Employers (and others in control of work at height) are responsible for ensuring that any safety equipment is periodically checked by a competent person.

Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, the main responsibility for checking work-at-height equipment rests with the people in control of the work (e.g. employers, contractors or facilities managers). HSE guidance states that these duty holders must ensure that the work is properly planned and then carried out by capable individuals using suitable equipment.

That said, employees do have some responsibilities of their own while working at height. They must take reasonable care of themselves and others, co-operate with their employer and report any safety hazards they identify.

Can you work alone in a confined space? Generally speaking, no. Confined space work can involve serious hazards that make lone working unsafe, and HSE guidelines specifically mention confined space operations as an example of the kind of high-risk work that tends to require the presence of at least one other person.

Confined spaces can expose workers to hazards such as fire, flooding and harmful gases. Because of this, workers should refrain from entering confined spaces at all where possible – and if confined space work is unavoidable, a thorough risk assessment must be carried out beforehand.