# The Work at Height Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005, Regulation 7: Selection of work equipment for work at height

Extent: N.I.

(1) Every employer, in selecting work equipment for use in work at height, shall –
(a) give collective protection measures priority over personal protection measures; and
(b) take account of –
(i) the working conditions and the risks to the safety of persons at the place where the work equipment is to be used;
(ii) in the case of work equipment for access and egress, the distance to be negotiated;
(iii) the distance and consequences of a potential fall;
(iv) the duration and frequency of use;
(v) the need for easy and timely evacuation and rescue in an emergency;
(vi) any additional risk posed by the use, installation or removal of that work equipment or by evacuation and rescue from it; and
(vii) the other provisions of these Regulations.
(2) An employer shall select work equipment for work at height which –
(a) has characteristics including dimensions which –
(i) are appropriate to the nature of the work to be performed and the foreseeable loadings; and
(ii) allow passage without risk; and
(b) is in other respects the most suitable work equipment, having regard in particular to the purposes specified in regulation 6.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2005/279/regulation/7 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/work-at-height-regulations-northern-ireland-2005/regulation-7
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.