Working from height can pose a great risk of injury, or even fatality, to your employees, if proper precautions aren’t in place. BS 8437 is the key standard for personal fall protection systems and equipment. It can help you manage the risks associated with working from height and comply with vital safety legislation.

Working at height refers to any work where a person could potentially fall and injure themselves. A ladder, a roof’s edge, scaffolding, and even fragile surfaces can be considered working at height.

All businesses that employ people to work in such environments have a legal responsibility to ensure their protection and minimize the risks associated with these activities.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) place duties on employers, the self-employed, and any person who controls the work of others (e.g., facilities managers or building owners who may contract others to work at height). At its core, this legislation dictates that a pragmatic approach should be taken when carrying out work off the ground. It focuses on ensuring safety through risk assessment, planning, and supervision.  

Intended for use by employers, employees and self-employed persons who use personal fall protection systems and equipment, BS 8437 Code of practice for selection, use and maintenance of personal fall protection systems and equipment for use in the workplace gives guidance on the selection, use, and maintenance of personal fall protection systems and equipment for use in the workplace to prevent and/or to arrest falls from a height.

It is the only national standard of its kind that provides guidance on the appropriate selection, operation, and maintenance of various systems and equipment to ensure safety best practices in the workplace. It also covers systems and equipment suitable for use in rescue and in the rescue of persons working at a height, in the event of an accident.

Developments in personal fall protection systems

Fall safety is always evolving, and as result, BS 8437 recently underwent an update to ensure it reflects the latest in personal fall protection.

Its revisions include:

• The introduction of other new/updated British Standards (e.g. BS 8610 and BS 7883) and BS ENs (e.g. BS EN 795)

• Developments in the testing and use of equipment (e.g. self-retracting lifelines, twin-retractables, etc.)

• The change from the PPE Directive to the PPE Regulation

• The introduction of the UKCA mark (post-Brexit)

To learn about how standards support health and safety in the construction industry, visit our Health & Safety in Construction Topic Page.

A guide to personal fall protection standards

Whilst BS 8437 is the ‘benchmark’ in the UK for the selection, use, and maintenance of personal fall protection systems and equipment, there are also other standards referenced within its updated specification, which can help ensure that the best practices of personal fall protection are being met.

BS 8610 Personal fall protection equipment. Anchor systems. Specification

Anchor systems are used to stop a person from hitting the ground if there is a fall from a height.

BS 8610 provides manufacturers with specifications and test methods for developing efficient and durable anchor systems to protect the wearer in case of a fall. The test methods in this standard assist in evaluating the performance of anchor systems to prevent accidents.

By adopting the requirements provided by BS 8610, you can enhance the performance of your personal fall protection equipment and ensure that workers are protected to the highest possible level during a fall.

BS 7883 Personal fall protection equipment. Anchor systems. System design, installation and inspection. Code of practice

Assuming your anchor system is compliant because it was when it was installed, or because it has an existing certificate, is no longer sufficient.

BS 7883 exists to provide greater protection to anyone working at height. It defines a suitable procedure for installers and inspectors of anchor systems to follow and covers anchor systems designed to ensure that people working at heights are adequately protected.

BS EN 795 Personal fall protection equipment. Anchor devices

For a fall arrest system such as a lifeline to function properly, you need to be sure that an essential part of a system, the anchor, will be able to sustain the maximum dynamic force generated because of a fall from height.

BS EN 795 defines the technical requirements placed on anchor devices. This standard indicates which loads horizontal fall arrest solutions must withstand and how they must be tested by manufacturers and certified to ensure their performance.

Ensure the protection of your employees when working from height, by adding BS 8437 to your collection today.

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