12. Is the course suitable for office-based staff?
Yes, where they occasionally access heights (e.g., loft, plant rooms, mezzanines) or are responsible for managing contractors who work at height.
13. What if I have a medical condition?
Delegates with medical conditions that may affect safe participation in practical exercises should consult their employer and medical advisor before attending and inform the training provider in advance.
14. What career paths does this course support?
It supports careers across construction, energy, telecoms, facilities management, events, and any role that involves working at height or supervising such work.
15. What PPE will I need?
Most PPE for practical exercises is provided by the training venue. Delegates may be asked to bring suitable footwear and clothing; full PPE requirements are confirmed at the point of booking.