"Is this Working at Heights?" is the question every Irish supervisor, contractor and site manager should ask before any task above ground level. The answer is broader than most people think, and the legal threshold is not the obvious one.
The legal definition in plain English
Under Irish law (Regulation 95 of SI 299/2007), Working at Heights means any work activity at, above or below ground level where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. There is no specified height number. The HSA position is consistent: any height from which a fall could cause injury counts.
Misconception: "It only counts above 2 metres"
This is the single most common Irish misconception. The 2-metre figure is a UK historical construction-industry threshold that does not apply in Ireland. The Irish test is the injury-likelihood test: a fall from 1.2 metres onto a concrete floor onto a carpenter's nail can kill, and the law treats it as Working at Heights.
Working at Heights examples by height
| Activity | Approx height | Working at Heights? |
|---|---|---|
| Stocking high shelves in a supermarket | 1.8m | Yes |
| Office worker on a stool changing a lightbulb | 0.5m | Yes (stool is not a stepladder) |
| Painter on a hop-up | 0.5m | Yes |
| Lorry driver climbing into a trailer | 1.2m | Yes |
| Mechanic on a creeper, on the ground | 0m | No |
| Electrician on a stepladder, 3rd rung | 1.5m | Yes |
| Roofer on pitched roof | any | Yes |
| Excavation foreman near a 4m trench edge | 0m up, 4m down | Yes (fall into the trench) |
| Window cleaner on reach pole | 0m | No (provided no climb) |
| Person opening attic hatch on a step ladder | 2m | Yes |
Working at Heights below ground
The "below ground" qualifier surprises people. Falling into an excavation, a manhole, a pit, or a trench is also covered. Confined-space work that involves a ladder descent is Working at Heights and confined space combined - both certifications apply.
Industries Irish law covers
- Construction - obvious
- Warehouse and logistics - racking, mezzanines
- Retail - high shelving, signage, lighting
- Healthcare - clinical access, IT, facilities
- Hospitality - hotel rooms, kitchen extracts, ceilings
- Manufacturing - mezzanines, plant access
- Agriculture and farming - barns, hay storage, machinery
- Education - hall lighting, sports halls
- Office - server rooms, stockrooms, lighting
What is exempt
Almost nothing. The narrow exemptions:
- Domestic householders performing household tasks (DIY)
- Recreational climbing (sport climbing, mountaineering)
- Casual gym climbing walls (treated under leisure regs, not workplace)
The moment a worker is performing work for an employer, even on a 1-metre stepladder in a domestic property, the SHWW Act applies.
The duty cascade
Once an activity is classified as Working at Heights:
- Risk assessment must be done in writing
- The hierarchy of control must be applied
- Workers must hold a Working at Heights Certificate
- Equipment must be inspected and logged
- Rescue plan must exist
- Records kept for the HSA
The training piece
One Working at Heights Course covers the full Irish legal definition and the practical decisions. 45 minutes online, 35 euro, instant Working at Heights Certificate. Valid for 3 years across every industry above.
FAQs
If a worker is on a step stool for 30 seconds, is that Working at Heights?
Yes - duration does not change the classification. Risk assessment may show the residual risk is very low, but the activity is still covered.
What about working AT ground level near an edge or hole?
If the worker could fall into an excavation or off an edge, the Working at Heights duties apply.
Does my office worker need certified for IT work in the server rack?
If they use a stepladder or climb to access racks above shoulder height, yes. The 35-euro online course handles it in 45 minutes.
Settle the question for every member of your team. Start the Working at Heights Course online, 45 minutes, instant download, 3 years valid.
