A roof surface can look sound and still fail under a person’s weight. Rooflights may be difficult to see, and sheets, fixings or supports may not be suitable for access. This guide sets the available Great Britain falls statistics alongside HSE guidance on preventing falls through fragile roofs.

Reviewed 15 October 2026. National figures below cover all falls from height, or construction falls as labelled; they are not counts of fragile-roof incidents. Fatal data are 2025/26 provisional; non-fatal data are 2024/25 provisional.

Key facts and figures

  • 31 workers died in falls from height across all industries in Great Britain in 2025/26 (provisional).
  • 736 non-fatal falls from height to construction employees were reported in 2024/25 (provisional).
  • 34% of reported specified injuries in construction were falls from height in 2024/25 (provisional).
  • Avoid access onto fragile surfaces where the work can be done safely from elsewhere.
  • Assume fragile until a competent person confirms a roof is not fragile, following HSE guidance.
  • Protect rooflights with suitable barriers or secured, labelled covers as part of the safe system of work.

Fragile surfaces can be difficult to recognise

HSE identifies falls through fragile roofs and rooflights as important roof-work hazards. General annual fatality tables do not provide a separate, complete count of fragile-roof deaths. The national figures above therefore give context, without claiming a roof-specific annual total.

A roof’s appearance does not establish that it can support someone. Paint, dirt and lighting can conceal rooflights or defects. Assessment needs competent knowledge of the roof system and its condition, not just a visual check from below.

What makes a surface fragile?

Fragility concerns whether the surface and its supports can safely sustain the loads involved. It can arise from the material, deterioration, damage, poor fixing or inadequate support. Age alone is not a reliable test, and a new sheet must not automatically be assumed safe to stand on.

  • Fibre-cement and other sheeted roofs can be fragile, including areas around ridges and purlins.
  • Rooflights may be fragile even where the surrounding roof provides a safe walking surface.
  • Corroded metal sheets, damaged panels and weakened supports require assessment.
  • Asbestos-containing materials introduce a separate exposure risk and need appropriate asbestos assessment and controls.

Do not test a suspect surface by stepping onto it. Treat the roof as fragile until a competent person has established otherwise and a suitable system of work is in place.

How roof access can lead to a fall

Cleaning, inspection, maintenance and repair can bring people close to fragile areas, even when the main task is not roofing. A worker may also encounter a rooflight while crossing the roof to reach another location. The route to and from the task needs the same planning as the work position.

Loose boards or a roof ladder alone do not provide a complete system of fall protection. The work may require suitable platforms and staging, guarded routes, restraint or fall-arrest measures, with competent selection and installation. Avoiding access onto the surface is the first option to consider.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply in Great Britain. Employers and others controlling the work must assess the risks, plan and supervise it, and ensure appropriate competence. For fragile surfaces, first consider work from below or another safe position that avoids access onto or near the surface.

  • Where access is necessary, provide suitable platforms, coverings, guardrails or similar safeguards to prevent a fall.
  • If a fall risk remains, minimise the distance and consequences using an appropriately designed system, such as safety nets or fall arrest.
  • Control access and provide prominent warnings where required; warning signs do not replace physical safeguards.
  • Plan how a person would be rescued, including after a fall is arrested.

Weather, the condition of the structure and changes during the job can affect the safe system. Stop and reassess when the planned precautions can no longer be maintained.

Protecting rooflights

Identify rooflights before people access the roof, including those hidden by coatings or dirt. HSE advises protection with barriers or covers that are secured and labelled with a warning. Any cover must be suitable for its intended loading and fixed so it cannot become displaced.

Set out a safe access route and communicate the protected areas to everyone involved, including maintenance staff and visiting contractors. Check that safeguards remain effective throughout the work. A warning colour or a short training session alone does not make a fragile surface safe.

Related guides

Sources & references

Make sure everyone who steps onto a roof can spot a fragile surface before it gives way.

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Mark McShane
Mark McShane
Working at Height & Health & Safety Training Specialist, Online CPD Academy

Mark writes about working at height, fall prevention, compliance and accredited training for Working at Heights Course, part of Online CPD Academy.