Daniel Cheddie, designer and founder of Stronghold®, discusses why installers must understand modern work-at-height regulations.
As someone who has spent more than two decades on site, designing and developing equipment to make window installation safer, I’ve seen first-hand how easily a simple job at height can turn into a serious incident. In our industry, where every day involves accessing upper floors, handling large, glazed units, or repairing sashes, understanding the UK’s work-at-height regulations isn’t optional, it’s essential.
Every installer, contractor, and installation company has a legal and moral responsibility to protect their workforce, with falls from height continuing to be one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities in the UK construction sector
The regulations governing this area are clear, but too often, they are misunderstood or overlooked in the race to get a job finished. Yet ignorance is no defence when things go wrong. That’s why I believe every professional in the fenestration trade must not only know the rules but also fully understand what compliance looks like on site.
The standard
The UK standard for work-at-height safety is set out in the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) which place a legal duty on employers, contractors, and anyone controlling work at height and where there is a risk of falling, regardless of the type of work involved, to ensure all tasks are properly planned, supervised, and carried out by competent people.
Key requirements include using the safest most appropriate equipment or systems to prevent falls, such as guardrails, scaffolds, or mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs). Where the risk of falling cannot be eliminated, fall-arrest or restraint systems, such as harnesses, should be used.
Why compliance is critical
The HSE takes breaches of the Work at Height Regulations extremely seriously. There is no maximum fine for non-compliance, penalties are unlimited and determined by the severity of the offence.
Companies have faced fines ranging from tens of thousands to several millions of pounds. One was issued with a £36,000 fine for unsafe window fitting after workers were photographed leaning out of windows eight metres above ground with no fall protection.
And beyond the financial cost, the reputational damage can last for years and destroy businesses.
Designing a safer way to work
Having worked in window repairs for many years, and as the founder and CEO of Glazesafe and the award-winning Sashmate® system, I’ve seen the challenges installers face when working at height safely.
That experience was the driving force behind the creation of Stronghold®, a portable internal frame and anchor system designed specifically to make window replacement and repair safer without the need for scaffolding.
Stronghold® can be assembled by just one person inside a building in under ten minutes, spans up to five metres, and provides secure anchor points for up to three operatives. It’s fully compliant with BS EN795 B:2012 and CEN TS 16415:2013, offering both fall restraint and barrier protection.
Unlike scaffolding, it requires no external access or drilling, causes no damage to the property, and is light and easy to transport, so there’s no waiting for scaffold to be erected or removed. It also can’t be climbed by intruders, reducing security risks, and by anchoring tools and components as well as operatives, it also helps prevent dropped-object incidents.
Peace of mind
For installation businesses of all sizes, Stronghold® delivers what every responsible employer wants, peace of mind. It keeps your team safe and your business protected from consequences of a safety breach. It’s the perfect tool for big contractors working on high-rises and equally suited to smaller installers who need to work efficiently and safely without the overheads. Health and safety processes usually cost money, and the Stronghold® not only improves safety, but it reduces job completion times, reliance on scaffolding and can help win business.
Work-at-height safety isn’t just about following the law; it’s about valuing the people who make your business possible. One oversight and one accident can change everything.
For more information on the Stronghold anchor system, which is available to hire, visit https://www.stronghold-anchor.com/or call 01992 302133
