Falls from height killed 40 workers in Great Britain during 2023/24, according to HSE’s annual statistics. That makes it the single largest cause of fatal workplace injury in the country, ahead of being struck by a moving vehicle (29 deaths) and being struck by a moving object (18 deaths). Height-related incidents have held the top position for over a decade.
But falls from height are only one of several risks that require specific, regulation-backed training. Asbestos exposure remains a long-term killer: HSE data attributes around 5,000 deaths per year to asbestos-related diseases in the UK, with a latency period of 15 to 60 years between exposure and diagnosis. Lone workers face a different set of hazards, from delayed emergency response to the absence of supervision in high-risk environments.
This guide covers the legal training requirements for all three areas, who needs each type of training, and how to get certified.
Working at height
What counts as “height”?
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 define working at height as any work where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. That includes working on ladders, scaffolding, rooftops, and raised platforms, but also working at ground level near an open edge, above an opening in a floor, or from the back of a vehicle. There is no minimum height threshold. A fall from a stepladder can be fatal.
Employer duties
Under the 2005 Regulations, employers must avoid work at height where it is reasonably practicable to do so, use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where height work cannot be avoided, and (where the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated) use equipment to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall. Risk assessment is central to this process: before any work at height begins, the employer must assess the risks and plan the work accordingly.
Employers must also ensure that anyone working at height is competent, or being supervised by a competent person, and that the equipment used (ladders, scaffolding, harnesses, platforms) is inspected regularly and suitable for the task.
Who needs this training?
Construction workers, roofers, maintenance staff, window cleaners, and facilities managers are the obvious groups. But working at height obligations extend to anyone whose role involves ladders, rooftop access, or raised work surfaces, including warehouse staff using raised platforms and engineers accessing building services. The Working at Height course covers the Work at Height Regulations 2005, risk assessment, access equipment selection, ladder safety, fall prevention systems, and emergency procedures. It takes 1 to 2 hours to complete.
Asbestos awareness
Where asbestos is found
Asbestos was used widely in UK construction from the 1950s through to 1999. It was banned entirely in the UK in 1999, but any building constructed or refurbished before 2000 may contain it. Common locations include ceiling tiles, floor tiles, pipe lagging, boiler insulation, artex coatings, roofing sheets, and fire doors. It is often hidden behind walls, under floors, or inside roof spaces.
The material is harmless when intact and undisturbed. The danger comes when it is damaged, drilled into, sanded, cut, or otherwise disturbed, releasing microscopic fibres into the air. Inhaling these fibres causes mesothelioma (a cancer of the lung lining), asbestosis, and lung cancer. There is no safe level of exposure.
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 set out the legal framework for managing asbestos in the UK. There are three levels of training required under these regulations.
Asbestos awareness training (Category A) is for anyone whose work could foreseeably disturb asbestos. This is the broadest category and covers construction workers, electricians, plumbers, joiners, building surveyors, facilities managers, and demolition workers. Non-licensed work training (Category B) is for workers who carry out limited, low-risk work with asbestos-containing materials. Licensed work training is for workers who carry out high-risk asbestos removal under an HSE licence.
The regulations also impose a “duty to manage” asbestos in non-domestic premises. The person responsible for maintenance of the building (the dutyholder) must find out whether asbestos is present, assess its condition, make a plan to manage it, and provide information about the location and condition of asbestos to anyone who might disturb it.
Who needs this training?
Anyone who works in or maintains buildings built before 2000 should have asbestos awareness training. That is a very large number of workers. The Asbestos Awareness course covers what asbestos is, the types and common locations, health risks, the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the duty to manage, and what to do if you discover it. It takes around 30 minutes.
Lone working
What is lone working?
A lone worker is anyone who works by themselves without close or direct supervision. The HSE estimates that around 8 million people in the UK work alone at some point during their working week. That includes security guards, cleaners, delivery drivers, home care workers, estate agents showing properties, maintenance engineers on call, and retail staff working alone in small shops.
The legal framework
There is no single “lone working law” in the UK. Instead, lone working obligations come from the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
Under the 1974 Act, employers have a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of all employees. That duty applies equally to lone workers. The 1999 Regulations require employers to carry out risk assessments for all work activities, including those carried out by lone workers, and to implement measures to control the risks identified. For lone workers specifically, this means assessing whether the work can be done safely by one person, establishing communication and check-in procedures, providing training on personal safety and conflict avoidance, and having emergency procedures in place for situations where the worker cannot summon help in the usual way.
Who needs this training?
Lone working training is relevant to a wide range of roles. Security guards patrolling premises at night, cleaners working early mornings in empty buildings, delivery drivers on the road alone, home care workers visiting clients’ homes, and estate agents conducting property viewings all face lone working risks. The specific hazards vary by role: a home care worker faces different risks than a night-shift security guard. But the underlying principles of risk assessment, communication, personal safety, and emergency response apply to all of them. The Lone Working course covers legal requirements, risk assessment, check-in procedures, personal safety, conflict avoidance, emergency procedures, and employer responsibilities. It takes 1 to 2 hours.
Getting certified
All three courses are available through Chefs Bay Academy. You buy a single licence for £29, which gives you access to the Working at Height course, the Asbestos Awareness course, the Lone Working course, and 130+ other courses in the library. You work through each course at your own pace on any device, complete the end-of-course assessment, and download your CPD accredited certificate immediately after passing.
There is no limit on how many courses you complete. The £29 covers the lot.
If your role involves more than one of these risk areas, you can complete all three courses without paying anything extra. A facilities manager responsible for building maintenance, supervising contractors, and managing lone-working cleaning staff could certify in all three subjects in a single afternoon.
Related guides
If you found this guide useful, you might also want to read:
- Fire safety training requirements in the UK
- Manual handling training: what UK workers need to know
- COSHH awareness: understanding hazardous substances
- First aid at work: requirements, regulations and training options
All these courses are included in your Chefs Bay Academy licence — £29 for instant access to 130+ courses.