Fall from Height at Work Claims

Falls from height are one of the leading causes of fatal and serious injury in UK workplaces. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 place strict duties on employers to plan, supervise, and carry out all work at height safely — whether the work is done from a ladder, a stepladder, scaffolding, a roof or a mobile platform. If your employer did not comply with these duties, you may have a strong basis for a claim.

Legal Duties Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005

“Work at height” means any work where a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury. The old two-metre rule no longer applies: a stepladder, an unprotected edge or an opening in the floor can all be covered. Employers must follow a hierarchy:

1. Avoid work at height where reasonably practicable
2. Prevent falls using collective measures such as scaffolding, guard rails and mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) before personal measures such as harnesses
3. Where falls cannot be prevented, minimise the distance and consequences
4. Make sure all equipment is suitable, inspected, maintained and correctly used

Ladder Accidents

Ladders sit at the bottom of that hierarchy. They are only suitable for short-duration, low-risk work where a safer option is not justified. Where one is used it should be:

• The right type and class for the task (BS EN 131), with no damaged rungs or feet
• Secured against slipping — tied, footed or lashed
• Set at the correct angle (1 in 4) and extending at least 1 metre above the landing
• Used by a competent, trained worker

Using your own ladder does not shift responsibility to you: your employer is still responsible for the safe system of work, for inspecting equipment and for assessing the risk. If the ladder itself was defective, the manufacturer may also be liable.

Scaffolding Accidents

Scaffolding falls and collapses usually trace back to scaffolding erected by unqualified people, missing guard rails or toe boards, worn or defective components, or a failure to inspect it as the regulations require. Responsibility is often shared: under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 the principal contractor has duties alongside the scaffolding firm, and a solicitor will identify every liable party. If you were self-employed, you may still have a claim against the contractor in control of the site. See construction accident claims.

Common Causes

• Inadequate or poorly erected scaffolding
• Ladders used where more secure equipment was needed
• Missing or inadequate edge protection or guard rails
• No risk assessment or method statement for the task
• Poorly maintained or unsuitable access equipment
• No training, or workers left to work at height unsupervised

Types of Injuries

• Wrist, elbow and shoulder fractures from breaking the fall
• Ankle and lower leg fractures from the landing
• Spinal injuries — from compression fractures to paraplegia and tetraplegia
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Crush and multiple injuries, including from collapsing structures
• Fatal injuries

Under the Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition, April 2026), for example, a moderate back injury is valued at £16,520 to £51,230, a severe back injury at £51,230 to £212,670, a minor head injury at £2,920 to £16,870, and paraplegia at £289,420 to £375,540. Lost earnings, rehabilitation, care, equipment and home adaptations are added on top — see how compensation is calculated.

Evidence That Helps

• Accident book entry and any RIDDOR report
• Photographs of the ladder or scaffold, the ground surface and surrounding area
• The equipment itself, kept as evidence where possible
• Inspection and maintenance records
• The risk assessment and method statement for the task
• Your training records and witness statements
• Medical records and a specialist medical report

Frequently Asked Questions