Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel

Work at Height Info on HSE website.
Update & links.

The consultation on the Work at Height Regulations attracted a considerable response from the Adventure Activities sector which was reported to Health and Safety Commission (HSC) in July 2004. The HSC considered the application of the Work at Height Regulations to this sector in its meetings in July and November 2004

www.hse.gov.uk/falls/aapilot.htm

At the HSC meeting in January 2005 it was decided that the Adventure Activities sector should not be included in the Work at Height Regulations at that stage and that further work would take place.

The Work at Height Regulations came into force on 06/04/05. Workers engaged in leading and guiding climbing and caving activities were excluded from the Regulations.

Further consultation with the sector has taken place with a meeting in Ullswater in October November 2005 and in Bootle in January 2006.

In parallel with these meetings HSE undertook a study to see weather the sector could comply with the Work at Height Regulations.

The key findings of the report are;

• The sector can and does comply with a sensible interpretation of the regulations as currently drafted.
• Following of good practice in climbing and caving as set out in the National Governing Body (NG instructor training schemes is generally sufficient to comply with WAHR.
• For activities at height where there is presently no NGB, using the good practices of climbing and or caving NGBs is generally sufficient to comply with WAHR.

Discussions with the sector are continuing in a positive way.