The Regulations apply to all work at height where there is risk of a fall that is liable to cause personal injury. They place duties on employers, the self-employed and any person who controls the work of others (such as facilities managers or building owners who may contract others to work at height).
Those with duties under the Regulations must ensure that:
all work at height is properly planned and organised
those involved in work at height are competent
the risks from work at height are assessed, and appropriate work equipment is selected and used
the risks of working on or near fragile surfaces are properly managed
the equipment used for work at height is properly inspected and maintained
For managing work at height and selecting the most appropriate equipment, dutyholders must:
avoid work at height where possible, for example doing the work from ground level using extending equipment
use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls, where work at height cannot be avoided, for example cherry pickers or scaffolding
use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of potential falls, where the risk cannot be eliminated, for example nets or bean bags
For more information, see: [A Brief Guide to the Work at Height Regulations](http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg401.htm).