STANDARD + VR Construction and EPC · United Kingdom Updated October 13, 2026

Work at Height VR Training for UK Construction Sites (Work at Height Regulations 2005)

VR work at height scenario built on the Work at Height Regulations 2005: the avoid, prevent, mitigate hierarchy, edge protection, fragile roofs and planning before the climb.

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The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require every job at height to be properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people, and they set a clear order: avoid work at height where you can, prevent falls where you cannot, then reduce the distance and consequences of a fall. A VR scenario makes the learner choose at each step of that order on a live roof job.

What the Rule Requires

Work at Height Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/735): duty holders must ensure work at height is properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner (regulation 4), that only competent people do it (regulation 5), and that they follow the hierarchy in regulation 6: avoid work at height where reasonably practicable, use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls, and where the risk remains, minimise the distance and consequences of a fall. Regulation 9 covers fragile surfaces.

Falls from height remain the biggest single cause of fatal injuries to UK workers. The scenario is a re-roofing job on a two-storey industrial unit: some of the work can be done from the ground with extended tools, the eaves need edge protection, and an old fibre cement roof light sits in the middle of the roof with no cover.

Hazards in This Scenario

Falls from unprotected edges
Falls through fragile roof lights and sheets
Falling materials onto people below
Work started without a plan for rescue

The Procedure the Scenario Rehearses

Ask first whether any task can be done without going up
Check the edge protection is complete before access
Identify fragile surfaces and cover or guard them
Use the collective measure before personal fall arrest
Keep tools and materials secured and the area below controlled
Confirm the rescue plan before work starts

Mistakes the Scenario Is Built to Catch

Going up for a task that could be done from the ground
Walking across a roof light
Using a harness where a guardrail was practical
No plan for a suspended worker

Competence Assessment Matrix

Decision point	What the assessor sees	Pass standard
Avoidance	Whether ground-level options are considered	Considered first
Edge	Edge protection check	Complete before access
Fragile surfaces	Roof light spotted	Covered or guarded
Rescue	Plan in place	Confirmed before work

What VR Covers

The regulation 6 hierarchy practised as real choices
Fragile surfaces that look solid
Height exposure without fall risk
A decision record per operative

What VR Does Not Replace

A competent person planning the actual job
Hands-on harness and rescue training
Site supervision

Scope of a One-Scenario Pilot

A pilot builds this scenario as a single module, in Unity or Unreal Engine depending on the visual fidelity the task needs and the headsets on site. It runs on standalone headsets, logs every learner decision, and exports a per-person record for your training file. It is measured against your current method with a test cohort before anything is scaled.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the work at height hierarchy?

Avoid work at height where reasonably practicable, prevent falls using suitable equipment, then minimise the distance and consequences of any fall that could still happen.

Is there a minimum height in the UK rules?

No. The Regulations apply to any place where a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury.

Can VR count as work at height training?

It supports competence. Practical equipment training and site supervision are still needed.

Want this scenario built around your site?

We review your current procedure and tell you which parts can be rehearsed in VR and which still need hands-on practice.

Map Your Highest-Risk Scenario