Fall From Height Claims: Injured Falling From a Ladder, Roof or Platform
A fall from height claim is a personal injury claim for an injury from a fall off a ladder, roof, scaffold, platform, vehicle or loading bay, or into an opening, where whoever was responsible for the work or the place failed to prevent it; there is no minimum height, most claims are made against an employer's insurance, the claim must normally start within three years, and National Accident Support Line assesses whether there is a claim and refers it to a specialist solicitor, with a callback within 2 minutes.
Falls are the most common cause of death at work in Britain. The Health and Safety Executive's provisional figures for 2025/26 put them at about a quarter of all worker deaths, and falls have been the leading cause almost every year this century. Most falls aren't from great heights, though. A stepladder, the back of a lorry, a mezzanine edge with no rail, a hole in a floor that nobody covered. The fall lasts a second; the broken wrist, the fractured heel or the damaged back lasts a great deal longer.
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What counts as working at height
The law uses a wider definition than most people expect. Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, work at height means working anywhere a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury, and that includes at or below ground level, such as the edge of an open pit or a loading bay. A fall from the second rung of a ladder counts. So does a fall through a fragile roof light.
What the person in control of the work has to do
The regulations set an order. First, avoid work at height where it can reasonably be avoided. Where it can't, use equipment and measures that prevent a fall, such as guard rails, a scaffold with edge protection or a mobile elevating work platform. Where a fall still can't be ruled out, reduce the distance and the consequences with nets, airbags or harnesses. Work at height has to be planned, supervised and carried out by people trained to do it, and the equipment has to be suitable and inspected.
These duties sit with employers and with anyone who controls the work, which on many jobs means a client, a facilities manager or a main contractor as well as the employer. Ladders aren't banned: the HSE treats them as a sensible option for low-risk, short jobs, with the ladder in good condition, on firm ground and secured or footed. A ladder used for a long job, or for heavy work that needed a platform, is a different matter.
| Who fell, and where | Who is usually responsible |
|---|---|
| An employee at their own workplace | The employer, through its employers' liability insurance |
| An agency worker on a client's site | The client controlling the work, and often the agency too |
| A subcontractor on a building site | The firm directing the work or controlling the site; being self-employed on paper doesn't always decide it |
| A tradesperson working at a customer's home | Usually the tradesperson's own employer or contractor, not the homeowner |
| A visitor on stairs, a balcony or a mezzanine | Whoever occupies and runs the building |
| Anyone falling from a ladder or platform supplied in poor condition | The employer or contractor that supplied it |
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What a fall from height claim covers
Falls produce some of the most serious workplace injuries: fractured wrists, heels and ankles, broken hips and pelvises, spinal injuries and head injuries. A claim covers the injury and its lasting effect, the earnings lost while you couldn't work, which for tradespeople on day rates can mean weeks of jobs turned down, treatment and rehabilitation, care from family, and future losses if you can't go back to work at height.
The situations people describe to us
"My manager told me not to even think about claiming"
Claims are paid by the employer's insurer, which every employer must have by law, not out of your manager's pocket. Employees are protected from being dismissed or penalised for raising health and safety concerns. Write down what happened while it's fresh, and make sure the accident is in the accident book.
"I stepped back and missed the rung, so it was my own fault"
Possibly in part. But if the job should have been done from a platform, nobody footed the ladder, or you'd never been shown how to work at height safely, the employer's share is likely to be the larger one. Being partly at fault reduces a claim; it doesn't end it.
"I'm self-employed and fell at a customer's house"
A homeowner who hires a tradesperson usually isn't responsible for how the trade does its own ladder work. If you were working for a contractor who directed the job and supplied the equipment, though, the contractor may owe you the duties of an employer, whatever your tax status says.
"I went through a roof light while fixing a leak"
Fragile roofs and roof lights cause many of the most serious falls. The regulations require that nobody works on or near a fragile surface if the job can be done another way, and where it can't, that platforms, coverings or guard rails are in place and warning signs are up.
What to do after a fall from height
Get medical help first, and see a doctor even if it feels like a sprain; a hidden fracture is common after a fall. Make sure the accident is in the accident book and ask for a copy. If you're off work or can't do your normal job for more than seven days, your employer must report it to the HSE under RIDDOR. Photograph the ladder, the edge, the missing rail or the opening before anything is moved, and if a ladder or platform failed, ask for it to be kept. Take the names of anyone who saw it. Keep payslips or invoices and a note of every day off and every appointment. Then get in touch.
How a fall from height claim works with National Accident Support Line
Tell us what happened, by the form, WhatsApp or a call to 0333 212 2730; web enquiries are called back within 2 minutes during opening hours. We ask what you were doing, what you fell from, what equipment there was and who was running the job. If there is a claim, we refer it to a specialist workplace injury solicitor who runs it on a no win no fee basis. If there isn't, we tell you straight. NASL is an FCA-regulated claims management company, not a law firm. Falls from scaffolding are covered in more depth on the scaffolding accident claims page, other building site accidents on their own page, and the wider rules on claims for injuries at work in our workplace guide. The full list is on the page covering every type of injury claim we refer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I claim if I fell off a ladder at work?
Yes, if the fall happened because the work wasn't planned, the ladder was the wrong equipment for the job, it was faulty, or you weren't trained or supervised. Ladders are allowed for short, low-risk jobs, so the question is whether a ladder was right for what you were asked to do.
What height counts as a fall from height?
There is no minimum. The law covers any fall that could cause injury, including from a low step or into an opening at ground level.
Can I claim if it was partly my fault?
Usually, yes. The claim is reduced by your share of the blame rather than refused, and where the main cause was the employer's failure to provide safe equipment or training, the reduction is usually small.
Can I be sacked for making a claim?
Employees are protected from being dismissed or penalised for raising health and safety concerns, and the claim is dealt with by your employer's insurer. If you're worried, say so when we call and the solicitor can advise on your situation.
How long do I have to make a fall from height claim?
Three years from the date of the fall. For a child, three years from their 18th birthday.
Can the family claim if someone died after a fall?
Yes. The family can bring a fatal accident claim for the support they have lost, funeral costs and the bereavement award.
What does no win no fee mean?
Nothing to pay upfront and nothing to your solicitor if the claim fails. If it succeeds, the solicitor's success fee, capped at 25% of your compensation, comes out of the award, along with any insurance premium; the total is set out in writing before you sign.
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National Accident Support Line Ltd is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated claims management activities, registration number 829991.