Falling objects from height
risk assessment
A written risk assessment for falling objects from height on a UK construction site: who is at risk, what goes wrong, how likely and how bad before and after controls, and the control measures that bring the score down. Copy it into your RAMS and change what does not fit.
What goes wrong
Serious head injury or fatality to personnel below; property damage; injury to public if beyond site boundary.
Control measures
- Toe boards and brick guards on all scaffolding.
- Tool lanyards used at height.
- Exclusion zone below work area clearly signed.
- Fan protection on public-facing scaffolding.
- Hard hats mandatory in all drop zones.
Where this sits in a RAMS
- The risk assessment names the hazard, who it can hurt, how badly, and what you will do about it. That is this page.
- The method statement then says how the work is actually done, step by step, with these controls built into the steps rather than listed at the end.
- The people doing the work read it and sign it before they start. Keep the signed copy with the job, and review it when anything changes.
Questions people ask
Do I need a written risk assessment for falling objects from height?
If you employ five or more people, the significant findings of your risk assessments must be written down (Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3). Below five it is still expected on any managed site, and every principal contractor will ask for it as part of your RAMS before you start. Guidance, not legal advice.
How is the risk score worked out?
Likelihood (1 to 5) multiplied by severity (1 to 5). This hazard scores 4 × 5 = 20 before controls (very high) and 2 × 4 = 8 with the controls in place (medium). The residual score is what you are accepting when you sign the RAMS off.
Can I copy this into my own RAMS?
Yes. It is written as a starting point. Change what does not match your site, add anything specific to the job, and make sure the person signing it off has actually read it. A risk assessment nobody edited is the first thing an inspector notices.
Who should carry out the risk assessment?
A competent person: someone with the training, knowledge and experience to recognise the hazards in that work and judge the controls. On most small sites that is the supervisor or the contractor themselves, with the people doing the job involved. Guidance, not legal advice.
How often should it be reviewed?
Whenever the job, the site conditions, the plant or the people change, after any incident or near miss, and at least annually so it does not go stale. Date every review.
Build the whole RAMS in ten minutes
Type the job and the trade, and SiteLynx drafts the scope, pulls hazards like this one from the library with their controls, lays out the method steps and puts it in front of your crew to sign on their phones. Every plan is 14 days free.
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