{"id":34995,"date":"2026-09-28T07:22:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T05:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/desarrollo.ypsossafety.com\/work-at-height-definition-and-the-height-at-which-it-applies\/"},"modified":"2026-10-29T23:31:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T22:31:16","slug":"work-at-height-definition-and-the-height-at-which-it-applies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/desarrollo.ypsossafety.com\/en\/work-at-height-definition-and-the-height-at-which-it-applies\/","title":{"rendered":"Work at Height: Definition and the Height at Which It Applies"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

In sectors such as construction or industrial maintenance, the first question asked is when something is considered work at height. The general reference is 2 meters, but the regulations have nuances that we need to know when specifying a system, drafting a safety plan or installing collective protection in an industrial building. In this article we put these ideas in order.<\/p>\n\n

What Is Work at Height<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

It is any task in which the worker is exposed to a fall to a lower level. Spanish regulations define the concept in Law 31\/1995 on Occupational Health and Safety and in RD 1215\/1997, amended by RD 2177\/2004 regarding temporary work at height. It is broad legislation that covers sectors and spaces as different as a well, a trench or an opening in a floor slab.<\/p>\n\n

In other words, if there is a risk of falling, there is an obligation to assess and protect against it, even if the fall is from a low height. Identifying the risks in work at height<\/a> is the first step.<\/p>\n\n

From What Height Is It Considered Work at Height<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

RD 2177\/2004 establishes that, where there is a risk of falling from a height of more than two meters, work equipment must have guardrails or another collective protection system that provides equivalent safety. This regulation does not include portable ladders or technical access ladders, since they are governed by another standard.<\/p>\n\n

Law 31\/1995 requires assessing every fall risk, and that assessment is the first step of any work at height procedure<\/a>. If a fall from a lower height can cause a serious injury, it is protected against all the same. A pit one and a half meters deep in a walkway area is a typical example.<\/p>\n\n

As for guardrails, the regulations set a minimum height of 90 centimeters, sufficient strength, and intermediate protection and a toe board where needed to prevent people or objects from passing through or falling. On our ANANKE safety guardrails<\/strong>, for example, the toe board is required when the roof edge flashing is 100 mm or less.<\/p>\n\n

What the Regulations Say About Work at Height<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

The framework of work at height regulations in Spain<\/a> can be summarized as:<\/p>\n\n